Putting the young person “at the centre” is key to the success of the Mayor’s Taskforce for Jobs programme in the Waitaki District, says coordinator Eugen Dupu.

The programme helps link young people aged 16 to 24, the majority who are not engaged in employment or training (NEET), with potential employers.

“We focus on the individual as opposed to the programme. We don't have a blanket rule for everyone. The blanket rule is we put the young person at the centre, and we create a work plan for the programme that's individualised for them.”

Between July 2021 and June 2022 Waitaki MTFJ achieved 65 placements, when the target was 50. Out of these, 23 were apprenticeships. The total employment or apprenticeship placements made the following year was 80 (with extra funding), and by March this year 50 placements had been made - already well exceeding the June 30 target of 38, Eugen says.

“So, the young person will come in . . . and we look at what they're passionate about, what they've done, maybe some work experience, we help them with a CV . . . and then we try and get them into a job that's suitable for them.”

During the year, the MTFJ team continued to engage with employers and visit the young people taking part in the programme. 

On Monday, the team was at Riverstone Kitchen, north of Ōamaru, meeting with restaurateur Bevan Smith who had successfully found three employees through this year’s programme.

“Bevan has been fantastic at supporting the programme,” Eugen says. “He's giving these young people a chance.”

Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher, along with representatives from Workbridge and Stronger Waitaki, were joined by Waitaki MP Miles Anderson to witness first hand how things work.

Miles has spoken to different district councils involved in the initiative and it’s something he wants to support and advocate for with his colleagues.

“In particular with the ministers that are directly responsible for it,” he says. 

“I see initiatives like this that have worked, and work really well, as something that as a party we talked about during the election campaign, as a Government we're talking about backing because there's good hard data that's backing up the anecdotal evidence of the success of the scheme.  

“I think it's that combination of pastoral care and wraparound services that were provided by the Taskforce for Jobs that made it so successful,” he says.

While Eugen says there is approval for the next tranche of funding, up to July next year, he is unsure what that amount will be yet, and there is no word whether it will continue into the future.

Miles says he will be “advocating that funding is at least maintained or increased”. 

Minister of Social Development Louise Upston is in Waimate today (Wednesday) and will see how the programme works first hand, he says. Future funding is an issue that “will be raised”. 

“The Mayor's Taskforce, it's a bit of a force, and the fact that, you know, they can have fulfilling careers is something that a lot of those young people that started in the programme weren't probably fully aware of or cognisant of when they started with it. But a lot of those young people now are thriving, aren't they? 

“There's so much information out there nowadays that sometimes blinds you to what can be achieved or what is possible.

“There's a huge number of industries in this country and it's just that little taste that they get to start with that has allowed them to embrace, I suppose, the potential that they have themselves.

Being community-led, utilising local knowledge and local businesses, helps to ensure the project’s success, he says.   

“It's always gonna be a bit more successful than something that's done remotely.”

A “very strong relationship with the Ministry of Social Development locally” has been another strength of the Waitaki scheme, Eugen says.

They meet once or twice a week, to find the best solution for the needs of each particular young person.

Another positive progression has been involvement with the local high schools.

“Schools have moved on from pushing young people to go to university and focus on what's their need,” he says.

“Being able to retain a lot of these young people in the community is huge for us, and also for the businesses, for the companies, for employers and business owners, because they struggled for quite a while to retain people in our district.” 

Once the introduction between employer and potential employee has been made, MTFJ maintains a minimum of three months follow-up.

“So that's considered a sustainable outcome - that’s MSD language - however, young people are at the centre of what we do. We never let anyone down. 

“If it was one and a half years later and they lose their job, just because that funding is gone it doesn't mean that we stop supporting them.” 

The mayor says the programme is a “really cool thing to be part of” and is a great example of local decision making, using Government funding.

“We agree the outcomes with them, and then we get on and decide how to best deliver that.

“It’s our problem locally, and having local solutions is really key to that. Our model is a bit different to most of the other models, which is absolutely fine . . . and the team that we’ve got has been fantastic,” Gary says.

Sharing the successes of the scheme with Louise Upston was important to ensure the funding for it continues, because it is “pretty much a year by year situation”.

“It's always a concern that it won't be carried on. So sharing the successes is really important to show to  the government that actually it's delivering really well for their investment, in particularly the rural and  provincial communities, it's really good. 

“It's a great win-win for us. It's about getting those young people into work, but it's also giving employers some valuable staff members.”

It’s an initiative that Gary says it is a pleasure to be part of. 

“The opportunity to go around and meet with some of our young ones who have been put in the jobs and hearing from them. You know, it really is life changing for a good number of them.” 

Working together for a common goal are (back row, left to right) Mayor Gary Kircher, Jason Evered from Stronger Waitaki,​ Miles Anderson, MTFJ coordinator Eugen Dupu, Bevan Smith (front row, left to right) Sandra Familton from Workbridge, new Riverstone Kitchen employees Zayden Newton, Diana Flores, and Paige Hacquoil, and Dawn Ewing former Workbridge employee and now PA to Miles Anderson. Photo: supplied.