Manukau Youth Employment Project March 2004 Manukau Youth

Manukau Youth Employment Project March 2004

Manukau Youth Employment Project THE OBJECTIVE • Manukau City Council, Work and Income, and Tertiary Education Commission (formerly Skill New Zealand) working in partnership to achieve the Goals of Tomorrow’s Manukau: • A supportive and responsive learning and training environment for registered youth • A Manukau workforce with skills to match employer needs • Organisations in Manukau working together to achieve results

Manukau Youth Employment Project WHY DO IT? • To help Manukau youth gain qualifications and support transition from unemployment to full-time work • To develop a community coalition that actively contributes to the vision of Tomorrow’s Manukau • To add value to Council’s work with youth and provide tangible benefit to wider community

Manukau Youth Employment Project THE PLAN • Manukau City Council • Project Leader, partial funder and work-based trainer • Work and Income NZ • Sponsor and partial funder • Tertiary Education Commission • Sponsor and contractor of pre-entry training • Participants • 30 participants selected from Work and Income Registered Youth • MCC, TEC and Work and Income to jointly select appropriate candidates for MYEP • Duration of Project • 12 Months

Manukau Youth Employment Project MCC’s CONTRIBUTION • Work Based training, mentoring, employment grooming • Documentation of training processes with key milestones and review dates • Quarterly progress reports and final report with reference • Assistance with referrals and setting up networks for cadets • MCC, TEC and Work and Income to follow up after training success and PR opportunities

Manukau Youth Employment Project MENTORING WHAT’S PROVIDED? • Accredited training provider to prepare participants for entry into cadetship • Workbased training opportunities at Manukau City Council in a range of services including: • Pools and Recreation • Regulatory Admin Services • Library • Field/Health officer • Community Services • Secretarial and clerical work, HR, Payroll • Park Ranger/Officer • Facility management/ maintenance • Call Centre • Customer Services • Parking Warden • Administration support, Accounts • Graffiti Removal • City Beautification • Parks and Gardens

Manukau Youth Employment Project THE CADETS • All under 25 • Unqualified or few qualifications • Few or no formal work skills • Out of work for six months and up to three years • All face significant barriers and lack of opportunities when trying to re-enter workforce employer attitudes, lack of self-confidence and self -esteem, and lack of work experience

Manukau Youth Employment Project 2003 CADET PROFILE • Name: Vai Amituanai • Age: 20 years • Qualifications: Seventh Form, Introductory Law Paper • Unemployed: Seven months • Work Experience: Packing supermarket orders at Progressive Enterprises in Mangere • Job Description: Assistant to Executive Officer for the Pacific Island Advisory Committee (PIAC), Rouruina Brown. • “I was ecstatic at being chosen - I didn’t think I stood a chance. There were lots of us competing to be cadets. It’s so amazing that the Council cares enough to give us a start in life. I love the work I’m doing. I get up early to be on time for work - I don’t want to waste this opportunity. I hope it’s a stepping stone to something bigger and better. ”

Manukau Youth Employment Project 2003 CADET PROFILE • Name: Wiremu Hohaia • Age: 20 years • Qualifications: Left school at 14 • Unemployed: Received unemployment benefit for two years • • Work Experience: 4 months shaping surfboards 3 months picking apples Current Job Description: Works with Child Youth Planner Tanya Kaihe and Chantelle Whaiapu, Coordinator for Toi o Manukau. • “I didn’t expect to be selected as a cadet. I wasn’t sure what I had to offer. ” • Now that’s he’s had a taste of local government, Wiremu’s long-term goal is to work for Council permanently. “I didn’t know that jobs like this existed!”

Manukau Youth Employment Project BENEFITS TO MANUKAU YOUTH • Skill development through workplace learning • Transition to full-time employment supported with training and mentoring • Development of sense of self worth and work ethic • Exposure to employment opportunities and career development in Local Government

Manukau Youth Employment Project BENEFITS TO MANUKAU • Improved training and employment participation rates • Potential economic growth through an increasingly skilled local labour pool • Reduced negative impact of unemployed and idle youth • Enhanced social responsibility amongst youth creating a sense of belonging and identity

Manukau Youth Employment Project BENEFITS TO WORK and INCOME • Assist its youth priority groups into employment • Reduces local unemployment register and beneficiary payments • Strategic link forged between local and central government sectors • Trials a model that may be used in other regions or for other priority groups

Manukau Youth Employment Project BENEFITS TO TERTIARY EDUCATION COMMISSION • Contributes to TEC’s goal of developing opportunities for people to access foundation education and training leading to nationally recognised skills and qualifications and more employment opportunities • Strategic link forged between local and central government sectors • Mutual resources used to achieve joint social development aims • Trials a model that may be used in other regions or for other priority groups

Manukau Youth Employment Project HOW TO ENSURE SUCCESS • Commitment by all parties • Structured process in place to train and mentor youth • Measurements in place to track progress • Unique project in terms of potential employability success rate

Manukau Youth Employment Project An Update on the 2003 cadets • 21 cadets from the 2003 intake found employment either within Manukau City Council or outside employers. • 2 cadets went onto further tertiary training • 4 cadets did not complete the programme • 3 cadets outcomes could not be confirmed at the completion of the programme • .

Manukau Youth Employment Project 2004 and beyond • 30 cadets recruited in March 2004 for a second project year Increased staffing provided with a full-time Project Manager and Cadet Mentor funded through Work and Income. • Structured process in place to train and mentor youth • Formal review planned at the completion of 2004 project • Project to be developed for 2005 to have a Manukau-wide focus and incorporate a number of Manukau employers • .