Teach First NZ

Addressing inequality in education and growing leaders for change.

Auckland

We know that inspirational leadership, both inside and outside the classroom, is crucial for improving educational outcomes. So we’re helping to create those inspirational leaders.

We hand-pick exceptional people to take part in a two-year, employment-based teaching and education leadership programme, partnering with schools serving low-income communities across the country. Participants teach in a secondary school serving a low-income community while completing a Masters qualification. Graduates go on not only to teach in schools where they are needed most, but also to help address systemic social and educational injustice, helping to create a brighter future for young people, communities, and Aotearoa New Zealand as a whole.

To date, programme participants and alumni have directly worked with over 30,000 children attending over 60 secondary schools in low-income communities from Kaitaia to Invercargill.

We’re not a teacher supply agency. We don’t work for the government—we’re an independent, not-for-profit organisation that stands for social justice and educational equality for all. We have to raise 80 per cent of our funding by ourselves, with the generous support of our communities.

More about us

Teach First NZ's approach is two-fold.

In the short-term, we recruit outstanding individuals to bring knowledge, energy and leadership into low-decile schools, inspiring young people to fulfil and expand their potential.

In the long-term, we aim to build a network of alumni leaders in education and across all fields, who are committed to tackling educational inequality in New Zealand.