Caption for above image: At the signing of the Tupu Aotearoa Collaboration Agreement were, from left, Laulu Mac Leauanae, chief executive, Ministry for Pacific Peoples, Meta Tyrell, national relationship manager, Alignz Recruitment, Adrian Roberts, managing director, In-Work Zealand Ltd, Nouha Achmar-Tavita, director, Moving Mountains, Barrett Ruakere, director, SENZ Charitable Trust, Leaupepe Rachel Karalus, chief executive, K’aute Pasifika Trust, Ruanna Tagalosa Letalu, director community relationships, Solomon Group, Patrick Rennell, chief executive, Horowhenua Learning Centre Trust.
Pacific young people living in Waikato will get backing to help access life-changing learning and earning opportunities.
Five Waikato providers signed up at the July launch of the Tupu Aotearoa initiative in Hamilton.
“Tupu Aotearoa is about changing young people’s lives through new opportunities and pastoral support. Whether it is help finding the right kind of job or training, advice on preparing for interviews, or career counselling,” says Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio.
“Tupu Aotearoa will empower young people aged 15 to 39 years to grow new life skills, kick-start their career prospects, and earn a good living, as well as provide employers with a skilled, motivated talent pool they need.
“There are now more Pacific people born in New Zealand than ever before. Pacific have one of the fastest growing youth populations in Aotearoa, many proudly bilingual with bicultural parentage throughout regional New Zealand. This is a generation that is fast becoming the future workforce and consumers, entrepreneurs, sports, creative and community leaders that regional economies will be reliant on.”
Tupu Aotearoa is the new name for the Pacific Employment Support Service (PESS) which reflects the expansion of the programme to regional New Zealand.
The five Waikato providers are:
• K’aute Pasifika Trust – a charitable trust based in Hamilton that provides health, education and social services to Pasifika communities and all other ethnicities.
• Solomon Group – the largest youth services provider in the country.
• SENZ Charitable Trust – a charitable trust aimed at improving economic wellbeing and living standards and strengthened Pacific families and communities. SENZ is an existing provider of support services through Tupu Aotearoa in Auckland.
• In-Work New Zealand Limited – New Zealand’s largest provider of government support services designed to help people into work. In-work is an existing provider of support services through Tupu Aotearoa in Auckland.
• Alignz Recruitment – a Samoan family-owned and operated New Zealand Company
