The Central Otago Youth Employment Pilot Project, to begin next year, is being funded by a $75,000 grant from the Central Lakes Trust (CLT). It would develop a "co-ordinated learning pathway" for young people who may otherwise choose to leave the region because of a lack of co-ordinated education and training beyond school, a CLT statement said.
A co-ordinator would oversee the project and mentors would work with pupils to help them continue to engage in education, training and employment, CLT grants programme manager Vicci Lawrence said.
The project was suggested by Ministry of Education learning support Central Otago service manager Trevor McDonald, who had identified a need for such a programme, Ms Lawrence said.
There were other individual programmes to support pupils who may have become disengaged from school, but nothing that provided a co-ordinated pathway, such as this project intended. Up to 10 pupils from Cromwell College and Dunstan High School will be involved in the pilot project, which will run for 18 months.
Cromwell College principal Mason Stretch and Dunstan principal Reece Goldsmith said they were excited about the initiative, which would hopefully later be rolled out to other secondary schools in the CLT area, in Wanaka, Queenstown and Roxburgh.
Mr Stretch said it had "tremendous potential" and Mr Goldsmith said it would assist the school "in our quest to provide viable pathways for all students".
Relationships were being established with businesses and organisations such as polytechnics, trade academies and Central Otago Reap, to provide pathways and opportunities for pupils and aid their transition from school to the workplace, Ms Lawrence said.
CLT chairman Tony Hill said the trust keenly supported projects to improve educational outcomes for Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes residents, and was looking forward to seeing the results of the pilot.
Other grants in the latest round of CLT funding included $80,000 for the Upper Clutha Tracks Trust towards creating the Hawea Flat to Hawea River Track from Hawea to Albert Town and Wanaka; $84,411 towards the restoration of the Stewarts Cottage at Menzies Dam by the Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust; $40,000 to the Wanaka Associated Football Club for a mobile storage and changing room facility; $34,833 to the Poolburn School towards the upgrade of its tennis court to a multisport surface; $22,500 towards the Ophir Hall’s kitchen renovation; and $151,500 in operational grants to social service, community and health groups.
