Goff sets up $2M work scheme

Press, 12 October 1988, Page 2

Goff sets up $2M work scheme

By

GLEN PERKINSON

in Wellington

More than $2 million will be spent on employing young people in work schemes of benefit to the environment and conservation projects. The Minister of Employment, Mr Goff, confirmed the scheme yesterday. It is called the Conservation Corps concept. Disaster relief will also be included in the projects that can gain Government funding under the scheme. The Conservation Corps programme aims to employ up to 400 young people, aged between 16 and 23, each year. The Government will provide $2.5 million to pay the workers wages equal to the unemployment benefit. However, Mr Goff was at pains to emphasise that the Corps was not a “solution to unemployment” or an “alternative to work schemes.” Sponsors of projects — possibly local authorities, conservation groups and businesses — will be expected to contribute to the cost of employing workers and to overheads. Mr Goff said projects that had funding from sponsors would receive priority. He hoped that the scheme would teach young people work skills that would allow them to get employment once the project they worked on ended. The projects would last about six to 12 months. However, the Opposition said the scheme was a "pitiful response” to the growing number of young unemployed. Its associate spokesman on employment, Mr Roger Maxwell, said that the funding ceiling was inadequate. Even if the scheme could cater for 2000 young people it would allow only 2.5 per cent of young people unemployed to be in gainful work. Mr Goff said that it would be ensured that no work was taken from people already employed on such work and given to scheme workers.