A campaign has been launched in Dunedin to encourage and acknowledge the employment of young people.
Ministry of Social Development regional labour market manager Emma Hamilton said the Youth Employment Success (Yes) campaign was a community-led initiative where young people would be "invested in'' rather than being offered a quick fix.
"Over 40% of all the unemployed young people aged 18 to 24 years old in the whole of the South Island reside in Dunedin,'' Ms Hamilton said.
"This figure has remained static for at least 13 years. At the Ministry of Social Development, we knew we needed to do something about this figure, but it was difficult to know where to start.''
In 2013, the ministry organised the first community meeting of key agencies to discuss what Dunedin's own strategy might look like and from that the Dunedin Youth Employment Strategy was born.
"Our goal was simple - that no young person in Dunedin shall leave school without a destination,'' she said.
The ministry has contracted marketing agency Firebrand to deliver the Yes campaign, which was officially launched last Thursday.
"What's really unique about this campaign is that we're not asking employers to miraculously create jobs for young people where there are not any. We know it's a tough economy and it's especially challenging for our smaller businesses to create jobs.
"But we are asking employers and the community to create opportunities for young people, so that they can gain work experience, build confidence in their own abilities, learn, take advice, be mentored and be encouraged, not disheartened.''
Firebrand managing director Rebecca Twemlow said the campaign comprised three pathways.
"The first is to recognise those employers that are already supporting youth by way of jobs or opportunities to learn about the industry.
"We also want other youth to be inspired by those we are showcasing. Third is the aspirational element for other businesses. We can learn from what other businesses are doing,'' Ms Twemlow said.
Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dougal McGowan said the campaign was starting to tell the story of the value of youth in the future of business.
"It's the start of a narrative which is going to have a legacy of making sure that this city is the best place for young people to live, grow up and then work in. We've got the first two parts of that already,'' Mr McGowan said.
"It's not just the unemployed - it's the people who are coming out from that stage of learning to earning. How do we walk with them on that journey?''
For more information about the Yes campaign search Youth Employment Success on Facebook.
- by David Beck
