Empowering Our Youth

In today’s rapidly changing world, the transition from school to further education or entry into the workforce has become increasingly complex and challenging, particularly for students from low socio-economic backgrounds.

“It is critical we ensure all our rangatahi have access to viable career opportunities for their, and Aotearoa New Zealand’s, future long-term success” explained Jane Treadwell-Hoye, Executive Director, Education Partnership and Innovation Trust (EPIT).

To better understand what is happening in our secondary schools, EPIT secured funding from the Fletcher Trust and the Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust, and engaged Dr Lynette Reid, an experienced career education researcher, to conduct research on career transitions.

“We were interested in understanding what career processes, strategies and practices enable successful career transitions for these students’ says Treadwell-Hoye.

Today EPIT launches our research report Empowering Our Youth: career processes, strategies, and practices that enable successful career transitions - www.epit.org.nz/reports/empowering-our-youth

This report investigates approaches being taken in a selection of secondary schools in South Auckland that serve multicultural, and diverse income communities. It offers valuable insights into the strategies employed by careers advisors to empower and equip students with the tools necessary for making informed decisions about their post-school pathways.

It shows that structured, funded and well supported programmes, which deploy career development thinking across the whole school, are clearly having positive impact.

And most importantly, it highlights the crucial role of careers education in our secondary schools, and the need for collaboration between schools, whānau, aiga and families, employers, and community organisations.

“Our young people deserve, and need, access to a wide range of opportunities for post-school learning, and working, to fully participate and thrive in our society.” says Treadwell-Hoye.

ABOUT EPIT
Education Partnership & Innovation Trust (EPIT) is a charitable trust set up to address inequity in education through transformational, collaborative cross-sector partnerships. To achieve this vision, the trust has six initiative foci: early years, youth mental health and wellbeing, digital equity, transitions (pre-school to school and school to tertiary study or career pathways), literacy and leadership.

www.epit.org.nz

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