My job: Working on a youthful outlook

Dionne Afutoto has tried lots of jobs but is happiest working with young people. Photo / Graeme Sedal

Name: Dionne Afutoto.
Age: 39.
Role: Youth co-ordinator.
Working hours: 10am to 6pm normal days but I often work late and at weekends with events and squad meetings etc.
Employer: Youthtown.
Starting salary range: $35,000-$45,000.
Qualifications: Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in education and Maori and a Teaching Diploma in Secondary Teaching.

Describe your job.

My role is youth co-ordinator for Youthtown Central. However, it has several components to it. One is recruiting, managing and facilitating a youth squad called Urban Unity. The squad gets together once a week and comes up with ideas to run events for youth in its community and I try to make it happen for them. We have Urban Unity Squads in other Youthtown centres as well.

The other parts of the job are organising a short film competition and short film workshops, running the 13-16 years Holiday Programme and supporting other Youthtown and Urban Unity events such as Blue Light - The Police Youth organisation.

What is the role of Youthtown?

Youthtown caters for our youth and targets 5 to 18-year-olds. Its aim is to provide a place that is accessible and cost-effective as we do not charge. It can be used free of charge as a drop-in centre for the youth to hang out, play basketball, pool, table tennis, swim and generally a place where young people can grow and develop in a safe and fun environment.

Youthtown's vision is to be the market leader in the country as a non-profit organisation providing innovative programmes for our youth, with 20 branches by 2020. This is already happening with the opening of the Taupo branch just a month ago.

Your history?

I was persuaded to leave school as a second-year fifth at Avondale College with School Cert English ... they were happy to see me go. I worked at two different law firms in Auckland, as a junior in Kensington Swan and then DLA Phillips Fox as a legal search clerk.

But I wasn't happy or fulfilled and decided I did need that school education after all. So I enrolled at night school at Mt Albert Grammar, got School Cert in science and maths and then did an Adult Restart programme before going on to do a Bachelor of Arts degree and Teaching Diploma.

I taught for 3 years, then went to Sydney and did recruitment, but hated it, and call centre work - being a postie for two years was the best.

I returned to Auckland and after a short time at Les Mills Gym in New Lynn I was fortunate enough to be offered a youth work position with a fantastic boss, Senior Constable Phil Crowley, based at Avondale Police Station for the TYLA Programme, a police initiative to help youth at risk in the area.

I did this for four years and then tried my hand at being an employment coach but really wanted to get back working with youth. And then this job came up. I have been here eight months and am loving it.

Who comes to Youthtown?

Last year we had 136,000 people come through the doors, and 80 per cent were 17 or younger. Males make up 57 per cent.

Why is your job important?

I believe we are giving our youth a place to belong, grow and be.

Most rewarding part of the job?

Working with the youth. They are so much fun.

Challenges of the job?

Getting the kids to agree on what they want for their event.

Seriously, people working with kids are working with the future of our society. It is possibly the most important of jobs, yet we get paid minimally. I earned more delivering mail in Sydney than I do as a youth worker, so we do it because we love it.

Do you have children?

I have two stepchildren aged 9 and 11.

You must have developed an empathy with young people - what are your "secrets"?

No secrets, just take time to listen to them, and talk to them. And I think you need to genuinely believe in them, they have a lot to offer. Take the time to be with them and get to know them.

What is on your work agenda for 2009?

We have a range of youth events coming up - dance socials, outdoor days, workshops. Events are on our website at www.youthtown.org.nz. We are supporting other Youthtown events and Urban Unity events as well as the Short Film Competition that has its premiere night on August 19 at the Academy Cinemas in Lorne St.

What do you want to be doing in five years?

At the moment I want to keep working on the youth co-ordinator job. I am eight months into it, and I think I need to do a good couple of years in this role. But in five years, I hope I will be managing the team of co-ordinators! That would be lovely. It's a great organisation.

Advice to someone wanting to do the same thing?

Education is the key nowadays. A Youth Work degree is now available so I would suggest that first and foremost. In the meantime, get out and join organisations and do volunteer work so you are around the kids seeing how it's done.