English Language Partners Marlborough

09/10/2026

On Wednesday 16 September, learners from the Hawke's Bay centre went on a trip to visit Waiaroha Heretaunga Water Discovery Centre 💧

The trip was part of an additional two-week spring intensive programme for learners in the Hawke's Bay General English class.

The class had a tour of the facility followed by a scavenger hunt in the discovery centre.

Overall, the visit to Waiaroha was both educational and enjoyable, as well as providing an excellent opportunity for learners to build their vocabulary in a real-life context.

Learning a blend of te reo Māori and English is extremely valuable for understanding New Zealand culture and participating in community life.

Read more: https://www.englishlanguage.org.nz/articles/waiaroha-litres-of-learning-in-hastings

A special thank you to Janka for organising and documenting this excursion, and to the Hastings District Council - Te Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Heretaunga for hosting the group.

07/10/2026

From a church venue in Queenstown, teacher Kelsey is helping workers from migrant backgrounds build their English skills, confidence and connections.

Rusna, a housekeeping supervisor originally from Indonesia, says her English has improved a lot since joining a class three years ago.

"The first time I started English Language Partners class, it was very fun and I learned a lot of new words that I never knew before. I am getting better with my English. Also, at work I felt more comfortable to talk with my general manager. I wish to improve more in the future so I can get a good position at work."

For Miriam, a holiday park assistant from Argentina, the benefits extend beyond the workplace.

"Personally, attending classes helps me feel more confident in social settings, which motivates me to continue improving my language skills so I can become more involved in the community."

Visit our website to read the full story on how our free English for Employees classes are helping NZ resident workers in Queenstown. ⛰️

🔗 https://www.englishlanguage.org.nz/articles/learning-english-helps-workers-connect-in-queenstown

05/10/2026

New Zealand's General Election is coming up on 7 November 2026. The last day to enrol is 25 October. 📋

We've developed teaching resources for teachers and volunteers to help learners understand the language and process of voting.

You can find these on our website:
https://www.englishlanguage.org.nz/teaching-resources-worksheets

Learning English to understand voting and democratic processes in Aotearoa is an important part of settling here. 🗳

Below are some useful links from the Electoral Commission NZ:

Educating adults and communities: https://elections.nz/getting-involved/educating-adults-and-communities

Enrolment info in multiple languages: https://vote.nz/2026-general-election/resources/information-in-multiple-languages

Enrolment info in accessible formats: https://vote.nz/2026-general-election/resources/information-in-accessible-formats

Info about the unpublished roll: https://vote.nz/enrolling/get-ready-to-enrol/can-you-go-on-the-unpublished-roll

01/10/2026

Learners in the Hobsonville ESOL programme received a very special surprise this spring! 🐑💐

Three fluffy lambs came to visit, each with their own unique name and backstory.

The visit provided a wonderful opportunity for learners to expand their vocabulary and practise their English conversation skills in a real-life context. They also strengthened their listening skills and their ability to follow instructions in a fun and engaging environment.

Learners even had the special opportunity to bottle-feed the lambs! It was a memorable and unique experience, offering a glimpse into Kiwi farm life while creating lasting memories.

Read more: https://www.englishlanguage.org.nz/articles/a-fluffy-spring-surprise-for-hobsonville-learners

A special thank you to Renata (Bee) Kang and the Hobsonville Connected Network for making this wonderful experience possible for Hobsonville learners.

01/10/2026

Did you know…? 🚗🚙

From today 1 October ,these changes are now law

30/09/2026

Meet Dana, one of our fantastic English teachers based at English Language Partners Horowhenua-Kāpiti in Levin. Dana is also one of our online English for Employees teachers.

These classes give workers the opportunity to learn practical English, connect with others and feel more confident communicating at work. 💼

“As an ESOL teacher, I see how quickly learners grow in confidence when they can communicate clearly at work and in their communities", says Dana.

"English for Employees gives migrants the practical English, cultural understanding, and real-world skills they need to succeed in New Zealand workplaces and feel like they are truly making Aotearoa their home.”

The final English for Employees classes for 2026 are now getting underway. We have evening and weekend options available online, so it's not too late to join from anywhere in New Zealand at a time that fits around your work schedule.

🔗 Find out more: https://www.englishlanguage.org.nz/landing-pages/english-for-employees

30/09/2026

Latin America & Spain Film Festival comes to Blenheim - 12-17 October

Kia ora koutou,

The Latin America & Spain Film Festival (LASFF) is coming to Blenheim. Join us for a week of award-winning films from seven countries, all free to attend.

Films are shown in their original language. The week opens with a welcome ceremony on Monday 12 October, followed by our first film.

Where: Connect Blenheim, 8 Beaver Road
When: Monday 12 - Saturday 17 October 2026
Cost: Free, but registration is required for each film

Movie schedule

Mon 12 Oct, 5:30pm - Opening Ceremony, followed at 6:00pm by Denominación de Origen (Chile, comedy). Register here
Tue 13 Oct, 5:30pm - Corina (Mexico, dramedy). Register here
Wed 14 Oct, 5:30pm - Un Poeta (Colombia, tragicomedy). Register here
Thu 15 Oct, 5:30pm - Cerrar Los Ojos (Spain, drama - runs 2h 49m). Register here
Fri 16 Oct, 5:30pm - Nieve Negra (Argentina, thriller). Register here
Sat 17 Oct, 3:00pm - Un Mundo Para Julius (Peru, drama). Register here
Sat 17 Oct, 6:00pm - Saneamento Básico, O Filme (Brasil, comedy). Register here

Seats are limited, so please register early for each film you'd like to see. Bring your whānau and friends, and come celebrate the stories, humour and cultures of Latin America and Spain on the big screen.

This festival is proudly presented with our partners, the Latin American and Hispanic Community in Marlborough and the Chilean Embassy.

Ngā mihi nui,
Marlborough Multicultural Centre

23/09/2026

Get in touch with us if you would like us to run this course in Blenheim…. Email [email protected] or call/text 027 237 0317

Looking to find a job in Wellington? Our English for Job Seekers course is here to help!

Learn how to create a winning CV, write cover letters, practice job interviews, and build your networking skills.

**Course details:**

When: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 13 Oct – 10 Dec 2026 (12:30 pm – 2:30 pm)

Where: Level 5, 186 Willis Street, Te Aro, Wellington

Cost: FREE for NZ residents and citizens

Get in touch to enrol:

Call/text: 04 384 1992 or 027 646 4451

Visit: www.englishlanguage.org.nz

Share this with anyone in your network who might be interested!

21/09/2026

We love celebrating learner success and recently we had the opportunity to shine a light on some impressive learning journeys.

Inspired by Adult Learners' Week He Tangata Mātauranga, English Language Partners Dunedin organised a competition for Dunedin learners to recognise and celebrate excellence in adult learning.

Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker joined the ceremony to present the awards.

Hamida, a mother of five who has shown remarkable progress in English language learning, and who is giving back to her community, won our 2026 Dunedin Outstanding Adult Learner Award.

Hamida says she is trying to open the way for other Afghan women, to inspire and encourage them. Her goal is to be a translator using English, Farsi and Dari.

“It's my dream, so I'm trying to improve my English.”

Congratulations to Hamida and all the finalists 👏

The awards ceremony was made possible with a grant from ACE Aotearoa, and we are grateful for their support.

Read the full story: https://www.englishlanguage.org.nz/articles/inspiring-adults-to-learn-languages

Dunedin City Council

15/09/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1S5UYmZovS/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Meet Arman Hossain 🌍

Arman Hossain is Vice President of the Marlborough Muslim Association and a passionate advocate for community, connection and inclusion here in Blenheim. He is also a Justice of the Peace.

Join us to hear a brief introduction to the local Muslim Association - who they are, their goals, and how they connect with and contribute to the wider Marlborough community.

A great chance to learn more about the Muslim community in Blenheim and the many ways they welcome and support people across our region.

We look forward to hearing from Arman!

11/09/2026

As part of Welcoming Week 2026, English Language Partners New Zealand Centre Manager Clinton Ashill spoke to Whangarei District Council about the role English Language Partners plays in the community.

“We go beyond just teaching English language. We are a social space and a key navigator into community and life here in Whangārei and New Zealand.

One older learner once asked me if she was too old to join classes. I told her, ‘No, of course not.’ Her reply stayed with me: ‘Thank you, you are my social life and a lifeline.’

She had come to New Zealand to help care for her grandchildren while her daughter worked. As the children grew older, she wanted to connect with people and build a life of her own here."

Thank you, Whangarei District Council, for supporting our mahi and for sharing the stories of newcomers and welcoming organisations in the community.

Read the full story:

Centre Manager Clinton Ashill shares English Language Partners Northland's story with us as part of a series celebrating the contributions of newcomers and welcoming organisations in our community for Welcoming Week 2026.

08/09/2026

Happy Adult Learners’ Week He Tangata Mātauranga 2026!
 
At our Wellington centre, we celebrated Adult Learners’ Week by asking learners a simple question: “How does English help you?”

Their answers are a powerful reminder that language learning is about so much more than words. It helps people build confidence, connect with their communities, support their families, find employment opportunities and achieve their goals.

We are proud of every learner’s journey and grateful that they chose to share their stories with us.

Watch the video to read their inspiring responses.

ACE Aotearoa  

05/09/2026

It's Welcoming Week! Communities across Aotearoa are celebrating the connections that bring people together. Hear what these ladies love about their Whanganui community 👇

03/09/2026

Attending Miharo Murihiku Polyfest 2026 was a fantastic experience for Southland learners 🌺🎶

After learning about haka, poi and waiata in class, learners had the chance to experience these cultural traditions firsthand at the festival. A highlight was recognising songs they had learnt in class and singing along with the performers.

The event gave learners the chance to experience Aotearoa New Zealand’s rich cultural diversity and connect their classroom learning with memorable real-life experiences within the community.

Read more: https://www.englishlanguage.org.nz/articles/miharo-murihiku-polyfest-2026

Thank you to our local funders who help make free English classes possible in Southland: Community Trust South Invercargill City Council ILT Catalytic Foundation

26/08/2026

We like the sound of a multicultural market 👏😁💖

What a great idea Marlborough Multicultural Centre, a regular multicultural market for everyone. What stalls would you like to see?

Blenheim is set to get a new multicultural night market, giving Beavertown at Blenheim a boost in the process.

Marlborough Multicultural Centre has revealed plans for their first night market next month.

And Centre manager Matilde Figuracion says she hopes the market will become a monthly community event.

“This is a pilot for September-October, but we are looking to do it again every month after that. We want it to be in the calendar for the community, get it promoted as part of the destination. There is going to be a family vibe.”

Matilde said the centre wanted to build on the success of the Multicultural Festival and develop something for both the multicultural community and beyond.

“We have all the resources with food trucks and the place here, so why not do it? People said they wanted to be part of it.

“Food, culture, it is always good. It speaks to everybody.”

Plans include community stalls lining one side of the Beavertown main street, and food trucks will be along the other.

There market will also include cultural performances at one end of the street with and music and buskers at theother. With a big carpark close by, the site is ideal for a night market, Matilde says.

She added the idea was sparked by her desire to help food truck owners get through winter’s quiet spells.

When Matilde and her husband lived in Wellington before moving to Marlborough, they had a food truck they took to a regular night food market event she explains.

“I figured there would be interest in something like that here... I talked to Brian Dawson, and he and council people were very supportive. People liked this, it’s a good idea, so let’s do it. I am really excited.”

Adding to her excitment is the benefit of doing it at Beavertown in Brayshaw Park.

By holding the night market at the park, she hopes the multicultural community and others will learn more about Marlborough’s history and its stories.

“There is huge potential for this space... It could be a multicultural hub in the future. It holds the history of the past and now the getting of the new history of Blenheim with new people coming in.

Marlborough was changing in terms of demographics, she says.

“There are 35 plus nationalities here that I know of. We can showcase all of that.”
The inaugural Multicultural Night Market will be held between 4pm and 8pm on Friday September 25 at Beavertown, Brayshaw Park. Entry is free with food and drink available to purchase.

23/08/2026

New residence pathways…. Check out the NZI website….

The wait is over!

The new Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) residence settings and Work to Residence wage rate changes are now live. With new residence pathways, updates to the points system, and changes to wage threshold rules, there may be new opportunities to make New Zealand your home.

Find out what you need to do to apply, check your eligibility, and explore the pathway that's right for you.

https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/skilled-migrant-category-resident-visa/

https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/work-to-residence-visa/

21/08/2026

Why not nominate yourself or someone you know….?

Kia ora e te whānau! 👋

Nominations are officially open for the Marlborough Multicultural Centre Board 2026-27.

If you care about Marlborough's multicultural community and want a say in shaping MMC's future, we want to hear from you. Nominate yourself or put forward a fellow member.

📅 Nominations close 5.00pm, Friday 18 September 2026 🗳️ AGM: Monday 28 September 2026 ✉️ Get your nomination form from [email protected]

Every nominee needs a nominator and a seconder who are current financial MMC members - so if you know someone who'd make a great Board member, encourage them to put their name forward.

Not a financial member yet? You can join before being nominated - get in touch at [email protected].

MANY CULTURES. ONE HOME. 🌏

20/08/2026

Next Friday…..

🎬 FRIDAY FLIX: Making Marlborough - The Migrant Story

Join us for a special screening of this award-winning feature film, full of local stars and local stories! Meet the faces behind the film - community members from Brazil, Nepal, Peru, the Netherlands, India, China, Italy, Sri Lanka, Czech Republic, Cambodia, Jordan and France - sharing their journeys of making Marlborough home.

📅 Friday 28th August, 7pm
📍 Marlborough Museum, Brayshaw Heritage Park, Arthur Baker Place, Blenheim
🎟️ $10 entry

"Making Marlborough" is a film from Paul Davidson and Barbara Gibb, proudly supported and funded by Marlborough District Council, the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, Redwood Trust, Blenheim Lions International, and Marlborough Multicultural Centre.

Grab your tickets and come celebrate the many cultures that make our region home. See you there!

20/08/2026

Should be fun! 🤩

Marlborough Multicultural Centre and Marlborough Museum invite you to the inaugural Marlborough Multicultural Night Market at Beavertown - a vibrant evening celebrating the food, crafts and cultural traditions of Marlborough's many communities.

Wander through Brayshaw Heritage Park's heritage village as the sun goes down, with authentic food stalls from Southeast Asian, African, Pacific, Latin American, Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern and many more culinary traditions. Enjoy live cultural performances including music, dance and storytelling from local community groups, browse handmade crafts and cultural products, and let the kids loose in the activity zone.

With the Marlborough Museum, heritage village and vintage railway all on site, it's a chance to experience Marlborough's past and its present cultures side by side - new communities adding their own chapter to the region's story.

Free entry. Family friendly. Everyone welcome. Bring the whānau and come celebrate many cultures, one home.

Event details:

Date: Friday 25 September 2026
Time: 4pm - 8pm
Venue: Brayshaw Heritage Park, Redwoodtown, Blenheim
Cost: Free entry
Organisers: Marlborough Multicultural Centre x Marlborough Museum