Youth Services

We support rangatahi to engage in education and achieve positive outcomes.

Youth Services is a dedicated team in Te Wānanga o Aotearoa that helps rangatahi identify their skills, set goals, connect or reconnect to education, get work ready and much more.

We work with a wide range of training providers to help rangatahi make positive choices that can lead to a future career. We also have relationships with health and social service agencies that can support rangatahi wellbeing.

Eligibility and locations

Youth Services is for eligible young people aged between 16 and 20 years old and we cover the following areas:

• Glenview (includes Bader, Melville, Deanwell and Fitzroy)
• Hamilton East (includes Hillcrest, Silverdale and Riverlea)
• Te Awamutu/Cambridge (includes Kawhia, Ohaupo and Pirongia)
• Waihi/Paeroa (includes Paeroa, Waihi, Waihi Beach and Whangamata)

How youth services work

Each rangatahi has a youth worker who supports and mentors rangatahi to identify goals and develop a personalised plan to assist towards an independent future. There are two types of services offered.

NEET

This is a voluntary service for 16 and 17 year olds who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET. We introduce rangatahi to education opportunities in the community and tautoko (support) their journey towards furthering their skill base. We have contacts with private training establishments (PTEs), tertiary providers and schools.

Learn more about NEET

Youth Payment or Young Parent Payment

This service is for eligible rangatahi who are 16-17 years old and not financially supported by whānau or caregivers (see the Young Parent Payment criteria); or are aged 16-20 years old and have dependent children and need financial support. Like the NEET service, we introduce rangatahi to education opportunities, as well as social and health supports to encourage rangatahi wellbeing.

There are obligations that rangatahi will need to meet to qualify for this financial support, including engaging with us (the Youth Service Provider), completing a parenting and/or budgeting programme, and being actively engaged in education, training or work-based learning.

Other youth programmes

Learner Licence

We deliver a two-day workshop that provides a detailed overview of the NZ Road Code and prepares participants to confidently sit their Learner Licence theory test. This workshop has limited spaces throughout the year and eligibility conditions apply.

Restricted Licence

This programme provides an opportunity for confident Learner licenced drivers to access professional driving lessons with a qualified instructor. This programme encourages safe driving habits preparing participants to confidently sit their Restricted licence practical driving test. This workshop has limited spaces throughout the year and eligibility conditions apply.

Parenting and Budgeting

We understand that there is not a one size fits all for rangatahi. We work collaboratively in our communities and support rangatahi to access and engage with different organisations to learn and develop keys skills in:

• Budgeting – confidently manage money and make it work for you.
• Parenting – an overview of child development, ages and stages, keeping children safe, support around conscious parenting, stress and behaviour management.