Whanganui rangatahi graduate from life skills course aimed at getting them into employment

Fono Tafilipepe was one of the graduates of the course, presented with her certificate by MP Teanau Tuiono. Photo / Supplied

Three young people working alongside a new social service aiming to reduce unemployment in Whanganui have just graduated from a two-week life skills course.

The Bounce life skills course was put together by Lift - a social enterprise group with the goal of putting more youth in employment in the district, as well as equipping them with the skills to take on life as an adult.

The course involves rangatahi working alongside other young people between the ages of 16 and 24 to learn more about themselves, with the programme taking a kaupapa Māori approach towards teaching.

The goal of the course is to provide learning, development, planning and growth with peers from the local community, with a particular emphasis on young people who want to have a crack at starting their own business.

The graduation ceremony on Friday included presentations from Green MP Teanau Tuiono, Nicola Patrick from Thrive Whanganui and local kaumātua Potonga Neilson, whose mokopuna was one of the graduates.

Leighton Kotuhi-Brown, the Whanganui coordinator for Lift, said one of the biggest takeaways of the course was learning skills around communication.

"Each of the graduates spoke about what they got from the course and they all said that they better understand communication, and have gained confidence in being better at listening and speaking," Kotuhi-Brown said.

"The next Bounce course begins on July 12 and although we are looking for 16 to 24-year-olds, we will not turn anyone away who wants to learn more about themselves."

For more information on the programme, email whanganui@liftyouthemployment.nz.