Opinion: Mayors Taskforce for Job continues to be successful in Stratford

Trades graduates pictured with Mayor Neil Volzke at last year's Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) industry training graduation ceremony. Photo / Ilona Hanne

Opinion:

In February 2000, a group of mayors from around New Zealand gathered in Christchurch to establish the Mayors Taskforce For Jobs (MTFJ).

The year 2000 was pivotal, as it represented the deadline set by the 1994 Prime Ministerial Taskforce on Employment which stated that no New Zealander would be out of work or training for longer than six months. The 1994 Taskforce had described unemployment as “New Zealand’s greatest challenge”, however, at the turn of the millennium, with 200,000 unemployed, the country’s issues with unemployment remained unresolved.

The newly established MTFJ recognised the need to act more effectively on the issues of employment and livelihood, and focused on long-term strategies in these areas. They acknowledged that communities, led by their mayors, could play a crucial role in fostering employment opportunities for youth. The Stratford District mayor at the time, Brian Jeffares, was one of the first mayors to sign up and as the current Stratford mayor I have continued that membership along with the other 66 mayors across New Zealand.

The role of MTFJ is best summed up in its vision statement, which states “all young people under 25 be engaged in appropriate education, training work or positive activities in their communities”. It is an admirable vision but in reality, it remains a very challenging, difficult goal to achieve.

In recent years the Government has introduced and funded an MTFJ scheme that delivers targeted support for young people who are finding difficulty transitioning from school into work or other education and training.

The Stratford District Council has received a government grant of circa $500k per year for the specific purpose of assisting around 50 young people into work, education or training. The scheme, which is administered by a council-employed co-ordinator, is very flexible and, I believe, very successful.

At present we have more than 100 young people registered on the scheme and a similar number of businesses registered as potential employers. Assistance can be provided in many forms including wage subsidies, purchasing tradesman tools, driver licence training and course fees, plus more.

As you can imagine, there is good interest in the scheme and it is a very satisfying achievement for all when we see young people get started on their career path and move forward with their lives.

There is though, a huge ongoing demand for this type of support for our young people. Sometimes I wonder why this need arises, at a time when employers across the country can’t find the staff they need. Outwardly at least, there is an abundance of employment opportunities for those seeking work, yet the latest figures show we still have an official unemployment rate of 3.4 per cent, equating to more than 300,000 people.

Clearly there is a major disconnect between the employers who are seeking staff with specific skills, attributes, training or qualifications and the job-seekers who cannot meet the benchmarks the employers require. One factor that sometimes adds to the problem for our young people is their lack of direction or guidance or ambition they need to set them on the right pathway.

To me, motivating our young people to be ambitious and helping them identify a suitable career choice is a key part of breaking the unemployment cycle. In this respect, we as adults, family and friends can all play a positive part in encouraging our youth to engage in further education, training, community activities and, most importantly, employment.

The MTFJ will continue to focus on supporting our 18 to 25-year-olds and working collaboratively with other agencies to achieve the organisation’s goals because the outcomes are so important, but there is no quick fix. There is something for everyone, they just need to find it.