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YMCA Mid and South Canterbury

The Y has been making positive things happen for our region’s rangatahi since 1917. All our programmes and services are strengths-and evidence-based according to the principles of Positive Youth Development and are provided at no or minimal cost to participants. YMCA Mid and South Canterbury offers three youth employment support services, Y•Futures, Drive2Work, and The Y’s NEET Youth Service.

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About

Y•Futures is a referral-only programme for rangatahi ages 15-24 years who have struggled to engage with education, find employment, or access the services and support they need. Y•Futures offers 1-to-1 support with a qualified youth worker for up to one year to help rangatahi get their lives on track and attain sustainable employment. The programme is tailored to the individual, and features:

Intensive personal development & wellbeing support
Help to navigate access to a variety of services
Upskilling in literacy/numeracy and work-ready skills (CVs, interviewing, etc.)
Support to obtain driver licence, and more

So if you need some real support to get your life on track, or you know of a rangatahi who does, get in touch today to find out if Y•Futures is right for you.

Y•Futures is funded through the Government’s He Poutama Rangatahi employment pathways initiative.

Drive2Work is a FREE 13-week training programme based in Timaru to assist WINZ job seekers into permanent, sustainable employment.

The Y’s skilled Drive2Work staff provide support to search job vacancies, prepare or update your CV, develop your interview and presentation skills — while helping you stay motivated and focussed. Plus, they can help you to improve your employability with:

Drivers License up to Class 2
Forklift Endorsement
OSH Forklift Operators Certificate
Dangerous Goods Endorsement
Wheels, Tracks & Rollers Endorsements
First Aid Certificate
NZQA Unit Standards and National Certificates, if applicable

Eligibility for the Drive2Work programme is by referral only, so talk to your WINZ caseworker about whether this could be an option for you.

NEET Youth Service helps 16 or 17-year-olds who are NEET (not in education, employment or training), or 15-year-olds who are no longer attending school (have an ELX from the Ministry of Education). Our youth coach uses a strength-based approach to help develop an individualised plan to help rangatahi get to where they want to be, and to find the education, training, or work-­based learning that works for them.

The NEET Youth Coach can help:

• look where you are at and where you want to be
• identify barriers to succeeding at school, in training or in work-based learning
• plan what is needed to get back into education, training or work
• develop an action plan that will help reach goals
• support in school and training
• check achievements
• help if you get off track
• update the plan as things change
• be your go-to person.

The NEET Service is by referral only.