Transcript
Currently Pacific youth unemployment in New Zealand is at 30 per cent compared with the national youth average of 16 percent. A past participant Tua Tualima says he's thankful he's not in that category and says the programme turned his life around.
"I'm just happy that this programme gives second chances to our brown people. All I did in high school was just eat my lunch and play rugby at lunchtime."
He's now employed as a youth worker and was also selected as a player in the New Zealand Warriors' Under 20's rugby league team. But he says his life would be very different, had he not gone through the Pacific Employment Support Services, or PESS, training programme.
"Probably working in the factories or probably working with my Dad or probably doing housework at home. So yeah, I reckon for myself, it's like an open door for the other brown kids going through this programme. So yeah, it's benefited me pretty well. Without the job I have, in work and PESS, I wouldn't be where I am now."
The Minister of Pacific Peoples, Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, says he's proud to see success stories like Tua Tualima's come out of the programme.
"You know certainly when our parents migrated and certainly when I migrated, they didn't have these opportunities and these opportunities to get a hand up."
Susan Willis-Baker from training and employment centre SENZ who is one of the programme's providers, agrees.
"...for us, the PESS programme is that hand up that makes a difference to our people. At the heart of this programme is that every young person is valuable, that they have potential yet to be realised."
Adrian Roberts, a spokesperson from PESS provider Inwork, congratulated New Zealand employers who, through the programme, are giving young people like Tua a chance.
"Now these businesses stepped up to give at least one young person a go. From small businesses to large corporates, our New Zealand employers consistently demonstrated they value, they care and where possible, support their communities."
Government figures show Pacific people are over-represented among the unemployed, lower-skilled workers and low income earners. Minister of Pacific Peoples, Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, is optimistic that the PESS programme will help change those figures.
"If we can get pacific people into better training opportunities, high levels of education and achievement, that they get paid higher wages and incomes. And that has a natural flow-on effect to those housing outcomes and the health outcomes. So it's definitely a positive win-win situation."
The Ministry's CEO, Pauline Winter, says the country has a strong pacific youth population who have a lot to offer.
"The absolute message is that we've got young bright talented young people that are ready and willing to contribute to New Zealand's economy and we just want those doors opened."
Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga says the programme's focus is currently on Auckland, where more than half of the country's Pacific youth who are unemployed and not in training, reside. PESS has also expanded to the Waikato region and Mr Lotu-Iiga says he would not rule out it going to other areas.
