A Māngere-based charity is calling on local government officials to support the development of stronger youth employment pathways.
The Martin Hautus Foundation Trust, with more than 30 years of community experience, presented its Tupulaga le Lumana’i programme to the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board on Wednesday and emphasised the need for collaboration to ensure young people remain engaged in work and training.
The Trust urged the local board to back stronger pathways into the workforce, warning many young people risk being left behind without adequate training and employment support.
Pulotu Selio Solomon, an adviser to the Trust, told the board that they have been operating in Māngere since 1990 and have developed a model designed to prepare young people for meaningful careers.
“We have now got this model that Talei [operations manager] and this wonderful team are running in terms of looking after young Pacific and Māori to get into work, to be better than where they are currently,” Solomon says.
He says too many Pacific and Māori youth are at risk of being classified as not in employment, education, or training, and the foundation’s initiative is designed to keep them connected to opportunities and pathways.
The Tupulaga le Lumana’i programme, which translates to ‘youth for the future’, has a contract to enrol 135 young people by June 2026, with a target of at least 70 per cent progressing to either employment or education.
Solomon says they are already on track, with 109 youth currently enrolled.
Frances Brown, a youth worker, explained how the programme equips participants with practical skills.
“We support them with preparing for employment by assisting with CV making and updating cover letters, running through interview skills, and interview preparation,” Brown says.
“We run scenarios, work placement, and work experience. We also focus a lot on our mental well-being and physical well-being,” she says.
Brown added that the foundation continues to guide participants, even after they complete their training.
She says confidence is central to the Trust’s approach.
“After our young students complete their 10-week programme, we still carry out pastoral care for up to 12 months with them, so that just includes going around home visits and making sure they’re on the right track towards their educational goals or employment goals, and that they’re not just falling off once their programme’s done,” she says.
“A lot of them just shy away and hide in their shell, so we just want to bring them out.”
Champagnat Solomon-Mua, a youth worker, stressed the importance of holistic support. He says their model goes beyond training.
“A big part of what we do focuses on the personal development of our youth, which is basically just instilling a lot of confidence in them,” Solomon-Mua says. “A lot of them just shy away and hide in their shell, so we just want to bring them out.
“We take a holistic approach to the support that we provide, and that means going the extra mile and going above and beyond for our youth who deserve the world.
“It’s a privilege to do what we do for those young people and to see the transformations that we’ve seen.”
The Trust also offers mental health support through its Mafaufau Maloloina initiative, approved by Le Va, as well as gym access through partnerships with the Community Leisure Management (CLM) and T4U.
Makalita Kolo, a local board member, asked about the age group targeted by the programme. “We take young people aged 16 to 24,” Solomon confirmed.
Te’o Harry Toleafoa, another local board member, inquired about the Trust’s funding and its ability to sustain its work.
“It’s been difficult, if I’m being honest,” Solomon replied. “During Covid, the organisation had Ministry of Education funding, but when that finished, we had to plan ahead.
“It’s been a constant grind, constant review and evaluation, and knocking on doors with the data we have.
“We want all our programmes to be funded and data-driven, so once we deliver outcomes, we can keep getting support. But it has been tough, particularly in this current political environment.”
Board members were informed that the programme’s benefits are spreading through families, with many past participants referring siblings and relatives; some households have enrolled up to four children in the programme.
“In the last two weeks, we had one family receive three restricted licences,” Talei Solomon-Mua, the operations manager, says in response to one of the board’s questions.
The board acknowledged the Trust’s important work, with acting chair Christine O’Brien congratulating them on their model and wraparound services.
She also acknowledged the wider challenges faced by young people in the community.
“I just congratulate you on your model… about the pastoral care, the wraparound, the paying attention to wellbeing and mental health,” O’Brien says. “But it’s hard, hard yards. It’s very labour-intensive. You have to be very dedicated. And so I just really commend you for that.
“We do hear a lot that our young people are suffering from loneliness and from disconnection, very, very difficult circumstances that were only made worse through the Covid period, and it hasn’t got better for a lot of young people.
“So it’s just wonderful, heartwarming, to see that there are organisations like yours out there doing this work for our future and for our young people,” she says.
The Trust ended its presentation with cultural proverbs that highlight its philosophy.
“If you sow laziness, you will reap laziness. If you sow success, you will reap achievement,” Sione Tuutafaiva, the Trust’s social worker, told the local board. “And holistically, if you sow a thought, you will reap an act.
“If you sow an act, you will reap a habit. If you sow a habit, you will reap a character. And if you sow a character, you will reap a destination.”
Solomon says the Trust wants to make clear its continued presence in the community.
“Part of the reason why we are here is just to let you know that we’re still around,” he says. “We’ve repivoted and we’re going down a different direction in terms of how we’re looking after our young people, but it’s still the same.
“The vision that Pulotu Arthur and Maretta started back in 1990 is still the same today. It’s just different. We want to adapt with the times.”
For the trust, youth employment is not simply a target to achieve, but a collective responsibility. Its leaders stressed the importance of collaboration with local government to expand partnerships, so more young people can move from training into stable work.
Local Democracy Reporting is local body journalism funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
