Job-search campaign

Press, 10 January 1983, Page 15

Job-search campaign

PA Wellington The Secretary of Maori Affairs, Mr Kara Puketapii. has taken an unemployed Maori boy off the street and employed him as a records clerk in head office.

xPisclosing the $200,000 national rapu mahi (job search) campaign, a departmental spokesman. Mrs Edie Tawhiwhirangi. said that the department was calling upon key Maoris who w r ere “secure in their own businesses or jobs" to employ one school-lever each. She said that the commitment would last until the young person in their charge found a permanent job. Mr Puketapu and his family have also taken two

other Maori school-leavers under their wing with a commitment to find them permanent work. The Minister of Maori Affairs. Mr Couch, will be asked to do the same as will 20.000 or so "secure" Maoris.

The campaign is not a subsidised employment scheme but aims to attract input in the form of personal effort on the part of volunteers to help young Maoris find jobs.

Circulars have been sent to the department’s 11 district offices, asking staff to establish task units in conjunction with the volunteers. The units, like one already running in the Hutt Valley, are charged with finding

Maoris who are willing to "adopt" at least one unemployed school-leaver. Mrs Tawhiw-hirangi said the approach, which represented a change of strategy from earlier marae-based rapu mahi programmes, was based on a successful one-to-one job search conducted by 45 Wellington honorary communitv officers at Christmas, 1981. ‘

This would take the pressure off maraes and increase the individual commitment and, it was hoped, the jobplacement rate. The department's funds will be distributed to the task units to meet expenses, such as transport costs, for those who sponsor young Maori people.