Today, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) nursing students are taking their struggle to the streets calling on the Government to invest in their futures with paid training.

Students need assistance while they study but are being ignored and exploited by those in charge, NZNO spokesperson and former National Student Unit co-chair Shannyn Bristowe said.

They are given no additional financial help during clinical placements which sees them working full time without pay for up to 12 weeks - and often away from their hometown, she said.

"Existing student allowances aren’t enough to cover even the most basic necessities.

"Tauira (students) are stressed both financially and mentally. They are living in sheds, in cars, or in cramped, temporary spaces, just to get by," said Bristowe.

"Some can’t afford to keep the lights on or put kai on the table for their whānau. The financial burden of studying weighs heavily on us all, forcing some of us to make impossible choices between paying bills, buying food, or continuing our education.

"This burden is even heavier for Tauira Māori, as existing inequities create additional barriers, leading to the continued under-representation of Māori in the nursing workforce.

"This is the reality we face every day. And we endure it because we want to serve, we want to help, we want to be the faces of care for our communities."

Bristowe said with a high student drop-out rate of 33 per cent, paid training is essential to keep students focused on studying and professional development instead of perpetually struggling.

"Aotearoa cannot wait. Our people need nurses who are well-prepared, culturally safe, and emotionally resilient. Nurses who have not been broken by the journey to get there but have been supported along the way.

"We ask the Government: Is this not a worthy investment? Because this isn’t just about us-it’s about the health and future of Aotearoa. We’ll be calling on the public to support us by signing our petition to the Government calling for paid training," Bristowe said.

Rallies take place at nine centres across the country:

• Whangārei, 10am-12pm, Tarewa Park, 92 Otaika Road, Raumanga
• Auckland, 10am-12pm, Lumsden Green, corner of Broadway and Khyber Pass Rd, Newmarket
• Hamilton, 10am-12pm, The Base intersection of Te Rapa Rd and Kawera Place
• Mount Maunganui, 10am-12pm, 'Te Papa o Ngā manu Porotakataka' town square
• Napier, 10am-12pm, Napier Sound Shell, Marine Parade
• New Plymouth, 10am-12pm, Huatoki Plaza
• Palmerston North, 10am-12pm, Te Awe Awe Quadrant, The Square
• Wellington, 11.30-1.30pm, Parliament
• Nelson, 10am, Trafalgar St Church steps