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Employment Advocacy Project

Future pathways for employment advocates

Skill Standards Development 

The Employment Advocacy working group has commenced development of four draft skill standards aligned directly to the graduate profile outcomes of the proposed Employment Advocacy qualification. These draft standards reflect core capabilities required for effective practice in the field. 

Draft Skill Standard Titles: 

  1. Apply Core Civil Procedure in Employment-Related Matters
  2. Apply Professional Communication and Advocacy in Employment Matters
  3. Conduct Legal Research and Analysis for Employment Advocacy
  4. Apply Alternative Dispute Resolution Techniques in Employment Contexts

We welcome feedback from stakeholders and industry professionals. Please contact Syd Reweti at [email protected] to share your insights or request more information. 

Draft qualification – national consultation

Ringa Hora is seeking wider feedback on the draft Employment Advocacy qualification, put together with the collaboration of industry partners and educational institutions.  

If you would like to provide feedback, click here.  

 

Background  

In New Zealand, employment advocates are not required to hold any formal qualifications or credentials to represent somebody in an employment dispute, and the industry is currently unregulated. 

In October 2024, Ringa Hora was approached by industry representatives to discuss issues surrounding this with Employment Advocates and explore potential solutions for industry.   

From October 2024 to February 2025 Ringa Hora engaged with industry representatives, associations and potential providers via online meetings to further explore these issues. See Employment Advocacy Project Summary of Findings for a summary of what was discussed in the webinars.  

Engagement findings   

Two general directions were proposed in the webinars:  

  1. an education approach through credential development 
  2. a regulatory/legislative approach   

Ringa Hora is not an organisation that has authority to work on a regulatory/legislative approach. However, Ringa Hora can play a role in exploring an education approach through the development of credentials such as qualifications, standards, and/or micro-credentials. 

Next steps 

The following next steps are indicative and subject to change. These are: 

  • Analysis and background work.

  • Engage with industry and providers via online webinars and in-person meetings. 

  • Send out EOI for advisory groups 
  • Form Steering Group and Working Groups 
  • Host Steering Group online hui to determine what credentials will be developed. 

  • RH host in-person initial hui with Working Group 
  • Working group attend online meetings to refine draft credentials.

  • RH publish draft credentials for wider consultation 
  • RH review feedback with Working Group.

  • RH finalise drafts and gather attestation forms and related documents 
  • Submit to NZQA for review
  • RH to work through feedback from NZQA
  • RH receive NZQA letter of approval for applications 
  • NZQA publish new credentials on the NZQA framework
  • RH notify all external parties of publication and close project.  

Ringa Hora will engage fully with stakeholders and our wider consultation group throughout the project.

We welcome feedback or expressions of interest to be involved at any time and will continue to add people who are interested.

If you have any further enquiries, please email [email protected].