The Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio, says young Pacific people in the wider Auckland metropolitan area will from today have access to support services which can help them find new earning and learning opportunities through the Tupu Aotearoa programme.
“The Government’s 2019 Wellbeing Budget allocation of $14.5 million meant the Ministry for Pacific Peoples can now extend the Tupu Aotearoa programme to cover Wellington, Christchurch and wider Auckland,” Aupito William Sio said.
“We have successfully rolled out Tupu Aotearoa to regional New Zealand in partnership with the Provincial Growth Fund and we are seeing considerable pick up from our communities in laying the foundations for us to meet our vision of thriving, prosperous Pacific communities.”
Tupu Aotearoa is designed to increase the number of Pacific young people in employment, education or training.
Previously, the Ministry had launched in 2010 the Pacific Employment Support Service in South Auckland where more than 2,200 Pacific young people have accessed the service, with nearly half being been placed into work.
“Many of our young Pacific people reside in metropolitan areas and Tupu Aotearoa, working alongside Service Providers, will upskill, train, and help Auckland’s young Pacific population aged 15-29 years to find employment and fulfil their potential.”
Five Service Providers have been approved to provide Tupu Aotearoa in the Auckland region. Each new provider has signed a collaboration agreement with the Ministry for Pacific Peoples.
Three of the Service Providers – In-Work, SENZ Charitable Trust and Solomon Group – have collaborated with MPP from the beginning operating in South Auckland. They will now operate in metropolitan Auckland. Quality Education Services Limited and Workwise Employment Limited are new Service Providers.
The procurement process for the Wellington and Christchurch metropolitan areas is underway and Service Providers will be named soon.
Source: MPP
