Goodhew Jo: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Goodhew Jo: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:665;Page:12791] 
JO GOODHEW (National—Rangitata) 
: 
 Tena koe e te Mana. I am pleased to rise to speak this afternoon about employment. In particular I will concentrate on employment for our most vulnerable in the workforce who I believe are our younger people. Young people have been well and truly overrepresented in the unemployment statistics but the National-led Government has taken this bull by the horns literally. Back in 2009 it announced a significant package of opportunities called Youth Opportunities for young people. First of all was Job Ops. There were 4000 job opportunities and after that still more were announced and now that programme is up to 12000 job opportunities. The reason for that number is that the Job Ops scheme is really working and later I will give members some good examples of that from my own electorate. 
Then there was Community Max and it certainly has delivered for young people as well. There are more opportunities for young people in industry partnerships the Youth Guarantee initiative service academies Limited Service Volunteers polytech and technology institute funding boosts and summer scholarships. Boy did the students thank us for those summer scholarships. 
In the southern region where my electorate of Rangitata is as at the end of May a total of 273 employers had taken advantage of the Job Ops package. The Timaru service centre had filled 70 Job Ops positions and had a further three positions available making a total of 73. In Ashburton the Community Link office which is working exceptionally well there filled 14 Job Ops positions and had a further one available. So there are many young people being employed in the region. 
Job Ops is such an exciting opportunity. The programme was announced at the National Party 2009 weekend conference and the very next morning when I headed off to the gym—the Monday morning routine—someone tapped me on the shoulder and said: “You had a busy weekend the National Party. I really like the sound of that Job Ops and I’m going to be in on it.” That employer was one of the first to trot to Work and Income and have somebody sign up for it. 
We can talk about policy and announcements until the cows come home. What about talking about some real people? Well I will talk about them. The owner of Bloomers Florist Cherilyn Kuperus needed an extra pair of hands and turned to Work and Income and the Job Ops initiative for help. That Timaru employer received the information on Job Ops through the local chamber of commerce because I got in touch with the chamber of commerce and asked them to please push it. About the same time 17-year-old Hannah Braid came to Bloomers for work experience while she completed a floristry course. When the course finished Hannah’s tutor contacted Cherilyn to see whether there was a job opening. The inquiry was just what Cherilyn needed to commit to Job Ops. Here is what she had to say about Hannah: “She is pretty good and a lovely keen kid. She understands floristry isn’t just about playing with flowers.” So that was one really good example. Hannah is now employed full time at Bloomers having completed her Job Ops term earlier in the year. She has stayed on in that job after the Job Ops term was finished. 
Then there was 17-year-old Cassandra Hefford who left school with no qualifications or work experience but wanted a job. With the help of Work and Income staff in Timaru and Job Ops she is now employed doing something many young people would love to do which is helping to plan fun activities for children. She is working at Chipmunks Playland and Cafe in Timaru. That particular business also showed a commitment to young people and signed up a Job Ops applicant. 
In Ashburton there was a 17-year-old man who was in receipt of an invalids benefit so it is not about just those who are not in work or on an unemployment benefit. This young man was on an invalids benefit but he was keen to work. His health condition was well managed and stable so he applied for a full-time job as a workshop assistant with an Ashburton employer. He missed out on that position but the employer said that they might have some part-time work for him. He met with the Ashburton work broker—I have a lot of respect for work brokers because they help young people into work—to discuss employment options. Following that discussion the work broker approached the Ashburton employer at the business where the young man had missed out on the workshop assistant position and it was Job Ops that made the difference. The employer was pleased to utilise that funding to give that young man a chance. There is another example again in Ashburton.