Work scheme changes lives

Taiki Ropata, 16, from Manurewa, gardens at the kaumatua flats at Te Puea Marae. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

Taxpayers are helping to change the lives of 16 young people in Manukau through a new work scheme aiming to minimise the impact of the recession.

The 13 young men and three young women employed by Mangere's Tamaki Ki Raro Trust worked through the showers yesterday on renovating kaumatua flats at Te Puea Marae, creating a community garden and working on the Mangere Making A Difference (MMAD) youth project.

Before the new "Community Max" work scheme started last month, all were either unemployed or on courses.

"It's sort of changed me from the way I was before," said Te Arepa Kahu-Ariki, 16, who was waterblasting the walls of the kaumatua flats. "I was at school, go home, do nothing. Now I wake up early, keen to work. They teach us how to work, teach us different work experience."

Jordan Tui, also 16, was working in the community garden, one of nine community gardens across Manukau sponsored by the district health board's Let's Beat Diabetes project.

"I'm liking it. You're outdoors, doing all physical things - it beats being in there writing all day," he said. "And you're getting paid."

The pay, just $313 a week after tax, seems minimal, especially for Anthony Taoirangi and William Peace, both 21 and each supporting a partner and a child. But they are not complaining.

"It has helped put bread on the table for my family and really helped in getting my daughter the necessities that she needs," said Mr Peace, who is helping on MMAD programmes at Bader Intermediate.

He credited his daughter, as well as Community Max, for turning his life around.

"I started drinking at a young age, making all the wrong decisions, going clubbing when I was 15, 16," he said.

He spent two years in Sydney playing in the reserve team for the Cronulla Sharks, but could not find a job when he came home in August until the Community Max scheme started.

"Since my daughter has come into my life, it's opened up my eyes and pointed me in the right direction," he said. "After six months I'm hoping our contract will roll over, then probably I'll look for further study. Since I've started working with these guys [in the MMAD youth project] I've found a passion for social work, working with youth."

Community Max is the first new fully funded work scheme for the unemployed since the Muldoon Government's Project Employment Programme (PEP) was axed in 1985. It has been allocated $40 million to support 3000 young people for six months each between its launch on August 2 and the end of next year.

Tamaki Ki Raro Trust, whose 16 trainees represent half of the 32 young people on Community Max in Auckland on October 2, was founded by Tainui in 1986 and now aims to support everyone in the Tainui rohe (tribal area) of South Auckland.

Nationally, 108 young people were on Community Max projects on October 2.

FRESH START
What: Fully funded work scheme for unemployed people aged 16 to 24.
For: Anyone aged 16-17 not in work, education or training; anyone under 25 on unemployment benefit or independent youth benefit.
Open to: Community groups, councils, state agencies.
Funding: $12.50 an hour for 30 hours a week for six months, plus $1250 for training, plus one supervisor for every four young people.

SEE ALSO
www.workandincome.govt.nz