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Welcome to our final Te Amaru—Disability Services newsletter of 2025!
We hope you're enjoying a well-deserved break after completing your Trimester 2 assessments.
If you're continuing your studies through Trimester 3, we’re here to support you. Our team will be available right up until the University closes for the holidays—from the end of Friday 19 December, reopening on Monday 5 January 2026.
May your upcoming summer season be a joyful one!
Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa. Let us keep close together, not far apart.
Get sorted for study
Trimester 3 Orientation
Interested in finding out more about our services? Come along to our Disability Services Welcome for new students on Thursday 13 November, 9.15-10 am in SU216, The Bubble. You'll meet our awesome staff, connect with other students, and you can enjoy some free snacks.
Connect with your Support Navigator or Disability and Inclusion Adviser
Now is a great time to:
- Update your disability inclusion arrangements.
- Update us on your disability needs if these have changed.
For Trimester 3, the deadline for finalising your accessible assessment arrangements with us is at least 2 weeks before your assessment. But don’t wait till then, get it sorted early to avoid last minute stress.
Make an appointment
We offer appointments in-person by zoom or on the phone. Everyone needs to be respiratory symptom-free when visiting our services in person. To make an appointment, contact us:
Phone: 04 463 6070
Email: disability@vuw.ac.nz
If you have any disability needs for your appointments, please let reception know.
Have you tried Read&Write yet?
We’re excited to highlight two new features in the Read&Write software that you can download for free.
Rewordify
This tool makes complex language easier to understand. It scans your document for jargon or difficult words and can either:
- Replace them with simpler alternatives.
- Provide a short explanation when you click on them.
Simplify Tool
This feature helps you manage large amounts of content. It can:
- Reformat documents or webpages into a single column for easier reading.
- Enable you adjust formatting to suit your needs.
- Use AI to simplify and summarise the entire document to support you with understanding dense material.
Updates
Graduation ceremony support 🎓
We’re so excited for the upcoming December 2025 graduation ceremonies. Our friends in the Graduation team want to make sure everything runs as smoothly and enjoyably as possible for everyone attending.
If you or your guests have disability-related needs for the ceremony, please let the Graduation team know by filling out this Graduation Accessibility Form
They will respond within 10 working days with support options.
Venue access:
- Step-free access to all floors.
- Accessible seating on the lower level.
- Guests needing easy access should arrive 45 minutes prior to the ceremony.
The Graduation team can help make your graduation smooth and enjoyable. See you there!
Disabled Students Association (DSA)
The VUW Disabled Students Association is a student-led group providing social meetups and advocacy opportunities for disabled/tangata whaikaha/deaf/neurodivergent students.
Our meetups are ending for the year, but we are keen to host a variety of meetups and events next year.
A warm welcome to our Co-Presidents for 2026 Michaela Caughley and Kendall Booth who will keep you posted on activities in 2026.
For more information, follow us on Instagram, TikTok, join our Discord Server, or email vuwdsa@gmail.com.
—Summer (She/They) and Hope (She/Her)
Disabled Students Association representatives
Student column—call for submissions
Do you have a helpful study tip, a way to look after your wellbeing, or a story that might lift someone’s spirits? We want to hear from you!
Send us a short submission for our student column with your practical advice or positive perspective. It could be about:
- how you manage your disability needs
- what helps you stay connected
- something that made your day better.
Submissions should be:
- uplifting, encouraging, or empowering
- focused on study, wellbeing, or campus life
- submitted as a Word document
- 250 words or less.
We’ll feature selected tips in our newsletter to support and inspire others.
📧 Send your tips to: disability@vuw.ac.nz
🗓️ You can submit anytime!
📝 Please note: submissions may be edited for clarity or length.
Sign of the month
Our sign of the month is raumati—summer, because we’re looking forward to a beautiful holiday season.
Stay connected
Check out our website for useful information www.wgtn.ac.nz/disability
Follow us on Instagram @vuwequitywellbeing
Connect with us on Facebook
