Calls to fund youth employment programme
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
North Canterbury’s mayors are calling for funding certainty for a youth jobs programme as unemployment continues to rise.
Kaikōura mayor Craig Mackle and Hurunui mayor Marie Black are asking the Government for a long-term funding commitment for the Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs programme.
The national unemployment rate continues to climb, reaching 4.6% in the June quarter, with young people aged 16 to 24-years the hardest hit.
The Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs programme is funded by the Ministry of Social Development, with the Government providing $18 million from 2023 to 2025.
‘‘We have funding secured until June 30 next year, but not beyond that,’’ Mackle said.
‘‘I know it is hard times for the Government, but those questions need to be answered now or we risk losing our co-ordinators.’’
His message to the Government is simple - ‘‘don’t leave people hanging’’.
The Kaikōura Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs programme has placed 48 people in sustainable employment in the year to June 30, including 44 young people.
This included 16 young people being placed in apprenticeships.
‘‘We have shown that this works well. I can’t think of anything that gives you a bigger bang for your buck,’’ Mackle said.
Black said the progamme played a valuable role in giving young people ‘‘hope and purpose’’.
‘‘We are in difficult times and it is challenging for employers, but we are fortunate to have some brave employers who are willing to give young people a go.
‘‘So any financial support we can get to keep this programme strong and robust is vital.’’
Kaikōura Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs programme co-ordinator Aysia McMillan said the programme was funded over the last 12 months for a target of placing 38 youth (16 to 24-year-olds) in employment for at least 91 days.
‘‘We keep checking in with our youth after the 91 days, but the requirement is to support them through the first 91 days.
The programme is now into its fourth year in Kaikōura and over that time 297 job seekers and 87 employers have been registered with the scheme.
Local Government New Zealand vice-president Campbell Barry said the programme demonstrated ‘‘the power of localism’’.
Nationally 6400 young people have been placed in employment across 33 different communities.
‘‘Despite worsening employment conditions, the locally delivered programmes have beaten targets to get more young people into employment,” Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs chairperson Max Baxter said.
‘‘There is a real opportunity for this programme to grow and further deliver on the Government’s goal to get more young people into employment.’’
While the programme is funded until June next year, it has received a 20% reduction compared to last year.
The Ministry of Social Development has been contacted for comment.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Would you like a free copy of our February 2025 issue?
Kia ora neighbours. We give away free copies to readers whose recipes are used in our magazine. We're still on the hunt for tomato recipes, so send your family's favourite way to use up your homegrown harvest, to: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. If we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of the mag
On the range
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