Nearly all the 170 youth in the Work and Income Southern region on the new Youth Payment (YP) and Young Parent Payment (YPP) are undertaking some training or education.
Community Colleges New Zealand general manager Doug Reid said his organisation started a Government contract in August last year to provide support to the youth receiving the Work and Income payments in Dunedin, Invercargill and Timaru.
The clients had ''disassociated from their families'' and had left, or were at risk of leaving, school without obtaining qualifications or work, he said.
The primary outcome was to get the clients to stay at, or return to, school or to place them in other training, he said.
Community Colleges NZ Dunedin manager Michelle Brunton said 43 youth were receiving the YP and 17 youth were receiving the YPP in Dunedin, Clutha, Milton and Mosgiel.
The support linked the youth with accommodation, education and support services such as counselling, Ms Brunton said.
''We help them manage their benefit; that's a large part of it. We link them with budgeting services and parenting services, if they are a parent.''
A Work and Income spokeswoman said that in the southern region, 107 people were receiving the YP and 63 people were getting the YPP at the end of June.
The weekly YP was for those aged 16 or 17 without children and in need of financial assistance.
The YP ranged between $171.84, after tax, for a single 16-year-old and $343.68, after tax, for a couple. Of the 107 on the YP, 92 were in an education or training activity, she said.
The YPP payment was for 16 to 19-year-olds with a child and in need of financial assistance.
The Young Parent Payment ranged between $137.47, after tax, for a 16-year-old living with a parent and $343.68, after tax, for a couple with a child.
Of the 63 YPP clients, 47 were in an education or training activity, she said.
However, a client could also be engaged in other education and training, such as budgeting and early childhood education.
''All but three of the 107 Youth Payment clients are engaged in some kind of activity, as are all but two out of the 63 Young Parent Payment clients.''
Those not in an activity could be waiting for an appropriate course to start, or have a child under 1 year old and be exempt from enrolment, she said.
''There may be other individual reasons, such as ill health, that would cause a deferment of activities.''
These payments were the initial payments and people could be eligible for more.
''Depending on an individual's circumstances, they may be eligible for additional assistance.''
Weekly accommodation supplements ranged between $52 and $225.
Social Development Minister Paula Bennett said young people were responding well to the new welfare reforms.
''We introduced welfare changes for young people to help them into work quickly so they can lead positive, productive and independent lives.''
In New Zealand, about 1300 received a YP and 1300 received a YPP, Ms Bennett said.
''For teen parents on a benefit, around 400 are making use of the Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment and other subsidies, so they can access education and attend parenting courses while their children are cared for.''
