Taitamariki 500 Youth Engagement Strategy - Manaaki Tangata

Details

The Taitamariki 500 (T500) is Northlands new youth engagement strategy and will inform how we engage with youth clients (18-24 year olds in receipt of a benefit), employers, commercial and agency partners as well as training providers. Based on the learnings from KODE (Kaikohe Opportunities Dreams and Experiences) and GROW (Growing Regional Opportunities through Work), T500’s aim is to pathway all 18-24 year olds in receipt of a benefit in to employment, education or training by the June 2019. To affect a drop in youth benefit figures we need to make a significant step change with a particular focus on youth engagement practises as well as the support mechanisms required to ensure they succeed in thier chosen paths. Key learnings from the trial are that pastoral care including in work support for clients whilst they are undertaking training leading into employment, support when they are in employment, together with support for the employer are critical components in ensuring that the young people remain in sustainable employment.

We are looking to appoint providers in Dargaville (servicing the Kaipara District), Kaitaia (servicing the Far North) and Whangarei to provide an intensive pastoral care service to our youth clients in these locations. We need providers who can work closely with us in an environment of uncertainty and fast change and have the capability and capacity to ramp up and down the number of pastoral carers required to service our youth clients.

The pastoral care service that we are seeking facilitates tailored intensive interventions over initially a 6 month period (with the possibility of extension out to 12 months) for young people aged 18-24 years old to cope with and overcome complex and challenging social, employment or education needs.