Planning underway for Massey MyHub space for parents

A Massey student and mother, Katherine Hair, is leading a new digital initiative to support the university’s many studying parents struggling with isolation. 

Massey has one of the highest proportions of parenting students in Aotearoa, many of whom face unique challenges balancing study, family, and wellbeing.  

With support from Massey’s development team, Campus Co-Lab, Hair aims to provide a space for student parents to ask academic questions, connect with others, and get tailored support.   

The digital project reflects Hair’s own experience juggling study and parenting. Hair, a hybrid learner, is currently pursuing a postgraduate diploma in Sociology, having completed her undergraduate degree at Massey while raising her children.  

During her undergrad, she struggled to find what support was out there for students with kids.  

“Students with tamariki have greater emotional burdens but more trouble paying for mental health care, and are more likely to be unaware of what support is available.” 

“Inclusion of space (including digital space) for students with tamariki promotes a culture of normalisation of parents and parenting in tertiary studies,” Hair said.  

Like many parents, she completed her undergraduate degree at a pace that worked for her and her family. She moved between full-time and part-time study, taking breaks when work and whānau commitments created roadblocks.  

Hair said the new space would “connect people socially to others of a similar life stage, either online or IRL so we can support each other and acknowledge the hard mahi we put in as students with tamariki”.  

The digital space is initially focused on the Auckland and distance campus, but Hair hopes it will expand to other Massey campuses. 

“Massey can help people be their happy, healthy, shiny selves in their study and whanau life, and support them in creating a better future for their tamariki.”  

Initial planning is underway, following early feedback that reflected strong support for the space and highlighted student parents’ feelings of loneliness.  

A survey also revealed that over 90% of Massey students with tamariki want the university to reinstate scholarships for parenting students. 

A Massey spokesperson said the university supports the student-led initiative, with the Student Development Team providing guidance and support. 

An information session for students with tamariki is planned for this Thursday at 10am in the chaplaincy lounge, open to all.