Ka Rawe! Youth Employment Success (YES) wins the Māori Business Award at The Grand Business South Awards 2022.
On Friday, November 18th, The Grand Business South Awards by Principal Sponsors the Grand Casino & Business South were held in Ōtepoti, Aotearoa. The Awards are held every two years by Business South to celebrate innovation, creativity and success in the business sector. Youth Employment Success (YES) was selected as one of three finalists in the Māori business category, which included Pōtiki Poi and Innov8 HQ, two outstanding examples of Māori business in the Ōtākou region.
Youth Employment Success (http://www.youthemployer.nz) is a digital platform connecting Rangatahi aged 16-24 with youth-friendly businesses and organisations that offer
employment-based opportunities, helping to build the capabilities and confidence of our young people and supporting them
on their employment journey whilst showcasing the important mahi of those employers who are providing accessible work
experience and employment pathways for Rangatahi in their industries.
Māori Business - Inclusivity has always been a fundamental pillar of Youth Employment Success, and over the past year and a half, the team has been actively exploring both the individual and collective
responsibilities of the YES team to contribute towards creating a Tiriti-centric Aotearoa. In doing so, enabling the YES
team to explore, engage with and integrate important kaupapa māori concepts and opportunities for education within the
YES team and throughout the YES programme.
Youth Employment Success is committed to ongoing education and growth in this space, creating an environment where cultural and indigenous
knowledge and wisdom are valued and encouraged and where people feel empowered to learn about Aotearoa, Te Ao Māori and
all that it encompasses.
Steph Voight, Regional Commissioner Ministry of Social Development, Southern, says:
“The Ministry of Social Development is really proud to have been a part of YES from the very beginnings when it was
solely a Dunedin initiative. To see YES rolled out in locations across the country and to be recognised with this very
special award from Business South is an amazing achievement”.