Hon. Steve Maharey
17 October 2003 Speech Notes
Leave No Young Person Behind:
The Role of Careers Advice in Youth Transitions
Address at the Palmerston North launch of Youth Pathways: He Ara Rangatahi. Career Services, Palmerston North.
INTRODUCTION [SLIDE 1]
Thank you for the opportunity to speak at this event. It is always a pleasure to attend an event that focuses on
enhancing the opportunities available to our young people.
THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING LEAVING AGE [SLIDE 2]
The Youth Pathways: He Ara Rangatahi is one of a number of initiatives that this Government has invested in the area of
youth transitions. The whole area of effective Youth Transitions is one that the Government is committed to further
improving.
Since the last election we have been working across a range of portfolios and agencies to implement an Education and
Training Leaving Age Strategy.
This has the ambitious goal of ensuring that by 2007 all 15–19 year olds are engaged in appropriate education, training,
work, or other options that will lead to long-term economic independence and well-being.
THE CHALLENGE [SLIDE 3]
Make no mistake, this will not be easy. The last Census indicated that ten to seventeen percent of our 15 to 19 year
olds may not be in any form of full time education and training. The complex circumstances of some of these young people
will mean they need a range of support to get themselves to that point.
We will need to have in place a range of education and training pathways to meet the diversity of young people’s needs.
Alongside this, we will need to ensure the social assistance system where appropriate, balances the need for income
support with the opportunity to participate in education, training, or a job.
But if we can achieve this goal, it will be one of the most important achievements of the Labour-Progressive government.
The consequences of young people not being able to make a successful transition from school are significant and the
economic and social costs to these individuals, and ultimately to the nation, are huge.
THE TASK [SLIDE 4]
The “Education and Training Leaving Age” is not about a new legal requirement on young people and their parents. It is
about a fundamental commitment on the part of central government, local government and society as a whole to –
paraphrasing the famous U.S. marine motto – leave no young person behind.
It’s about a situation where no young person is being abandoned to sit on the unemployment benefit. Where every one of
them is employed or learning or being assisted in some way.
If we can do that, then we will have made a significant positive impact on New Zealand’s prospects as a nation. If we
are to fundamentally improve New Zealand’s international status, then we must dramatically lift the skill levels and
abilities of our workforce. To do this we must encourage young people to keep learning, to keep acquiring skills and to
recognise the benefits and necessity of lifelong learning.
Making sure that the young people of New Zealand can move beyond the school gates with confidence and success will be
critical in our journey towards achieving our vision for New Zealand and building a knowledge society.
How do we go about this? The Government is developing a strategy to ensure that New Zealand has a comprehensive and
integrated system of pathways from school to work and further learning.
YOUTH PATHWAYS: HE ARA RANGATAHI [SLIDE 5]
Youth Pathways: He Ara Rangatahi is part of this strategy. It will improve our understanding of Youth Transitions by
testing a method of working with young at-risk people in a ‘holistic’ and more coherent way.
The programme focuses on providing career information, advice and guidance support to ‘at-risk’ young people who are in
the process of leaving school or have left school with no concrete plans to enter further education or employment. It
combines career exploration and planning, coaching and problem solving, and creating linkages with the community.
Participants can also be referred onto other social support services to overcome their barriers to work or further
learning, such literacy and learning difficulties.
The programme, which is also being piloted in Napier and Christchurch as well as here in Palmerston North, will identify
the best ways to help this group of young people set clear, well informed career goals and follow through on them.
Information gathered will be used to enhance career information, advice and guidance support already offered to young
people.
It is important for young people to understand the need to adapt their skills and gain knowledge about the rapidly
changing labour market. The way young people manage their careers is a key contributor to their economic and social
well-being, which benefits them as individuals as well as employers and society as a whole.
As we saw earlier in Kathie’s presentation, the famous Scottish comedian, Billy Connolly was quoted as saying….
“It’s really important in life to have a Plan B… especially if you haven’t got a Plan A!”
Many individuals, particularly young people leave school without a Plan A, which means their journey into the workforce
can be very difficult and unclear. Youth Pathways trials an approach to turning that around.
OTHER INITIATIVES
However important information and guidance are, though, they are only one part of the equation. There also needs to be a
range of exciting and relevant opportunities available for young people to choose from. We expect this will see some
students staying on at school because they will be able to combine school and work-based study, and, for example, build
credits towards an apprenticeship.
There will also be a diverse range of high quality post-school learning opportunities available to meet the needs of all
young people, including our Mäori and Pasifika youth.
MODERN APPRENTICESHIPS [SLIDE 6]
The success and enthusiasm that can be generated if we provide real and meaningful alternatives for our young people is
evident in the Modern Apprenticeship initiative especially when you hear how Anthony Antunovich talks about his Vehicle
Sales apprenticeship...
“A Modern Apprenticeship is the best sort of training for me. It’s hands-on, so I’m learning in a practical way. I also
have a really supportive boss who keeps me motivated and checks on my study to make sure I stay on track. I love my job
and this is a great way to get the skills I need to be really good at it. I’m hoping to complete my qualification in 18
months.”
There are currently over 5,700 Modern Apprentices in New Zealand who work in 28 different industries and businesses,
towards over 260 different qualifications. Almost 10 % of these are based in the Central North Island region, with 22
different industries involved. The initiative will continue to grow over the next three years. Modern Apprenticeships
will expand to 6,000 places in December and then to 7,500 in 2006.
GATEWAY [SLIDE 7]
Gateway is another innovative initiative designed to assist young people to make the transition from school to work.
Gateway builds meaningful links between schools and businesses and allows schools to offer work-based learning
opportunities.
The Gateway initiative makes it possible for students to embark on a national qualification in the career of their
choice and apply general skill in a work context. This helps students to better understand the relevance of such skills
and their classroom learning.
It is clear that learning in a hands-on, practical way suits many people better than a theoretical approach. Gateway has
helped a number of young people make successful transitions into employment, Modern Apprenticeships and tertiary study.
Gateway is currently being offered to senior secondary students through 63 schools, 15 of which are based in the
Manawatu and Taranaki province. Gateway is being progressively expanded to all 1-5 decile secondary schools, with
opportunities being offered in an additional 63 schools in 2004. By 2007 Gateway will be available in just over 200
schools.
[SLIDE 8]
YOUTH TRAINING POST-PLACEMENT SUPPORT
The Youth Training Post-placement Support initiative provides additional support for young people who have completed
youth training programmes once they are in the workforce.
These young people will receive advice and mentoring, including support for them to continue learning once they start
work. An incentive payment will also be piloted for youth training providers whose learners achieve sustainable
employment or further education outcomes. Up to 1,800 young people will be assisted each year under the expanded
initiative.
TRANSITION FROM CARE TO INDEPENDENCE
Another area of interest for Government is enhancing the transition for young people from state care to living
independently. A pilot which is funded for four years and based in the Auckland region will provide 100 young people per
year (aged 15-17) with support.
The support will be provided prior to, and for up to two years after they have been discharged from state care. Support
will be individualised according to the particular needs of the young person concerned and could involve, for example
contracted support services from community social service agencies, the assignment of a personal advisor and/or
financial assistance to enable them to set up a home for themselves in the community.
YOUTH TRANSITION TO WORK REGIONAL INITIATIVES
Work and Income Regional Commissioners are developing or enhancing existing services for young people who are leaving
school early without concrete plans to enter education, training or work. Support provided to these 15 to 17 year olds
will be designed to prevent them from entering the pool of unemployment benefit recipients once they reach the
qualifying age of 18.
Each of Work and Income’s 13 regions will have the flexibility to design support services that meet the particular needs
of local young people. The regional programmes will be evaluated and good examples will be expanded to other parts of
the country. The support services are likely to include:
providing Work and Income specialist staff to work with marae, school-based, Pacific and other groups supporting local
young people; and
in partnership with other organisations, establishing community-based ‘one stop shops’ for young people offering
services like career development and budget advice.
CONCLUSION [SLIDE 9]
The Education and Training Leaving Age Strategy objective is an ambitious one. It calls for collaborative partnerships
between government agencies, schools, tertiary education organisations and New Zealand Industry and businesses and the
community.
The Youth Pathways initiative that you are launching here today will form part of the range of interventions in place to
meet a diverse range of needs. It will also help us to understand what influences our young people as they make
decisions that will affect their transition into work and further learning.
ENDS