Government's $2.47m boost helps Bay of Plenty Youth Development Trust offer best outcomes

The Bay of Plenty Youth Development Trust's new base in 13th Ave. Photo / Supplied

A funding boost of $2.47 million has become a financial seal of approval for a trust's "prototype" youth programme.

Backers also say it will help ensure Tauranga's young people have the chance to achieve the "best possible outcomes".

On Thursday, Bay of Plenty Youth Development Trust was awarded the funding for its Imagine, Believe, Achieve (Moemoea, Kimihia, Taea) programme aimed at helping youth who are not in education, training or work.

The funding comes as part of the Government's He Poutama Rangatahi fund, aimed at young people (rangatahi) most at risk of long-term unemployment and who may need extra individualised and ongoing support to connect to training and employment.

Bay of Plenty Youth Development Trust Craig Nees. Photo / Supplied

The trust is known locally for its success with the Tauranga Boxing Academy, which forms a core part of the programme. The trust works with local employers to create employment pathways for young people in sectors such as construction, logistics and horticulture.

However, trust chairman Craig Nees said the programme was much more than finding jobs.

"A lot of these kids are not ready for employment. That's why they are categorised as 'needs youth'. They might have financial insecurity, problems with transport, family issues, they are not set up to be employed. A lot of them are very capable but just haven't had that support and mentoring.

"[Providing that,] That's what drives us. We are getting very good results."

The Imagine, Believe, Achieve programme began 18 months ago as a prototype with a Government investment grant of $407,400. In that time the trust, with help from local community grants, has moved into the former FitCo gym on 13th Ave which helps to better provide all of the trust's services.

With the Government's funding announced this week, the programme will continue for at least another three years.

Nees said they had so far achieved a 65 to 70 per cent success rate of getting youth back into education or employment. But the trust's work was not over then.

The trust continued to work with young people for another 12 months after they re-entered education or got a job, he said.

"That's vital for keeping them afloat."

But such work was "cost-intensive".

Minister of Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni. Photo / NZME

"The kids are here four days a week, from 9am to 3pm. We do a lot of excursions with them, teach them basic employment skills, a lot of culture stuff. The sort of youth that come into that programme, they require intensive supervision because they aren't used to learning.

"It's no fault of theirs, they just aren't used to it."

Nees said the funding would help the trust deliver consistency and provide five full-time staff on the programme, "instead of wondering whether we will be here in six months' time".

The trust has four intakes a year of up to 20 young people in each. The programme runs for 11 weeks before the "post-pastoral" 12 months.

"We just want to achieve the best possible outcomes for young people," Nees said.

The trust was one of 11 recipients of funding from He Poutama Rangatahi.

Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni said in a release this week such programmes had already proven successful and the funding would help get more people into work.

"A basic principle of He Poutama Rangatahi was that local communities were best placed to understand barriers rangatahi faced to employment, and the latest funding would support providers in Auckland, Wellington, the Bay of Plenty, Tairawhiti, Te Tai Tokerau and Hawke's Bay," Sepuloni said.

"We know that Māori rangatahi are a focus of the programme because many are at risk of long-term unemployment due to barriers they face accessing, and succeeding, in education and training.

"He Poutama Rangatahi continues to provide participants with life skills, work readiness training, and ongoing, intensive, individualised pastoral care. We know it's a programme that works because it's helped 3133 rangatahi who had engaged with the programme since 2018 move into employment, education or training.

"He Poutama Rangatahi, along with our Government's suite of employment programmes, remain a key part of our plan to manage labour market impacts on young people, and as we build back better from Covid-19," Sepuloni said.