In the sustainable garden they built in Dunedin for Otago
Polytechnic's Living Campus project are (from left) Mareko
Otto (25), Mike Shaw (21), Matt Gray (17) and Ben Robertson
(20). Photo by Linda Robertson.
A government initiative to engage young unemployed people
in their community and help them find work is proving a
blooming success in Dunedin.
The Community Max programme was introduced last year,
targeting unskilled 16- to 24-year-olds whose chances of
getting work are limited.
A $40.3 million fund administered by Work and Income was used
to support up to 3000 places on community projects. The money
went towards a six-month wage subsidy, for 30 hours a week,
and a training component, worth $1250 for each person.
Regional labour market manager Paul Casson said 25 young
Dunedin people were involved in six projects through the
programme.
One group was working for the Dunedin City Council carrying
out track maintenance and cleaning graffiti, four groups were
working for the Malcam Charitable Trust carrying out building
maintenance and gardening while the other was part of the
Otago Polytechnic's Living Campus project.
Four young Dunedin people began building gardens for the
project in January and will finish in July.
Team leader Michelle Ritchie said the polytechnic applied to
the Community Max programme at the end of last year, as the
Living Campus project should benefit from the extra hands.
Along with creating a landscaped vegetable garden on the
corner of Harbour Tce and St David St, a garden bed was
planted with vegetables and beds were installed outside the
Technique Restaurant.
Students and staff would be able to take vegetables and herbs
from the gardens on a monitored basis and the restaurant used
some of the produce in its kitchen, she said.
Having the help of four young men was "amazing" because of
the amount of energy they brought to the project.
Mike Shaw said being part of the programme was "quite cool".
Before becoming involved, he was on a Department of
Conservation course and was interested in a career in
horticulture.
Through the Community Max programme, he was also studying
horticultural papers at the polytechnic and he would like to
see more similar programmes.
Supervisor Jenny Hayden said the programme had "more teeth"
than others because the workers were being paid, which
strengthened their dedication.
Fellow supervisor Trish Scott said she was pleased to see
their confidence "skyrocket" and knew their chances of
finding full-time work had improved.
"When you are working, it's easier to get a job."
- ellie.constantine@odt.co.nz
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