Selwyn District Council is launching Employ Selwyn, an expanded service for local young people needing career coaching and support.
The programme, which is partly funded by the Ministry of Social Development, has expanded the eligibility criteria and now supports young people between the ages of 16 and 25 with career related decision making.
"We saw that there was a need for expanding the previous service, both in terms of the age group we were targeting, and to look at potential career plans for clients," Career Coach Jennie Down says.
Those plans would also be practical, with Mrs Down helping young people to research where they would need to be located to achieve their goals or further their qualifications.
Selwyn has no central Government services designed to assist young people located in the district.
"This is a really important time in a young person’s life. They might still be at school, or have left and tried a couple of jobs that really didn’t suit. Or they might have finished a qualification and are now figuring out how to get a job. Sitting down to think about their futures with some guidance can make a huge difference."
Mrs Down emphasises that she is not a recruitment consultant.
"My role is to support these young people in helping them make good choices. We might do career searches, I might assist with job applications, provide support for work experience or take them to visit a potential employer. It’s about people making decisions that are right for them," she says.
Mrs Down will operate Employ Selwyn from an office at the Lincoln Baptist Church, 530 Birchs Rd, from 8.30am to 5pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, and on Wednesdays by appointment.
