WELCOME TO TIASA
THE SPECIALIST VOICE FOR ALLIED STAFF
The Tertiary Institutes Allied Staff Association (TIASA Te Hononga) is the professional association and union for allied (non-teaching/general) staff across the New Zealand tertiary education sector. If you work in an allied staff role at any level then TIASA is for you!
BIG ENOUGH TO MATTER, SMALL ENOUGH TO CARE.
Message from the President
Kia ora, Haere mai nau mai – Greetings, and Welcome to TIASA Te Hononga! We are an excellent choice! TIASA is the only specialist professional union for allied staff across the NZ tertiary education sector. From universities, wananga, institutes of technology, polytechnics, private training establishments and other such organisations, allied staff are everywhere and so is TIASA.
Working together we provide a powerful and expert professional voice for allied staff everywhere, no matter how labelled – professional, general, support staff, or other titles. Formed just on 50 years ago, we are a very active, inclusive and highly effective representative for allied staff. Our success rate is second to none and we set the standard for fairer pay, recognition and employment conditions across the whole of the sector. Allied staff are the firm foundation on which the entire sector is built, but too often go under recognised and undervalued. TIASA’s role is to ensure to the very best of our ability the true worth of the thousands of staff whose work is not teaching delivery, but is just as valuable. We work tirelessly to ensure allied staff everywhere are recognised as truly equal partners and contributors to the success on any measure of our country’s tertiary education system, students, and institutions.
We are a youthful, lively, highly respected and innovative union, constantly looking forward whilst also safeguarding gains made over the many years of our existence. Our work includes negotiation of the best possible pay and working conditions, expert advice and representation with any employment issues affecting you, and constructive engagement on your behalf with leaders at all levels including government and other key decision makers. The vast majority of our sector’s allied staff belong to TIASA, giving us strength and influence. Every new member joining TIASA adds to that strength and influence. We warmly welcome you to TIASA, your specialist voice for all aspects of your employment and future in the changing NZ tertiary education sector.
Shelley Weir
National President
MEMBERSHIP
DOESN’T COST
IT PAYS
Got an idea to make a difference?
Are you looking to undertake training or professional development, or do you have a great idea that could make a real difference, but need funding to make it happen?
HealthCarePlus understands that providing grants to support professional development, or to fund projects both large and small, can transform a great idea into a real game changer. If you need a grant to undertake an activity in 2026 that may benefit, you, your sector, or the wider community, HealthCarePlus’s ‘Grants for Good’ may well be the answer.
Last year, ‘Grants for Good’ supported a wide range of amazing projects both large and small and helped individuals with funding for professional development.
For example, they are currently supporting Hannah Watson as she transitions from a high school teacher to a school counsellor. With over a decade in the classroom, Hannah saw how mental health affects learning and wellbeing. Motivated by a deep commitment to student support—and her own experience of being truly heard—she is now pursuing postgraduate counselling studies. Thanks to the HealthCarePlus Grant for Good, Hannah can balance work and study without added financial stress. She shares, “It made me feel supported, that someone believed in what I was doing.” Her journey reflects the power of investing in people dedicated to positive change. Read her story here.
HealthCarePlus is also proud to support the Manawatū Literacy Association’s innovative Book Battle programme, designed to reignite reading engagement among primary students. With funding from Grants for Good, the initiative—championed by Resource Teacher of Literacy Belinda—brings Year 5–8 students together to read a curated list of mostly New Zealand books and compete in a fun, quiz-style event. The grant enabled the team to provide additional resources, events, and books to schools, ensuring the programme’s sustainability and reach. Belinda notes that the support has been transformative, allowing more students—including reluctant readers—to discover the joy of reading and build lasting literacy habits. Read more about this project here.
Over the last five rounds ‘Grants For Good’ has approved over $750,000 of funding support as charitable educational grants. And for the 2026 round there is more than $250,000 of funding available which will provide a significant step towards making funding for educational projects, training and professional development even more accessible to everyday New Zealanders.
Individual Grants – Category 1
Any individual activity, or small project that has an educational outcome, is eligible to apply for support for amounts between $3,000 and $12,000 for one year. This could include hardship grants to help individuals fund their study, support for people undertaking professional development or backing ideas for small projects that make working and living in NZ, better for everyone.
Applications for Individual grants open 30th June and close at 5pm on 5th September 2025.
Group and Special Grants – Categories 2 and 3
For Group and Special Grants, Expressions of Interest are now open for amounts from $10,000 up to a maximum of $50,000 for one year. These grants are designed to support larger team-based projects or to support conferences.
Please note Expression of Interests for Group and Special grants open 30th June close at 5pm 8th August 2025. Short listed Expressions of Interest will then be invited to submit a Full Application that will close at 5pm on 19 September 2025.
So get in quick for any Group or Special Grant applications. Remember, they’re not just focused on large-scale projects – they’ll consider any good idea, from right across NZ.
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