Thu 19 Apr 18.
Social and economic issues confronting Ruapehu youth and how best to resolve them was the focus of a Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) hui held in Taumarunui this week.
The MTFJ is a nationwide network of New Zealand's Mayors who are working together towards having all young people under 25 engaged in either education, training, work or other positive activity in their communities.
MTFJ Coordinator James Mather was in Taumarunui to meet with Ruapehu Mayor Don Cameron and other key organisations involved with youth locally including the Ministry of Social Development, the Police, and the Kokiri Trust.
Mr Mather said that the MTFJ was talking with mayors and others around NZ to identify the common challenges councils face in regard to their young people.
By identifying the common challenges throughout NZ we are also able to identify and share what works locally and that can be duplicated, he said.
We are then able to share these findings with central government with the aim of hopefully influencing policy direction and addressing some of the persistently difficult issues preventing better long term outcomes for all NZ youth.
Mayor Cameron said that the hui discussed a number of areas that the MTFJ was actively involved with in Ruapehu including developing training and work pathways for young people, the driving programme for schools, Outward Bound Scholarships and the Tuia Rangatahi Leadership Programme for young Maori.
The push to have central government fund and coordinate a universal driving programme in schools is being promoted by Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) and is of special interest to rural districts like Ruapehu without public transport options.
Having a drivers licence is often essential to being able to get to work in rural communities as well as more often than not being a requirement of the job.
Up until now all districts have been doing their own thing in this area however the Labour government campaigned on giving school leavers the practical skills and knowledge they need for adult life with a School Leavers Toolkit' that includes having a drivers licence so we are hopeful of seeing progress.
As well as being a barrier to work and social participation not having a driver's licence is often the way many young people first come into contact with the criminal justice system.
Mayor Cameron said that the Outward Bound Scholarships and the Tuia Rangatahi Leadership Programme for young Maori are both MTFJ programs that are part of a long term, intergenerational approach to developing the leadership and skill capacity of our young people.
MTFJ mayors are able to nominate young people from their district to the MTFJ Board to be considered to take part in an Outward Bound course.
The Rangatahi Leadership Programme involves local Mayors selecting a young Maori from their district to mentor on a one-to-one basis.
The MTFJ recognises that we all need to work collectively at a grass roots level if we are going to be successful in improving the economic well-being of young people.
While the journey for young people getting into employment isn't always easy the MTFJ has demonstrated that we can identify what practices are most promising and what is required to ensure our young people are productive participants in the NZ economy, said Mayor Cameron.
*End*
