A North Canterbury school board chair is not surprised an education programme to support vulnerable youth is again at risk.

Tuahiwi-based Noaia Charitable Trust has informed the Ministry of Education it will not be able to continue running the Ruataniwha alternative education programme beyond this year.

Noaia took on the alternative education contract at the beginning of 2024, supporting up to 16 students aged 13 to 16 years from Kaiapoi and Rangiora high schools, Oxford, Amuri and Cheviot area schools, Hurunui College and Rangiora New Life School.

Rangiora High School previously operated the Maungatere alternative education programme for 30 years, and board of trustees presiding member Simon Green said the school understands how difficult this work is.

‘‘Ultimately, we made the decision to stop providing that service because the level of funding simply wasn't sufficient to deliver the quality of programme we believed these young people deserved.

‘‘We are talking about some of the most vulnerable and disengaged young people in our education system, often with very complex educational, behavioural and wellbeing needs.

‘‘Yet historically we have tried to meet those needs with comparatively limited resources.’’

Mr Green said the alternative education model needed to be redesigned and properly resourced.

Noaia Charitable Trust Kaiwhakahaere Ruiha Caldwell said the direction Noaia was heading ‘‘does not fit neatly’’ with the existing alternative education contract.

‘‘The actual cost of delivering that model is considerably higher than the funding we receive from the Ministry so we need to look at a different way of delivering our service.

‘‘We regularly see need beyond the current alternative education referral framework and under our own model we have greater flexibility around who we can support.’’

Ms Caldwell said she was proud of Noaia’s success in supporting students to achieve NCEA level 2.

Noaia Charitable Trust was established eight years ago by local whānau to offer learning which is underpinned by kaupapa Māori philosophy.

Ms Caldwell said Noaia was looking to expand its education and training programmes for rangatahi ‘‘who do not feel successful in a mainstream classroom’’.

It has a focus on construction, farming, horticulture, mahinga kai and whenua based learning.

Kaiapoi High School principal Jason Reid said Noaia had done ‘‘an incredible job’’ supporting vulnerable students.

‘‘Noaia has a strong heart for young people and their whānau who need that extra pastoral support.’’

The Ministry of Education has been contacted for comment.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.