Objective 1: Support people to steer their own employment futures
All people and their whānau can benefit from an equal opportunity to pursue their aspirations for earning, learning, caring and volunteering - on their own terms.
To support people to hold ‘the reins’ in their own working lives they need equal access to quality and life-long education and training alongside diverse career pathways and work opportunities.
Priority 1: Positive expectations for disabled school leavers
Kaupapa: Low expectations about the lives of young disabled people is identified as a major barrier to building positive futures.
Many young disabled jobseekers lack the work experience that many of their non-disabled peers gain through an after-school or holiday job. And we know that early work experience and on-the-job training significantly improves education and employment outcomes.
Another barrier, particularly for people with learning disabilities or autism, is low expectations of their ability to work. Yet we know that many can thrive in open employment with good support. Transitions from school for these students are most successful when started by age 14; where their goals are at the centre of decision-making; and where whānau are included in these decisions and in building confidence and aspirations to work.
Building on existing services the government is progressing the following actions:
|
Initial actions 2020 - 2022 |
Links |
Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
|
Support young people who live with significant disability to access work experience while still at school (This action involves access to employment services that work alongside the young person with families, schools and employers) |
Youth Employment Action Plan |
Ministry of Social Development + Ministry of Education |
|
Start career building support including whānau-centred education at year seven |
Learning Support Action Plan |
Ministry of Education |
|
Explore work experience, shadowing options and pathways into employment for young people who live with significant disability and learning disabilities in particular. (This action will be informed by an evaluation of the ‘Project Search’ pilot) |
Disability System Transformation |
Ministry of Education + Ministry of Social Development |
This plan is a living document and new actions will be developed that address this priority alongside Government’s broader work programme, guided by the kaupapa and informed by monitoring.
Priority 2: Career pathways at all stages of life and for diverse needs and aspirations
Kaupapa: We know that successful participation in post-school education is a strong predictor of improved longer-term employment outcomes. We also know that a range of personal circumstances require a range of support and education approaches to ensure successful pathways into work for all abilities and at all stages of life.
People often seek guidance and ways to explore career options in situations when they move into work following education; return to work after time away; seek to progress in a career; or when they need to adapt the way they work because of acquiring disability or health needs.
Guidance tools are particularly important for disabled people who may face additional career challenges related to their support networks, discrimination or simply not having enough relatable role models.
Also, we know that there is likely to be an increasing need for tools to help all people manage their careers or career change and labour market risks in the post-COVID economic recovery, and as the nature of work transforms.
Building on existing services the government is progressing the following actions:
|
Initial actions 2020 – 2022 |
Links |
Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
|
Explore how to ensure more disabled people and people with health conditions access career transition initiatives such as:
(This action will consider access to new initiatives designed to assist with the post-COVID economic recovery) |
Reform of Vocational Education + Welfare Overhaul |
Ministry of Social Development + Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment + Ministry of Education |
|
Offer more paid internships to assist with transitions from tertiary education and training in diverse sectors |
Welfare Overhaul |
Ministry of Social Development |
|
Ensure the refreshed careers.govt.nz website and related tools and products are accessible to disabled people (From mid-2021 ‘Tiro Whetū’ will replace careers.govt.nz. This is a personalised and targeted system to support all New Zealanders to build a fulfilling career. The system will ensure that everyone, including disabled people, is able to use and get value from the site. It will be accessible by design, ‘mobile first’, and bilingual wherever possible) |
Career System Strategy + Tiro Whetū
|
Tertiary Education Commission |
This plan is a living document and new actions will be developed that address this priority alongside Government’s broader work programme, guided by the kaupapa and informed by monitoring.
