What is Vakameasina?
Vakameasina (translating to ‘treasures we carry together’) was an education and development programme for seasonal horticultural workers. Seasonal workers come to New Zealand for up to 7 – 9 months at a time under the NZ Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, which continues to develop with the growing horticulture industry across New Zealand. The contributing Pacific Island countries of Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Nauru and Papua New Guinea make up the participants in the programme.
Funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Aid Programme, the RSE Worker Training Programme offers free education and development opportunities for all RSE workers across New Zealand. Vakameasina was an integral component of the RSE Scheme and supported both RSE workers and employers with foundational courses for living and working in New Zealand. Vakameasina successfully supported individuals to pursue their own learning and development pathways by helping to grow confidence with new learning here in New Zealand; the larger outcomes of the programme were aimed toward participants leading development opportunities and action plans for applying learning and resourcing in their home countries. There were a number of elective avenues RSE workers could pursue.
Fruition is proud to have delivered this programme from 2011 until 2024.
Vakameasina provides overseas vineyard workers with literacy, numeracy and life skills | Stuff.co.nz