The Certificate in Community Youth Work (CertCYW)* (*leading to the New Zealand Certificate in Youth Work (Level 5)) equips students with the knowledge, skills and formation needed to serve and support young people. The programme integrates youth work practice with a grounding in Christian theology and bicultural competence. Students are prepared to engage with taiohi in ways that uphold mana, reflect Christian character and respond to the diverse cultural contexts of Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Students will explore youth development with young people, bicultural relationships, spiritual formation and community engagement. Learning is applied in youth work contexts through 300hrs of supervised practicum experience. 

The CertCYW provides a supportive pathway for youth work practitioners who desire to grow in their own spiritual and personal formation while learning to nurture the wellbeing of young people. 

PROGRAMME SUMMARY

NZQF Level 5, 120 Credits 

Duration: One year full-time, part-time options available
Starts: February
Places: Open for enrolment
Campus: Christchurch campus only in 2026

Click here to view or download a programme summary

Programme Requirements

FEES

Domestic Fees for 2026 are $912 per 15-credit course or $1,824 per 30-credit course. 

$7,296 for one year (120 credits).

OBJECTIVES

Graduates of the CertCYW will be equipped to serve in youth work, youth ministry or community roles that support the hauora of rangatahi and their whānau. The programme also provides a pathway into further study for personal or professional development in youth work, Christian ministry or theology. 

Graduates will be able to:

• Apply knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Mana Taiohi, Code of Ethics for Youth Work, brain development and human development frameworks and legislative requirements to support taiohi from diverse groups.

• Oversee a focussed aspect of a youth work project and apply evaluation tools to develop a qualitative report.

• Engage in professional development to analyse and evaluate own culture, values, attitudes, beliefs and self-care practice to strengthen youth work practice.

• Engage with a diverse range of community partners, including tangata whenua, to meet the objectives of a youth work organisation.

• Analyse the impacts of the digital, social, and systemic worlds of taiohi, including the impacts of colonisation, to support youth hauora.