Horowhenua welfare reform
You may have seen or heard about the new ‘Menzshed’ opened in Levin recently.
This is a great place for local men to work together on community projects, and hopefully pass on practical skills to the younger generation.
While most of our young people do well after leaving school, we know there is a large and stubborn number who fall through the cracks.
If a 16 or 17-year-old leaves school but doesn’t go into work or further education, there is a 90 per cent chance they will be on a benefit by the time they are 18.
And teenagers receiving benefits are often left to their own devices without anyone to help them. Over 1600 of the 16 and 17-year-olds on welfare are teen parents, or don’t have families who support them. They usually come from disadvantaged backgrounds and receive very little guidance despite their vulnerable circumstances.
National will change this. We want to turn around the lives of these disengaged, vulnerable young people and give them a future that doesn’t trap them in a cycle of welfare dependency.
We will make sure schools tell the Government when 16 and 17-year-olds leave education. We will then fund support providers to mentor every one of these young people, arrange further education and training, and give them any other support they need.
This week the Education Minister Anne Tolley announced ten new trades academies, which will teach practical and vocational skills to 16 and 17 year olds who have dropped out of education. This is a $63 million project and a big step forward.
Some of these teenagers already receive an adult benefit. We are going to change how we oversee their benefit payments.
For the first time, teenage beneficiaries will receive intensive case management and support. Essential costs like rent and power bills will be paid directly on their behalf, and they will receive payment cards which can be used only for food and groceries – not alcohol or cigarettes. They will also have some spending money to buy other things.
Other changes will require all young beneficiaries to be in education, training, or work. They must also attend programmes on life skills such as budgeting or parenting.
The bottom line is, the welfare system isn’t working as it should. It provides essential support to some, but traps others in a future of limited choices. We want to reform welfare so it gives people a hand up, rather than keeping them down.