Learn with Us Ako i Tō Mātou Taha

At People First NZ we run courses for people with learning disability. Our fundamental courses are about rights and speaking up - self advocacy. We are also developing courses about everyday life skills.

The courses are designed by and for people with learning disability and are available face-to-face and online. We have facilitators that are experienced in delivering training to people with learning disability. Each course has a People First NZ member as an assistant facilitator.

The courses we run

Two women sit at a desk in a meeting room working on posters in front of them.

Participants thinking about their goals in a Speaking Up course in South Taranaki.

Speaking Up

The Speaking Up course is designed for people with learning disability to learn about:

  • human rights
  • speaking up
  • where in their local community they can get support and advice.


In this 6-session course participants have a chance to meet with people from their community and hear about what they do. Each session is about 2.5 hours.

Money Smarts Made Easy

This 4-session course has been developed by People First NZ together with Massey University Fin-Ed Centre.


On the course people with learning disability learn about:

  • where their money comes from
  • where their money goes
  • how to keep their money safe.

Keeping Safe Feeling Safe

This is a 10-session course about bullying, abuse and neglect that was formed after a 3-year pilot project in Auckland.


It teaches adults with learning disability:

  • what abuse is
  • how to keep themselves safe
  • where to go for help.


Free online life skills courses

Screen shot of a page on the life skills website, with a yellow background a Life skills heading and reads "click on a topic below to learn more and get your certificate. There are 4 boxes to click on called Speaking Up, Friendship, Your rights, Consent.

Our Life Skills app is an online space designed as either a companion to our Learn with Us courses or to be used on its own.

Currently there are four life skill topics – speaking up, friendship, your rights and consent – with more topics planned.

A team of members formed a working group advising on the website at all steps of the process - from design to testing - and took lead roles in the videos.

Interested in running a course?

If you would like more information about having a course in your area, contact:

Patrick Doherty
Learn with Us Co-ordinator
[email protected]

Line up of 8 people holding up green certificates in a room with a back drop that says Courage a ship is safe in harbour but that's not what ships are for.

Facilitator Assistant, Hinewai Vercoe, with Speaking Up participants (holding their certificates). The course was run by Thames Supported Lifestyle Trust.