Trust misses out on contract

The

Transition to Work Trust is re-evaluating its future after missing out on a new contract for employment placement services for youth aged 18 to 24 in the southern region.

It ended an 18-year relationship between the trust and the Ministry of Social Development which saw nearly 1500 young people placed into jobs.

The trust was formed in 2003 as the brainchild of John Allen, then regional commissioner for social development in the South.

‘‘It was an inspired move as John could see the importance of supporting students as they left school and transitioned into the world rather than wait for them to fall,’’ trust chairman Dr John Guthrie said.

‘‘TTWT created the first programmes to do this and led the way in New Zealand.’’

In time, the trust focused on helping young people prepare for, find and apply for jobs.

All clients came via Work and Income.

‘‘For us, the initial criteria were their age, that they were from the Otago-Southland region and needed some help along the way.

‘‘From the Work and Income perspective, the client was on a benefit — possibly from an inter-generational benefit-dependent family — and needed to get off the benefit,’’ he said.

It had been a good partnership and ‘‘extraordinary success’’ had been achieved.

While the trust was devastated, it would regroup ‘‘and will no doubt continue to help young people of the region prepare for, find and apply for, get and keep jobs’’, Dr Guthrie said.