12 Jul 2019

Driving youth into employment: more money needed

From Nine To Noon, 9:20 am on 12 July 2019
Learning to drive a car with instructor. Driving school.

Photo: 123RF

Some rural mayors and city councillors are calling for a big increase in funding for a scheme to help young people become more employable by learning to drive. Last month Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern launched a youth drivers scheme in Porirua, for young people on benefits or in care. One of the biggest barriers to getting a  job is not passing a driving test. 

Although welcoming the scheme, critics say it's massively underfunded and comes at the expense of others, suggesting at least four times the amount is needed to sufficiently address high youth unemployment in cities like Porirua and rural districts like Otorohanga.  Kathryn Ryan speaks with MSD Wellington Regional Commissioner, Gagau Annandale-Stone, Porirua City Councillor and former mayor of Otorohanga Dale Williams, and Noa Woolloff from the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs.