New Welfare Organisation Eases Teacher Struggles

New Welfare Organisation Eases Teacher Struggles

Out of the debris and devastation of the recent earthquakes in Christchurch has emerged a new organisation aimed at improving the lives of teaching and support staff throughout New Zealand.

Craig Fortune, a local Christchurch secondary teacher, realised that there was a definite need for a practical and rewarding benefit, support and social networking organisation for teachers, support staff and their families and as a result founded Teachers Inc.

"During both the February and June earthquakes a lot of my colleagues as well as my own children's teachers stayed with their students until parents or care givers turned up. This was despite them having their own families and properties to worry about. This truly demonstrates the passion and commitment teachers hold to a new level and I genuinely want to find a way to make these individuals, that do so much for our children, feel valued in our communities."

Teachers Inc is a non-political, membership-based organisation that all teaching and support staff from early childhood through to secondary schools are eligible to join. According to Mr Fortune, the benefits of joining Teachers Inc extend far beyond merely financial.

"We are planning a whole host of events, starting in Canterbury, catering for everyone from singles to those with families. We want our members to have fun. There is also more practical support on offer from a house swapping scheme during the school holidays to access to grants for the birth of a child or the death of a loved one, just to help out a little."

"There's a lot of us teachers around and if we all pull together we can really make a difference in each others lives, that's what we want to facilitate" says Fortune.

Teachers and support staff can join any time by going to the Teachers Inc website, http://www.teachersinc.co.nz

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