Young people

Wellington's young people are our future leaders.

We want our young people to make positive choices about their future and to have the right information to make good life decisions. Young people are most successful when they have a purpose. Education, training and work can offer that purpose.

If our young people get into trouble with the law, we want to help them get on the right track. For the small number of young people who are committing serious crimes, we’re taking action in an effort to stop them from becoming career criminals.

Youth employment

Youth are a priority in Wellington. We will give young people the best possible support to get a job. This will help young people to take control of their lives so they can pursue their dreams and aspirations.

Youth Opportunities package
Times are hard for communities and their young people. The number of young people who don’t have a job is four times higher now than it was this time last year. The Government announced the Youth Opportunities package, working with employers and communities to find opportunities for 16 to 24-year-olds, to work, train or stay in education.

In 2009/2010 as part of the Youth Opportunities package we'll:

• fund entry-level jobs for six months, to build experience and confidence
• make 3,000 places for young people to work on community projects
• create extra job training placements through industry partnerships
• expand the Limited Service Volunteer Scheme by an extra 1,250 places.

TradeStart
Young people who want to work in a trade occupation can get access to industry training and employment opportunities in the Wellington region through TradeStart – located in central Lower Hutt. The programme encourages 15 to 19-year-olds to look at trades as a viable career option, and gives young people information and connects them to businesses interested in providing apprenticeships. Young people receive intensive support to find apprenticeships, further training or other employment opportunities.

In 2009/2010 we'll help Wellington's young people get jobs by:

• helping them get industry relevant skills
• finding workplaces where young people can work, learn and receive ongoing mentoring, support and guidance
• helping them make informed decisions about school, training and work.

Getting young people to reach their potential

Some young people just need to know where to access opportunities to participate in development and decision-making activities that affect them. Youth Transition Services (YTS) help young people find the right sort of ongoing education, training, work or other meaningful activities that will suit their needs. We also run programmes that will help build self-esteem, leadership and decision-making skills in our young leaders. We want the young people using this service to have long-term independence and wellbeing. In Wellington there are Youth Transition Services based in Porirua, Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt.

Student support
Over the next year we will extend the MyStudyLink online account service so students can assess their eligibility for most forms of support and apply for it online in one seamless process.

We meet twice a year with educational providers and student association representatives to plan for peak season (beginning and mid-year) activities and to discuss new initiatives and any changes to policies or procedures. This helps us to provide students with comprehensive options for financing their studies so they can make good decisions about the options they choose.

Getting young people on the right path

Some young people will offend just once. Others will fall into a pattern of offending. These young offenders need intensive support to change their behaviour.

Fresh Start
In August 2009 the Prime Minister announced an expanded Fresh Start for Young Offenders programme, building on the youth justice announcements made earlier in the year. The aim of the programme is to stop young people from reoffending by helping young people involved in low-level offending to get back on track, by holding serious and persistent young offenders to account, and by addressing the root causes of offending.

Some of the initiatives, announced as part of Fresh Start for Young Offenders, include:

• structured community youth programmes for low-level young offenders
• participation in either community or residential court-ordered drug and alcohol programmes, parenting and mentoring programmes
• Youth Court-supervised camps and greater Youth Court powers
• Supervision with Activity Orders with extra places in a range of programmes that incorporate elements of military-style training
• military-style activity camps for serious young offenders.

Reducing gang participation
We are working with a number of agencies to respond to the youth gangs in Wellington. It’s not a major problem in the region, but there are small pockets of activity. Our focus is on putting in place programmes and initiatives aimed at young people at risk, delivered by a number of agencies and local community groups.

In 2009/2010 we'll put multiagency plans in place to help Wellington’s worst youth offenders change their lives.

Reducing youth offending
A small number of young people get caught in cycles of offending and reoffending. We know we can achieve lasting change when whole communities work together to develop solutions – especially ones that encourage those young people to connect to education, training or work.

In Porirua, the City Council has recently employed six youth workers who patrol the Eastern Porirua areas after-hours looking to identify and stop youth offending. Part of this initiative includes working with local community groups and agencies to deliver supporting interventions and providing access to education and employment opportunities to those youth involved in offending.