Mayor: Youth on benefits too high

Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick wants to bring down the number of youth she describes as 'wasted human capital” who are on benefits in the city.

A taskforce workshop got underway today at Rotorua Lakes Council facilitated by Dave Turner – an international expert on employer engagement in education and training across OECD countries.


Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick. Photo: Supplied.

The workshop is one of nine being held around New Zealand looking to explore, shape and strengthen the vital connection between young people leaving school and gaining employment.

'We've worked out the Rotorua way,” says Steve, 'and this workshop will link employers and young people.

'It will mean employers understanding the importance of exposing young people to their workplaces, but also allowing young people to see there are diverse careers.

'What we are concerned about is last count in March, we had 1000 young people between 15-and-24 on a benefit.

'That is wasted human capital and it doesn't matter if they're in training, or getting some skills or moving on a career pathway, we need to convert them into active learning or doing, and that's what the mayor's taskforce is all about for us.”

The Mayor's Taskforce for Jobs is made up of mayors from throughout New Zealand and is focused on better ways of transitioning young people into training or employment.

Steve says the situation was a 'burning platform” in Rotorua.

'It's not good for the future of those children,” she adds.

'It's not good for the emerging needs of the spa, health and wellness industry here in Rotorua and for the added value wood industry which are the two economic drivers here.

'We should be opening those opportunities up for these young people.”

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2 comments

Not Local News at all

Posted on 27-09-2015 14:55 | By ROCCO

This dingbat is from Rotorua and has made it clear she does not appreciate any input in Rotorua affairs from Tauranga so let the same rules apply in reverse because we don't need her or her inane policies.


2016

Posted on 09-10-2015 20:12 | By Jitter

Next year this Mayor (after the elections) I am pretty sure will be looking for a another job.


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