Membership Benefits, Types and Fees

BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

• Being part of a Professional Body - The New Zealand Home-based Early Childhood Education Association (NZHECEA) is the only national body to speak solely on behalf of it's members to represent home-based education and care services.
• Regular communication [1] - minutes of meetings both within the NZHECEA and external organisations - Members are informed and assured of information and given opportunity to feedback.
• Members have a voice - increased self esteem and value for Educators/Coordinators/Teaching Staff increasing their professionalism.
• Regular local ward meetings [2] - added value to services where members can meet and discuss issues, gain access to networking, collegial support and professional development.
• Credibility - The NZHECEA are members of ECAC (Early Childhood Advisory Council) and the Early Education Federation.
• Support - networking with colleagues, regular ward meetings, opportunities to discuss issues and have them heard at national level. The NZHECEA Executive is available to support individual members with any issues.
• Annual National Conference [3] - Enjoy professional development specific to Home-based ECE while networking with others across the country. The 2010 conference is to be held in Auckland.
• Membership discounts - Attend conference at the discounted member rate.
• Buying Groups - Organisation Members can join a buying group to access toys and equipment with group discounts.
• Receive a bi-monthly newsletter [4] - Newsletters include information on what’s happening in the sector. Regular updates on ECAC and Early Ed Fed, ward updates etc.
• Insurance Packages [5] - the NZHECEA has a number of group insurance schemes tailor-made for educators, nannies, parents, staff and service providers in Home-based Early Childhood Education. It includes indemnity insurance, public liability, health, income protection, business interruption, key person as well as commercial cover for home, vehicle and contents. Contact details and more information for the insurances can be found by clicking here [5].
• Tax Calculator [6] - for educators to calculate their taxable income, right here on our website as a direct benefit from the NZHECEA working with IRD to negotiate the tax determination [7] for Educators.
• Voice heard at Government Level - A voice where it counts with IRD, MOE, MSD, ERO. The NZHECEA Executive meet regularly with the Ministry of Education and other Government Agencies to discuss any issues affecting the sector. Members of the NZHECEA Executive are invited onto working parties and consultation groups. These have included the Tax Determination for Educators, ECE Regulatory Review, Operating Costs, RS61 review Group, OSCAR etc.
• Input on policy development - The NZHECEA Executive rely on feedback from members to ensure the Ministry of Education have accurate information as to what is happening in Home-based Early Childhood Education.

FUTURE MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS - currently under development

• Tiered Organizational membership tailored to numbers of networks,
• Educational Pathways and Training Programmes with reduced rates for members.
• Business & Governance Training
• Regional & local ward cluster groups
• Useful resources for Educators, Coordinators and Service Providers including templates, forms, resource packs,
• Set Up Starter Kits,
• Tools for business planning/workshops/seminars,
• Extending Group Scheme National Purchasing - vehicles, fuel, finance, equipment, supplies etc,
• Annual Road Shows or visits by NZHECEA Executive Members (President) to regions.
• NESTS Trust - Training grants and scholarships for NZHECEA members.
• NESTS Trust - Loss of income application for Educators and Nannies when under investigation.
• Financial Assistance schemes for NZHECEA members to attend international/national conferences, seminars, symposiums etc.
• National Awards for Educators, Coordinators and Services.
• Kiwi-saver Schemes,
• Saving schemes for children's education,
• Life Assurance,
• Updated Website with chat rooms, events calendar, service provider pages, educator only access to groups, coordinator only access to groups, management only access to groups.

TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP

There are two types of membership, individual and organisation/affiliate.

Individual membership is open to parents, educators, nanny's, au pairs, coordinators, visiting teachers, educational team leaders, programme managers, administrators, managers, service owners/directors or shareholders actively involved in providing Home-based childcare under the umbrella of a MOE licensed Home-based Early Childhood Education service in New Zealand as individual members and

Organistion/Affiliate Membership who may be any current MOE licensed Home-based Early Childhood Service or network, or related tertiary institution, or any person involved in Home-based Early Childhood Education such as training providers, persons living outside of New Zealand e.g. involved in Home-based in another country.

FINANCIAL MATTERS

The fees for each of the membership types are

• Individual: $50/annum (inc GST)
• Organisation/affiliate: $200/annum (inc GST) for the first 3 homebased networks, and an additional $20 per network thereafter.

Financial Members are those who have paid their current subscription to the NZHECEA or will have paid it within 60 days of the due date.

Current subscriptions for the 2010 to 2011 year are due on 1 July 2010. The financial year is from 1 July to 30 June each year.

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS 

Have both speaking and voting rights and are entitled to all of the above benefits of membership along with:

• Home-based specific training,
• Business interruption cover (loss of earnings in the event of a natural disaster i.e. flooding, etc,)
• Public and statutory liability at special group scheme rates,
• Health insurance providing 100% cover of surgical and specialist costs with pre-existing conditions accepted, options to add other family members at special group scheme rates,
• Income protection for Educators, Nannies and staff at special group scheme rates covering actual payments for in home educators,
• Regular newsletters, advice and information,
• Networking, have a voice on equal footing/opportunity to have their say on a regional/national level, meeting people and sharing ideas,
• Forums, blogs, surveys, polls and discussion groups nationally via the NZHECE website,
• Updates on political issues and the changes within the early childhood Home-based sector via the NZHECEA website,
• Access to minutes of ward meetings and précis of executive meetings via the NZHECEA website,
• Voting rights at the NZHECEA AGM,
• Opportunity to become an executive member of the NZHECEA and take on a leadership role.

ORGANISATIONAL/AFFILIATE MEMBERS

Have speaking rights only with NO voting rights. Organisational/Affiliate members may be any current MOE licensed Homebased Early Childhood Service or network, or related tertiary institution, or any person interested in Home-based Early Childhood Education such as training providers, persons living outside of New Zealand e.g. involved in Home-based in another country. Organisational/Affiliate members must be approved by the NZHECEA Executive.

Organisational/Affiliate Members who are a MOE Home-based Early childhood service or network are also entitled to:

• Core business insurance covers at group scheme rates including business interruption covering loss of profit (MOE Funding component) if the educator/nanny parent homes that form part of each MOE licensed network become unavailable due to natural disaster, public and statutory liabilities, contents and vehicle covers.
• Health insurance providing 100% cover of surgical and specialist costs with pre-existing conditions accepted, options to add other family members at special group scheme rates
• Income protection at special group scheme rates 
• MOE licensed Home-based Early Childhood Service or network name on the website with a link to their website,
• The right to use the "Affiliate Member of NZHECEA" in their publications,
• Part of a referral system for prospective educators and parents who contact the Association requesting information regarding Home-based care,
• Up to date information with Early Childhood Advisory Council and Early Education Federation meeting minutes and any other ministerial alerts pertaining to Home-based childcare,
• Updates on political issues and the changes within the early childhood Home-based sector,
• Minutes of ward meetings, précis of executive meetings via the NZHECEA website,
• Regular newsletters including a service provider only newsletter with business hints, updates etc via the NZHECEA website,
• Representation and lobbying at a national and local government level,
• Peer support and networking opportunities meeting people and sharing ideas at both a local ward, regional and national levels,
• Access to the tax calculator on website, forums, blogs, discussion groups nationally via the NZHECEA website,
• Special membership rates for conference attendance for one member of the service or network who is not already an individual member of NZHECE Association,
• Information and advice on setting up new MOE licensed home-based services (agencies). 

To become a member of the NZHECEA please complete the online form. [8]

Your membership will be confirmed on receipt of your subscription payment.

Any further enqiry with regard to membership may be made to the secretary@nzhomebasedece.org.nz [9]