Ara Re-works Community Connect Centres

New facilities will be established on October 21st at the Woolston campus; shortly after, leases for existing Ara Connect locations within the Bishopdale, Rangiora, Hornby and New Brighton suburbs will expire.

2020’s Covid-complications have meant that there have been changes in the number of students completing courses online nationally, so Ara has increased access to online learning activities, with ‘remote’ support provided by tutors.

Ara Connect Hornby, Bishopdale, New Brighton and Rangiora will be closing on Friday the 30th October, while Ara Connect Madras will continue as normal. Ara is also now working with community partners in the soon-to-be-vacated suburbs to ensure that tutors and support will be available onsite at specific times and places, including at Rangiora and Papanui High Schools, which will be the sites for Connect sessions occurring twice during the week and on Saturdays.

By establishing stronger community partnerships and increasing access to computing facilities in places such as libraries and community centres, Ara tutors hope to increase where and how learners can access Ara Connect courses.

As always with Connect programmes, the emphasis is on ease of access, flexible learning and support when it’s required.

Nigel Young, Head of Ara’s Enterprise & Digital Innovation Department, says “The Ara Connect centres have always been a great way for Ara to provide flexible, self-paced learning for people wanting to improve their digital literacy or computing skills. Now, with the addition of a new Woolston Centre, our focus on ensuring we’ve got a presence within community hubs and with the ability to study remotely, I think that new learners will find it easy and convenient to access these services.”

More details will be available on Ara’s main website shortly.