Murihiku Young Parents’ Learning Centre (MYPLC) is a school for teenage parents, under the governance of James Hargest College in Invercargill.

The school is funded for 30 students and was opened in January 2011.

Our purpose is to provide learning and well-being programmes that enable young parents to achieve the educational success necessary for the careers of their choice.

Our vision is, ‘to develop a strong belief, enabling success as independent learners and empowering students to be positive parents’.

Our teenage parents enrol their children at Nga Tamariki @ MYPLC, which is a purpose built Early Childhood Centre adjacent to MYPLC.

Parents are encouraged to spend intervals and lunchtimes with their children and breastfeeding is encouraged and supported.

We have a shared lunch once a week and a designated weekly timetabled hour called ‘whānau time’ where ECE teachers and parents organise activities together for, and with the children.

Students at MYPLC benefit from high levels of support and guidance that helps them to develop personally, socially and supports them as parents.

Wrap around services include access to a school nurse, a Family Works social worker and a Plunket nurse. The centre also has a Student Mentor who can help and support students to access a wide network of services and agencies from within the community.

Our learning programme includes a range of life skills and citizenship opportunities. For example:

• Health and nutrition
• Fitness and team building
• Volunteering and fundraising
• Parenting and budgeting modules

Our Teaching and Learning Programme provides each student with a pathway to gain NCEA qualifications via a range of providers and deliveries including: The MYPLC curriculum and teachers, James Hargest College, Te Kura curriculum and teachers, Industry Standards and Southland Institute of Technology.

Our programme is individualised, responsive, personalised and flexible.Every student’s goals and aspirations are identified during the enrolment and induction process, and learning is responsive to changing needs and future directions.