Youth Horizons and Waitakere City have established a new service for young people who have left school or are thinking about leaving school.
Aim
The aim of this free service is to engage and connect young people with education, training and work opportunities, to develop their potential and to help young people action their own individual pathways to adulthood and independence. This service is offered to all Waitakere school leavers.
The Service
An initiative of the Ministry of Social Development, the Henderson based service runs a bright, colourful, youth friendly Resource Centre where young people can go to check out options and get help to make decisions on gaining skills or finding work. Sometimes what seems like a lack of motivation is actually uncertainty on how to go about taking that next step, so they can get practical help to set goals and to find and apply for jobs or training. Trained staff are skilled in helping young people identify strengths, interests and aspirations and supporting them to develop these.
Customised Support
Waitakere Youth Transition Service (WYTS) also offers intensive customized support to young people who are identified by their school, family or other agency as needing additional assistance to enter productive activity. Many young people have a multitude of issues or needs they need help to address before they are able to commit to either returning to school or starting another activity.
WYTS youth coaches can respond by identifying what support is needed and by working with each young person to help them address issues, and gain the skills and confidence they need to move into work, training or other activities.
Families (whanau) caregivers and other agencies are also welcome to contact the Resource Centre, for information or advice on what is available to young people in Waitakere City.
Wider Role of the Service
WYTS also has a wider role within the youth sector. The service encourages collaborative city wide approaches to addressing youth issues and supports the development of appropriate services and opportunities for young people within Waitakere City. The service coordinates monthly intersectorial meetings with central and local government agencies as well as a bi-monthly meeting of youth sector agencies known as ‘Step Up’.
In addition the service undertakes an annual:
o Waitakere Youth Service Needs Profile
o Stocktake and Gap Analysis of Waitakere Youth Services
o School Leaver Destination Report
For further information please contact Wendy Ferguson Wright (Service Manager) on Ph: 09 835 1176 x 405 or email: wendy.w@youthorizons.org.nz
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