Hairdressing students are returning to school to get free haircuts

Hairdressing students at Taranaki’s largest college are returning to school as part of a community project offering free haircuts.

Students come up with new hairstyles to meet course requirements while reducing the cost of living for their families, which is described as a win-win for all involved.

Ben Allen, a level four hairdressing teacher at the Western Institute of Technology in Taranaki, said the project was modeled on similar initiatives he had witnessed in Auckland.

“So we got together as a group and my colleagues said, ‘how about we go to some schools,’ and I said ‘yes, let’s do it.’

“We made a few calls and the first school we went to was Marfell Primary School.

“It was really cool. We were welcomed there with open arms and we took care of children whose hair had never been cut by a hairdresser before, so it was a really nice surprise for them too.”

Hairdressing trainees have since visited Devon High School and Pātea Area School.

Allen said it’s a win-win situation.

“Yeah, so my boys are getting assessed. They must meet certain criteria and have a certain number of hairstyles related to the specific use of tools, instruments and cutting style.

“So they can come here, we can work on people, and people will get a free haircut as well.”

Allen said the schools were chosen so as not to unduly disrupt the flow of clients among professional hairdressers.

Hairdressing apprentice Dustin Snowden attended Coastal School.

He gave carpentry teacher Steve Leppard’s haircut.

“I just narrow his neck, remove some of the hair and blend it back in with the rest of the highlight. The rest of the hairstyle.

He was shown the path to becoming a hairdresser.

“I was kind of offered to come and do a course, I went, I went, and I’ve enjoyed it ever since. Cutting hair is fun.”

He had his future planned.

“I’ve got a full-time job planned after the course, so hopefully it will all work out well and I’ll stay there for a few years and then maybe travel the world or something.”

Leppard eagerly volunteered to trim his locks.

“It gives the guys a chance, gives them some practice. In my case it doesn’t really matter what it looks like, but I’m sure it will look great.

– He’s doing really well. I’ve dealt with real butchers sometimes, but he’s very good.

Trainee hairdresser Velinder Simon wanted to return to the job market.

“I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for six years, so this is something new. I’ve always wanted my son to leave the house looking fresh, so this is something for me.

“I have a job. I have my skills, I have friends and family who can’t make it to the store who come to visit me later.”

He says the school visits were great.

“We also get to do a lot of assessments and hear what kids want to do with their lives, and that’s pretty cool. Everyone has their own story. I like hearing what the kids want to do.”

Coastal student Teina Pauro’s hairstyle came with a caveat.

“I only asked for a haircut, but I left my ‘horse’. It’s just a cool hairstyle, and when you braid it, it’s good for the ladies, yes.”

Coastal School acting deputy principal Sarah Oke said the hairdressers’ visit could not have come at a better time.

“We know that some of our students in particular find it difficult to cut their hair; ​​this involves a cost barrier.

“So we already provide care for our students and pay our local hairdresser to do so, which increases their confidence and makes them feel better about themselves, and we get better results in the classroom.

“So this is something special for us, we have the school prom on Thursday, so we will look fresh for the school prom.”

Meanwhile, WITT was expected to announce later this week how many of the 18 full-time positions would be lost as a result of the Te Pukenga unraveling.