The release this week of the "Collaborating for Youth Success'' report marks the shift to community-led, collaborative approaches to help Dunedin's at-risk youth.
The report summarises a three-month "scoping project'' under the umbrella of the three-year BASE-South Dunedin Social Sector Trial Advisory Group.
One of 16 government-funded social sector trials around New Zealand, the BASE project's aims included reducing truancy and youth offending, and increasing participation in education, training and employment.
The project will change from a government-led to a community-led initiative by January 2017.
Recommendations of the Collaborating for Youth Success report, which identifies strengths and barriers, will help inform the process.
Funded by the Southern District Health Board and Dunedin Secondary Schools Partnership, the scoping project included interviews with more than 45 individuals, representing 31 organisations or initiatives, along with focus groups of young people.
The transition is being led by Ngai Tahu Otakou Runanga chairwoman Donna Matahaere Atariki and BASE Advisory Group chairman Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull, under the umbrella of the Mayor's Taskforce for Jobs.
Community groups, organisations, and families will be invited to attend a hui, to be held at Otakou marae this year as part of the planning.
Trial manager Mary-Ann McKibben said the BASE trial had increased co-operation between the city's agencies and had created several successful programmes. These included the Youth Link and Youth Employment Success programmes, which had helped many young people to find work, and the police-led Rangatahi Fitness programme.
Dunedin Secondary Schools Partnership manager Gordon Wilson, a member of the BASE Advisory Group, hopes for strong community support for the project.
"If there is strong support, then the community itself will set the direction,'' Mr Wilson said.
During the past three years, the partnership had established programmes to support vulnerable pupils and families, as well as tracking school-leavers.
Otago Polytechnic Social Services head Chris Williamson said the Youth Employment Success programme, which involved the polytechnic and the University of Otago, had highlighted what an asset young people were to the community.
"There is amazing potential within our youth in Dunedin, and when they are given the chance to grab these positions, they have stepped up.''
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Truancy. Well, you try to ensure they go to School, then a headmaster sends them all home, moaning about Uniforms.
As with most reform, you need to change environments, not just say young people don't fit in.