Postgraduate Certificate in Leading Change for Good

Leading Change for Good

Creating impactful, positive change in your community, iwi, business, organisation or industry. 

A NZQA-accredited postgraduate certificate that focuses on leadership and transformation for real, lasting impact where it matters the most.

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Next intake: Starts June 7th 2022
Applications close: May 31st 2022
Duration: 34 weeks, part-time
Study mode: Weekly online sessions, learning in your context, 6 x full day sessions (online or in-person, your choice)
Location: Optional face-to-face sessions held at The Mind Lab, 99 Khyber Pass Road, Grafton, Auckland
Fees: $3,310 inc GST (10% off earlybird discount and full scholarships available)
International fees: $16,559 inc GST (available for international students studying in NZ) 
Result: Level 8 (60 credits)

Apply now 2022 Student Handbook

Programme overview

Become part of a community of people driving change for good.

Every day more organisations commit to prioritising purpose and doing good, whether they are charities, public institutions, social enterprises or commercial organisations, and so we need to develop the capability and skills required to lead this change for good. 

The Postgraduate Certificate in Leading Change for Good was created to address this need.

The programme aims to provide people from diverse industries and communities with the knowledge and skills to effectively instigate and lead collaborations and partnerships, and apply environmentally, socially, and financially sustainable practices for positive impact in times of change.

Why do we need Leading Change?

What you'll walk away with

The ability to identify new and emerging business models that prioritise purpose over profit, and adapt them for your community, organisation or workplace.
A suite of contemporary leadership models to drive change for positive impact on communities, organisations and businesses.
A deep understanding of global and indigenous social change practice and considerations, and how you can use them in your community or workplace.
A detailed change strategy that harnesses leadership to create sustainable, authentic value in NZ’s changing social, economic, political, and cultural environments.

Programme details

Time requirement 

34 weeks of part-time study.

As part of this postgrad you will be required to dedicate the following time:

  • 2 hours of live, facilitated online sessions each week: 4.30-6.30pm Tuesday (for June 2022 intake) or Wednesday (for September 2022 intake). 
  • Weekly applied, hands-on learning in your chosen environment + additional preparation and collaboration work outside of this (roughly 14 hours per week combined).
  • 6 x full day sessions delivered in-person and online, learner’s choice, over the course of the programme (9:00am-5:00pm approx every 6 weeks)

For the detailed schedule of the upcoming intakes view our 2022 Student Handbook.

Online vs. face-to-face

We offer this programme entirely online, with the option to join us face-to-face for our full day sessions for those who are interested. The learning outcomes are the same whether you attend online or face-to-face, however those who choose to join us face-to-face will have the chance to connect in person with others on the programme, and The Mind Lab support team.

Location

The face-to-face sessions will be at The Mind Lab – 99 Khyber Pass Road, Grafton, Auckland.

Click here for our COVID processes & updates.

Next intakes

  • June 2022 intake: June 7th 2022 – February 20th 2023 (applications close May 31st 2022)
  • September 2022 intake: September 7th 2022 – May 23rd 2023 (applications close August 31st 2022)

There are only 40 places available in each intake.

Fees

Domestic (NZ student fees): $3,310 inc GST
International students, onshore: $16,559 inc GST

Discounts & scholarships

  • We offer an earlybird discount of 10% for enrolments received 4 weeks prior to course start date for domestic students. This takes the full programme cost to $2,979 inc GST.
  • We have a range of full fees scholarships available for our learners and our Impact Scholarship (50% off fees) for those positively impacting people, society or our planet. Domestic students only.
  • Postgraduate students are eligible to apply for StudyLink Student Loans or there are also a range of local grants and scholarships available for postgraduate study, contact us to talk through some of the options.
  • This leadership programme is valuable professional development, consider talking to your organisation to assist with funding.

Entry requirements

To be enrolled in this NZQA-accredited postgraduate certificate you must either:

  • Have a recognised bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional qualification or higher AND a minimum of two years relevant industry experience, or;
  • Have at least four years’ professional experience in a relevant industry or community, which will demonstrate equivalent or higher experience to the qualification noted above.

To make sure the postgrad certificate is relevant to you and the right fit, you’ll be asked to supply a brief Statement of Intent. Interviews may also be required.

Download our information pack for more details on the programme.

International students

With the current COVID-19 travel restrictions in place at the New Zealand border, this programme is only available to study as an international student if you are already in New Zealand. As the New Zealand government reviews and revises travel restrictions, it may be possible to apply for a Student Visa and travel to New Zealand to study this programme with us in the future.

You will need to check the conditions on your visa to see if you are eligible to study with us. To find out more about studying with The Mind Lab as an international student and programme fees, visit our International Students page.

Learn. Stack. Build. Master.

This postgraduate certificate is stackable. Credits earned can be stacked towards a Master’s Degree. Find out how it works.

Scholarships

Tangata Whenua Scholarship
We have a number of full fees scholarships for learners who identify as Māori
Pacific Ako Scholarship
We have a number of full fees scholarships for those who identify as Pacific learners
Taipakeke Scholarship
We have a number of full fees scholarships for learners who are aged 60 years and over
Impact Scholarship
This scholarship covers 50% off fees for those positively impacting people, society or our planet. Domestic students only.

Click here to learn more about our scholarships, and how to apply.

Who is this programme for?

  • Those who are driven by a desire to do good in their community, business, industry, or wider.
  • Those who have an idea for change they want to lead, big or small, for the benefit of others and/or the planet – or can see where change is needed.
  • Not necessarily those who hold leadership positions, but those who are looking for the skills to help them step up and make sustainable, lasting change in their environment, and bring others along on this journey.
  • Industries can vary from self-employed, SME’s, large corporates, government, not for profit. In today’s world anyone in any business can lead with purpose no matter what your product or service is.

Hear from our Leading Change learners

Key topics

Leadership
  • Understand contemporary and indigenous leadership approaches, and how to select approaches that are best fitted to your industry, community or organisation.
  • Apply relevant leadership skills to amplify, consolidate and add momentum to real change, including communication and collaboration approaches.
  • Understand culturally intelligent approaches to community development and partnerships.
Authentic value
  • Understand what authentic value is, and determine how you can deliver this in your specific environment; whether this is in your community, your workplace, your business, your industry, nationwide or worldwide. 
  • Establish positive solutions to changing environments (economic, political, social and natural) that create this genuine and sustainable value.
Sustainability
  • Confront sustainability (economic, social and environmental) challenges and identify opportunities for change in your environment.
  • Explore and evaluate contemporary, regenerative solutions that promote maximum sustainability across your sector, and other sectors.
  • Understand diversity of thinking and sustainable organisational change for maximum impact.
Disruption
  • Analyse the nature and characteristics of change, in order to navigate disruption efficiently and ethically in your environment.
  • Explore innovative business models alongside the complex and fast-paced growth of emerging and disruptive technologies.
How? The tools and frameworks
  • New economic and contemporary business models
  • Impact assessment tools and frameworks
  • Benefits measuring and planning
  • Disruption management tools
  • Empathy building & stakeholder engagement
Kaupapa Māori values and approaches
  • Analysing social change from an indigenous viewpoint
  • Experience teaching and learning driven by kaupapa Māori values
  • Kaupapa Māori and indigenous leadership models
  • Leaders and case studies who are walking the walk

Meet Hancine Samvelyan, Programme Lead

Hancine is an education leader, who strongly believes in the power of lifelong learning, overcoming obstacles to figure out your strengths, and harnessing what you learn for good.

Hancine’s ability to connect with learners and guide them along their journey comes from a combination of this diverse pool of learning, as well as the other projects and roles she’s taken on along the way, most recently as Education Director for the Master of Teaching & Education Leadership.

“If we truly want change then we have to be challenged and be comfortable being uncomfortable. We need leaders who are prepared to listen, prepared to be inclusive, prepared to take risks as well as being open to new ways of thinking and doing.”

Click here to learn more about Hancine.

Meet the rest of the team

Saskia Verraes
Sustainable Futures Adviser
View bio
Te Mihinga Komene
Pou Ārahi, nō Waikato-Maniapoto, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāti Whakaue me Ngāti Porou
View bio
Hayley Sparks
National Academic Manager
View bio
Madeleine Moore
Programme Coordinator
View bio

Keen to know more?

We’re tackling the BIG questions

A reflective piece on what we’ve learned since the programme started in September 2020 and some of the BIG questions and topics that learners are tackling.

Check out the article

The Spinoff: For the greater good

We chatted with The Spinoff about how organisations and businesses can measure positive impact alongside profit and the power of small changes we make to ripple into greater change, for good.

Check out the full article

Whether the change you want to create is big or small, for your community, your organisation, or across New Zealand, this postgrad certificate will give you the capability, skills and relevant frameworks to effectively lead sustainable change and create genuine value.

Enquire

Enquire about our Postgrad Certificate in Leading Change for Good and one of our outreach team will get in touch to answer any questions you may have.

Or apply now by clicking here.

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