KEY POINTS:
Name: Norman Skeen (35)
Role: Youth transition broker for COMET - City of Manukau Education Trust
Working hours: 40 hours per week ranging from 8am to 9pm five to seven days depending on need
Average pay: $40-$60K
Qualifications and institution: Bachelor of Sport (Management) from Unitec
Describe what you do.
I work with school leavers between 16 and 19 years old in Mangere, helping them successfully move from school to further education or work.
Our aim is to help through engaging with community, school, peers and family. It is very much a collaborative effort. I'm attached to two low decile schools - Mangere College and Southern Cross Senior Campus. We hear through the school - often the careers department - that a student is leaving so we make contact. We also are out talking to kids on the street and in the neighbourhood.
I interview the students, then go into their homes and sit down with their families to discuss the next step. It is important for us to get the buy-in and support of the parents. I encourage education first and foremost, but not necessarily through school.
I might take students to a number of private tertiary providers in the area until we find one that interests them, where they will feel comfortable.
We have some students that think they're ready to go into the workforce, but attendance has already been an issue at school so work isn't necessarily the ideal place immediately.
It involves a lot of case management. The job also involves a paper trail of consent forms and record keeping. Building up the students' resilience is very much part of the job as well. Mentoring is also an important part of what we do.
Why mentoring?
We work with the students to understand them and build relationships. For example, I had one young gentleman with horrific issues. I eventually made ground with him after contact three times weekly over a period of three months.
We mentor the students in their new environment usually for six months. This includes anything from visiting them and hearing their concerns to checking on their progress wherever they may be. They are usually away flying after six months.
What are some of the issues for these students?
A lot of the students have little idea about the possibilities around them.
Some don't even know where Greenlane is. Some don't know how to catch a bus. Others have a real need to help their family financially which can affect their decisions about further education or employment.
Who set up the youth transition project?
It was set up as a pilot in 2002 by COMET, the City of Manukau Education Trust. COMET is about making education work for the community in Manukau City through local strategies that focus on inter-generational learning. There are four youth transition brokers based in seven south Auckland schools.
What is your history?
I left school at 15 and moved to Australia, working initially in warehousing. Later I also worked as a DJ and helped my partner run a café. When I moved back to New Zealand with three children, I felt compelled to do something more. I had been working with youth in a voluntary way for 10 to 12 years. I love sport and was interested in mentoring and coaching so in 2000 I enrolled in the sport management degree at Unitec.
It was a struggle and I wouldn't recommend doing it that way, but it means I can tell my story and the students relate to it. I've been in this job for two years now.
What sort of training or experience do you need to do the job?
Experience and knowledge of working with all kinds of people because you are always negotiating with employers, teachers, students and parents. You need a good education in an area like teaching, sports, social work.
What skills or qualities do you need?
You need to be confident, a good communicator and able to build relationships. You need good conflict resolution skills. You need to understand and respect the background and cultures the youth come from.
Best part of the job?
The success stories. Seeing students I placed graduating from providers like Cut Above or bumping into students at an open day at tech or university or hearing they are happy in their employment.
It is really awesome when you see you did make a difference.
Most challenging part?
Getting through to someone. It can take a while to break through the defence mechanisms. It is also very challenging to accept you can't help a student for various reasons.
Advice to someone wanting to do same thing?
Educate yourself and build up your skills. Working voluntarily in the community is good training because it helps you to understand the people and community you're going into.
The future?
I want to continue to work in education being an agent of change.