Positive Pathways progress
The ‘Positive Pathways for Rangitahi’ research project by Katikati Taiao, in partnership with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tamawhariua and the Katikati Community Centre, discovered rangatahi in the Katikati and Waihī Beach ward faced many barriers in their transition from school into employment or further education, such as lack of confidence, skills, poor public transport, and/or a feeling of disconnect from the community, that can leave rangatahi feeling unsupported and lost.
Through funding from DIA, TECT and Bay Trust, Katikati Community Centre ran the Rangatahi Positive Pathways Pilot and employed Youth Employment Coach Melody Lamb, who actively engaged with a combination of Pre -NEETs, NEETS, Job Seekers, College Students, education providers and local businesses around education, training, or employment. The pilot resulted in a three-year contract with MSD’s He Poutamu Rangatahi fund.
The Katikati Community Centre, in partnership with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tamawhariua, are proud to announce the next phase of this journey, the Poutama Pathways into Employment Program.
The program provides Governmentfunded support for rangatahi aged between 15 and 24 who are not engaged in education, employment, or training (NEETs).
The Poutama Program into Employment has two streams.
Youth Employment Coach services. One-on-one coaching, mentoring and supporting rangatahi on their journey to help them achieve their tailored pathway
plan into education, employment, or training. This can include career advice, goal setting, CV writing, Drivers Licences, setting up interviews, filling out application forms, making appointments, job seeking, scholarship support, making appointments, and referrals to other social services etc.
The Careers Coach will also be available for the above services; however, their primary responsibility is to facilitate the youth employment course “License to Work” (LTW) along with the Activities Connector. There will be two intakes per year for the LTW course, one at the end of February and the second at the beginning of term three. The age range for the License to Work program is 16-19. The age range is subject to change depending on availability.
Labour List MP Angie Warren-Clark, WBOPDC Mayor Gary Webber, Katikati Community Centre Past Chair David Marshall, Present Chair Zinta Krummins, manager Pauli and Youth Employment Coach Melody Lamb, and Valarie Uilou from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tamawhariua were among those who attended an event on 5th August to launch the service and open the premises.
The Poutama Pathways into Employment program will run at 25 Main Road, Katikati.
The first intake for Poutama Pathways into Employment program started on 25th July 2022 and will end when the contract ends on 25th June 2025. All referrals (rangatahi aged between 15–24) will be assessed and presented with the next step on their employment journey as part of our Poutama program. Some of those assessments’ outcomes will be to complete the LTW course, with the first intake beginning in August 2022.