Waimakariri joins Mayor’s Taskforce for Jobs
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Help is at hand for Waimakariri youth seeking employment.
The Waimakariri District Council has joined the Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs, to support local youth into employment.
The programme has been successful in the Hurunui and Kaikōura districts and a recent change to the population threshold meant Waimakariri was now eligible for funding.
‘‘As Mayor this is an initiative that I will be actively involved in supporting,’’ Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said.
‘‘I am looking forward to seeing this project commence and I am 100 percent behind it.’’
The programme will be administered by the council’s community team.
‘‘Given the team’s well-established local networks and connections, this is an ideal fit for the role.’’
The initiative was funded by the Ministry of Social Development on an initial six-month pilot.
The council was in the process of appointing an employment co-ordinator to work alongside young people and local employers.
The six-month pilot aimed to get 12 young people into the local workforce, offering a range of support and guidance to help them on their journey.
‘‘The aim of the role is to increase collaboration and add value across the work readiness sector,’’ Gordon said.
The programme aimed to address barriers and misconceptions which limited the ability for local young people to access sustainable employment, he said.
■ Public interest journalism is funded by New Zealand on Air.
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Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
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