"It's not until we've gone right through all these issues that they will be properly work-ready,'' he said.
Tokotoko Solutions also runs a programme for youths aged between 18 and 24 who are out of education and training but not yet ready for work.
"One common factor with all of these young people is extreme anxiety and fear of something so they become withdrawn and lock themselves away for fear of failure or they have developed behavioural issues that have affected their lives," he said.
"The first two weeks of the course was spent intensively understanding issues that needed to be addressed.''
Samu said Tokotoko Solutions was named after the traditional carved ceremonial walking stick and was born of the desire to provide people with the support and skills needed to navigate their time in school, in the workforce, and in life.
Samu said all of the alternative schooling and life courses were designed to help young people find their confidence and grounding. The alternative schooling ran to a normal school day and catered for people as young as 6, while the wellbeing course catered for those between 18 and 24.
Tokotoko Solutions groups from the horticulture preparation programme were already working successfully in the kumara industry in Dargaville and more are being prepared to enter the horticulture industry.
Those who successfully complete the course are offered fulltime and permanent employment by Harvest Northland.
"We are finding our crews work best when they stay together as a team.
"We work with the growers to dovetail our workers so they can fit into those industries,'' Samu said.
"The growers have been really supportive and one farm already has been happy to offer our workers a pay rise.''
The organisation is primarily run out of several old airport buildings on the south side of Whangārei Airport.
There are classrooms set up and run by qualified teachers and social workers, and Samu said future plans included setting up a gym.
"Our people go through quite a transformational journey here. Many have experienced severe shyness and have withdrawn from life.
"We have conversations about how we talk to ourselves, as that negative inner voice triggers a response in the body which affects our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing."
Samu said everyone wanted to be happy no matter where they came from.
"Changing the self-talk to say that you are amazing, you are enough and serving other people can really help to turn our lives around. Happiness includes love, a sense of identity, a sense of control and a sense of being valued.
"Having a job is a huge part of that.''
Samu said Covid-19 had provided a huge opportunity to develop a local workforce for industries which often targeted migrant workers on a seasonal basis.
"We have an opportunity to get it right and see our local people working.
"We have partnered with the Ministry of Social Development to look at how we can meet the needs of local growers and the local workers.
"The employment needs are very urgent and we are fast-tracking our training so we can have people ready to work as quickly as possible,'' Samu said.
He said grower attitudes needed to change if they were serious about having a local workforce.
"It's no longer about short seasons where workers fly in and out.
"To meet the needs of a local workforce with families that need to be cared for and mortgages that need to be serviced, it's important to have work that lasts all year round with a constant income and that is what we are working towards.''
The harvesting periods had been mapped out and training courses would be programmed for times when not a lot of work was available, so the workers could learn more about tractor driving, pruning techniques, spraying, weeding and fencing.
Samu said people needed to work up to be able to cope with long hours and physical labour.
"If that's not handled properly, we are setting people up to fail. All people have stuff that they are dealing with and we have changed the way we work to fit in with families such as flexible hours to allow staff and clients to deal with important family things.''
Samu said that, as well as training staff for the horticulture industry, the organisation was acting as a business incubation initiative. New businesses included Watts Moving, Manaaki Fusion, Kamo Driving School and HFS (Healthier Fitter Stronger) Northern Wairoa.
"We want to assist as many start-up businesses as we are able to,'' he said.
