New beneficiaries service to be trialed next month

Steve Maharey

Trials of a new employment service for beneficiaries will begin in 12 locations next month, Social Development Minister Steve Maharey said today.

The service is designed to help all beneficiaries find work and help them with training and job matching.

"The service will focus on work outcomes for all beneficiaries, not just the 20 per cent on an unemployment benefit," Mr Maharey said.

"Sole parents and people with disabilities or illness will have access to a full range of specialised employment services, including work seminars, job matching and training."

Mr Maharey said that rather than categorising people on the basis of why they were unable to work, the service would focus on what support they needed to help them find work.

"We can no longer assume that people with disabilities and illnesses don't want to work, or are unable to," he said.

"Many are eager to join the workforce but often face barriers such as high costs."

The sites for the trial service will be Whangarei, Auckland, Otara, Hamilton, Tokoroa, Gisborne, Waitara, Masterton, Naenae, Nelson, Riccarton and Dunedin South.

The new service will underpin the single core benefit that will be introduced in 2007.

- NZPA