Group aims to connect young people with seasonal work opportunities

Parents Sarah Millwater (left), Sarah Fox and Liz Breslin are helping young people develop projects. Photo / Simon Henderson

A trio of Upper Clutha women are planning to connect young people with seasonal work opportunities.

Sarah Fox, Liz Breslin and Sarah Millwater were all mothers of teenagers.

During the Covid-19 lockdown they decided to combine their interest in youth and
community projects by forming Get Sh*t Done.

Millwater said the community group had an aim of creating opportunities and activities that mattered to young people.

One of their first projects is a pilot scheme to help about 100 young people to work on an orchard in Cromwell during the fruit-picking season.

Working with youth organisation Kahu Youth Trust, the group devised a wraparound service that would include transport from pickup spots in Wanaka and surrounding areas to the orchard.

Fox said the transport costs were free to the young people, the employer paying half. The group was fundraising for the remaining cost.

Extra supervisors would also be on hand to help and support the young people, who would be paid full wages.

The young people would be divided into two teams, one aged 16-19 and the other 19-25, Fox said.

The aim was to provide them with learning and inspiration so they understood more of what the horticulture had to offer.

If the pilot scheme was successful, the group hoped to expand the scheme to other orchards for future seasons.