Youth Employment Forum, North Otago

Literacy North Otago is taking a lead in finding ways to better engage youth with training organisations and employers and help their transition into employment.

A Youth Employment Forum was organised in Oamaru earlier this year, getting North Otago organisations including government groups, schools, social service providers and employers into the same room to talk about strategies and opportunities to help youth with training and employment.

Over 70 people attended what was a very successful day, facilitated by Manukau Institute of Technology lecturer Stuart Middleton.

Helen Jansen said Literacy North Otago was keen to work at opportunities for young people to build reading and numeracy skills at a much earlier stage.  Some interesting concepts emerging from the forum included ways of “wrapping” literacy and numeracy skills around relevant interests and in apprenticeships.