15 December 2011
RYU Coalition seeks common solutions with Minister
The Reject Youth Unemployment coalition (RYU) says that today’s news that the NEET (youth not in employment, education,
or training) rate has dropped by 0.5 percentage points to 12.3 percent is a step in the right direction. However, it is
also a reminder that we need to keep the focus on the hundreds of thousands(if this is the right number) of young New
Zealanders who are still counted amongst the NEET group.
Mark Pickering, RYU spokesperson said “today’s NEET figures remind us that there are still too many young New Zealanders
struggling to access work, education and training.”
RYU is advocating for young unemployed people and calls on the government bring a sharper focus and additional resources
into:
• creating work, education and training opportunities for young people to transition into,
• developing better youth transitions, and
• ensuring that young people receive positive support in their interactions with the system in their hunt for
employment and education.
“The new government faces a big challenge in this area to fix the deeper issues that put barriers in the way of young
people getting ahead,” says Pickering.
“We hope the Minister also ‘rejects youth unemployment.’ RYU wants to work constructively with the Government and others
to ensure we drive this rate down further, and we invite Social Development Minister Paula Bennett to meet with us to
discuss this important issue and possible solutions that could be adopted by the government,” concludes Pickering.
Reject Youth Unemployment Coalition Members: Wellington People’s Centre, The Salvation Army, Stand Up (Youth Wing of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions), New
Zealand Unions of Students' Associations Te Roopu Ākonga o ngā Whare Wānanga o Aotearoa, Tertiary Education Union, and
the Beneficiary Advocacy Federation of New Zealand.
ENDS