NZSL Onsite Programme Review – Term 3 Update
Thursday, 9th July 2026​
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Since February 2017, Merge NZ has proudly delivered NZSL onsite courses throughout New Zealand. Over the past nine years, we have never missed delivering a single term of onsite courses. This consistency reflects our commitment to providing accessible, high-quality NZSL learning opportunities and supporting the growth of NZSL across our communities.
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Together, we have achieved some incredible milestones:
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4,100+ hours of NZSL teaching delivered
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277 onsite courses completed
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2,200+ students participated
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155 different teachers attended our courses
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Courses delivered across three learning levels – Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3
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15 locations throughout New Zealand
​Why are onsite courses on hold during Term 3?
Face-to-face learning plays an important role in learning a new language and experiencing Deaf culture. We strongly believe that onsite learning provides valuable opportunities to build confidence, develop communication skills, and connect with Deaf tutors and local Deaf communities.
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Following recent staffing changes, our dedicated NZSL Onsite Course Coordinator, Jennifer Lum, concluded her role with Merge NZ at the end of June.
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As part of our organisational restructure, Marissa Lessing, who has successfully coordinated our MySign NZSL In-House Courses, has stepped into the newly established role of NZSL Programmes Lead.
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During Term 3, Marissa will lead the first comprehensive review of our NZSL Onsite Programme since it began in 2017. This review will help ensure our programme continues to meet the needs of students, tutors, clients, and communities, while remaining sustainable for the future.
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What will be reviewed?
The review will consider a range of operational and service areas, including:
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NZSL onsite course delivery model
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Tutor workforce capacity and future planning
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Student feedback, attendance, completion rates, and withdrawal trends
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Systems and online booking processes
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Marketing and long-term programme planning
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Administrative processes, workload, and operational costs
The purpose of this review is to identify opportunities to strengthen our programme and ensure we continue delivering a high-quality learning experience for many years to come.
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Online NZSL Courses Continue
While the onsite programme is under review, our online NZSL courses will continue as normal. Students wishing to begin or continue learning NZSL are warmly encouraged to enrol in one of our online courses.
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We Value Your Feedback
If you have attended one of our NZSL onsite courses, we would greatly appreciate hearing about your experience. Your feedback will help shape the future direction of our onsite programme and ensure it continues to meet the needs of our learners and communities.
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Feedback closes: Monday, 10 August
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Survey is coming soon...
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If you have any questions, please contact us
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Finally, thank you for your continued support over the past nine years. Your support has helped make Merge NZ one of New Zealand's leading NZSL providers, and we look forward to sharing the outcomes of the review with you in the coming months.
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Handwaves,
The Merge NZ Team