Manukau Youth Employment Project

1. Manukau Youth Employment Project March 2004

2. 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

3. 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

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

5. 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

6. 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: • Regulatory Admin Services • Field/Health officer • Secretarial and clerical work, HR, Payroll • Administration support, Accounts • Graffiti Removal • City Beautification • Parks and Gardens • Pools and Recreation • Library • Community Services • Park Ranger/Officer • Facility management/ maintenance • Call Centre • Customer Services • Parking Warden

7. 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

8. 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.”

9. 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, Co-ordinator 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!”

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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 • .

16. 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 • .