Kupenga has also found a second mother in her manager at the seafood bar in Petone Pak'n Save, Seipepa Hosie.
Hosie would pick Kupenga up for work when she was on early starts while training, and took her to hospital when she suffered a work injury.
"She's lovely – she's beautiful and cheerful and has a really good attitude. I hope she goes far," Hosie said.
Kupenga is one of the 400 young people since 2014 who have been able to get into jobs after going through the Youth Inspire programme.
"They kept me motivated by picking me up in Wainuiomata and taking me to the course which was in Naenae," she said.
"They helped me get a bus card and a food grant and with getting quotes for WINZ for work-related clothing. I made friends and they helped me with soft skills like being more confident and with my CV and cover letters. When I came here for my interview, I knew how to answer questions appropriately. They are still helping me with my [drivers] licence."
She decided to join the programme after WINZ recommended it to a friend of hers.
Now she encourages anyone who has been in her shoes to do the same.
"I'd imagine that I would still be on the benefit if I didn't join Youth Inspire. Then I wouldn't be happy like I am now."
The programme, supported by the Ministry of Social Development and Hutt City Council, has shown a Social Return on Investment (SROI) of $11.60 for every dollar invested, according to an evaluation by the council and public policy consultants.
SROI is an internationally recognised form of cost-benefit analysis designed to capture the full value of programmes, services and facilities which have significant social, cultural or environmental benefits.
Many of these benefits can be monetised, such as keeping people off benefits and socially engaged, as well as the improved physical and mental health outcomes that result from this.
The evaluation looked at the social and economic value of Youth Inspire services and the level of benefit for each dollar invested.
A range of economic, social, health and wellbeing benefits were gained, not only by service users, but also by whānau, the wider community and the businesses involved.
Businesses reported significant benefits including the fact the young people were work-ready, with the ongoing pastoral support ensuring young people remained connected to the work place, which contributed much to the success of the programme.
Metal Art owner Carl Longstaff has 36 employees in his light engineering, import and distribution company, and has previously employed four graduates from Youth Inspire.
"After three to four months of earning money, some kids might go AWOL for a day or two – that can happen with any youth.
"We just call Youth Inspire and they will go and visit them, have a talk and make them accountable – they are a backstop like a parent would be. Usually that sorts out the problem - once they have a work ethic, they are fine."
More than 200 local businesses support the programme, which offers an employability skills programme and provides a wrap-around service to rangatahi up to the age of 24, which includes one-on-one mentoring, career pathway planning, a direct link to training and employment opportunities as well as in-work support to both the young person and the business.
Youth Inspire chairman and the council's general manager or city and community services Matt Reid said there were hundreds of stories of people going through the programme and turning their lives around.
"We will never, ever give up on them."
Half of their clients turn up with drug issues, so the team work with the young person and their family to beat the addiction before getting them into a workplace.
One young man joined the programme in 2014 at the age of 17, wanting to escape gang culture.
The team have been working with him for the past four years.
"He could easily go back into a life that wouldn't be as positive, so we're not going to give up on this young guy."
