He Poutama Rangatahi (HPR) is a pilot initiative that supports rangatahi aged 15-24 who are most at risk of long-term unemployment and who are not in education, employment or training.
A Pathway to Trades spokesman said the funds would be used to support at risk youth in the Western Bay of Plenty and Rotorua aged 16-17 into fulltime employment.
"They are what we believe are the invisible unemployed," he said.