Associate Professor Kathryn Hay
A key placement partner, Te Aroha Noa Community Services, also received an award.
These awards, the Innovation and Excellence Award and the Collaboration Award, celebrate Massey’s leadership in work-integrated learning (WIL) and the strength of its relationships with community partners.
The School of Social Work Field Education Team, led by Dr Lynsey Ellis, received the Innovation and Excellence Award in recognition of their sustained delivery of high-quality student placements across Aotearoa New Zealand and the globe.
Each year, the team organises, monitors and assesses over 200 60-day placements for Bachelor and Master of Applied Social Work students, maintaining a student success rate of over 95 per cent.
Key innovations include the development of a Kaupapa Māori supervision model, created in collaboration with Whānau Pūkenga, which supports tauira Māori to develop as Tangata Whenua student social workers grounded in Mātauranga Māori. The team’s WIL handbooks and processes are now used as exemplars by other institutions across the country.
College of Health Associate Dean WIL and Chair of the University WIL Working Group Associate Professor Kathryn Hay says this recognition affirms the values of the team.
“At the heart of everything we do is our commitment to supporting students to become skilled, compassionate practitioners who can make a real difference in their communities. These awards acknowledge the strength between educators, community partners and students. WIL enables meaningful learning experiences and, ultimately, a competent social work workforce.”
Associate Professor Kathryn Hay accepts award with the President of WILNZ, Associate Professor Karsten Zegwaard, Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato University of Waikato.
The Collaboration Award was presented to Te Aroha Noa Community Services (TANCS), recognising more than 30 years of partnership with Massey in supporting social work students. Since 1989, TANCS has hosted over 100 students on placement and provided transformative learning opportunities rooted in authentic, bicultural community practice.
The organisation’s commitment to student learning includes annual contributions to pre-placement preparation, hands-on teaching sessions and involvement in research collaborations that shape contemporary models of practice. In 2024, half of TANCS’ social workers were Massey alumni.
Head of School of Social Work Professor Kieran O'Donoghue says the awards reflect the collective effort to support students.
“These awards reflect the enduring partnerships and collective commitment that underpin social work education at Massey. Our focus remains on nurturing students who are not only well-prepared professionally but deeply connected to the communities they will serve. At the end of the day, it’s the students and the people they work alongside who matter most.”
Together, these awards reflect Massey’s values of partnership, cultural responsiveness and community-led education and the power of enduring relationships to shape future generations of social workers.
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