As unemployment continues to rise across the country, 36 of the country’s smallest and most remote councils have been working with Mayors’ Taskforce For Jobs (MTFJ) to find employment solutions for youth.

Unemployment figures released in August showed that 33,000 more New Zealanders were jobless compared to the same time last year, with NEETs – people aged 15-24 years not in education, employment, or training – making up almost half of the newly unemployed.

Set up in 2020, MTFJ’s Community Employment Programme (CEP) is a nationwide partnership between MTFJ and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) with a focus on getting more young people into sustainable employment. It highlights the power of localism by promoting community-led solutions for youth employment, education, and training, working with Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) to contract 36 councils from rural and provincial areas to run this programme.

One of the councils leading the way is Stratford District, whose recent success has seen 18 young people move into ongoing full-time roles since July.

Stratford District Mayor Neil Volzke says MTFJ and their Community Employment Programme has been rewarding for everyone involved, and that businesses looking to hire should reach out to the council for assistance.

“We know young people in our district have been affected by rising unemployment, so the support of local businesses – of all sizes – to work with CEP on employment placements has been crucial.

“If you’re struggling to find the right person for the job, we can help; that includes providing driver training, helping fit an employee out with their gear and tools, and even providing financial assistance if they’re eligible.

“It’s win-win; businesses get access to local and keen employees, while the programme helps our youth to thrive in the workplace,” says Mayor Volzke.

The businesses working with MTFJ in this region include: Adan Larsen Builders, Electric Avenue Taranaki, Savvy Gas, RJ Edgar Ltd, Quintin Oakes Builders, ITM Stratford, Northern Dairy, Central Traffic Services, Dairymaster and others.

“MTFJ helps provide young people with the right information, so that when they approach an employer they come work-ready with the basic tools,” says Adan Larsen.

“I’d highly recommend MTFJ to other employers out there, they’re easy to deal with and there’s not a lot of red tape; it’s great to make use of young local talent,” says electrician Steven Needham from Electric Avenue.

Two young people who have taken full advantage of CEP are 17-year-old Dontaye Fleming, who was placed with RJ Eager in an apprenticeship and 18-year-old Ephraim Ingram who gained vital work experience as a building labourer.

“Originally I didn’t know where to start; the programme helped me with connections, helped me with my CV and to set up interviews. They also showed me jobs that weren’t advertised,” says Dontaye.

“MTFJ has been helping me find work, I could’ve done it by myself. They’ve been a big help in buying all the tools and [putting me on] a defensive driving course to help make me more employable. I would highly encourage any young person to get in contact with them,” says Ephraim.

MTFJ Chair Mayor Alex Walker knows that people in rural New Zealand often face exacerbated challenges when entering into the labour force.

“These challenges can include less MSD Service Centres, skill development programmes and driver licencing opportunities, alongside a lack of access to employers and visibility of jobs.

“Rural Mayors found a gap in the system where they could add significant value to their small communities via this programme, in partnership with MSD. It’s helping to change the face of local government and reinforcing that councils, led by their Mayors, are well placed to lead local solutions for local issues.

“Our movement of Mayors want better outcomes for our youth to see our communities thrive and MTFJ is a great example of localism in action.”

About MTFJ & CEP

Mayors’ Taskforce For Jobs (MTFJ) is a movement of Mayors around Aotearoa who believe in the importance of their youth for the future of their communities and advocate for elimination of youth unemployment. They partner and deliver on a number of initiatives around the country, including the Community Employment Programme (CEP); a nationwide partnership between MTFJ and MSD which delivers amazing outcomes in our rural and provincial communities.

MTFJ is championed by Mayors through a “by local, for local” approach where the coordination and support between youth and employers has been designed to remove the barriers unique to each community. Through LGNZ, the MTFJ movement are able to individually contract local councils to deliver outcomes for youth, and in May this year achieved a major milestone by placing over 6,500 young people into work across rural and provincial Aotearoa.

Find out more at www.mtfj.co.nz

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