17 Oct 2019

Extra funding for NZ Pacific youth employment programme

12:00 pm on 17 October 2019

A programme that helps young Pacific people in New Zealand find jobs or training is being expanded to more regions.

Pacific Peoples Minister Aupito William Sio

Pacific Peoples Minister Aupito William Sio Photo: Supplied

The programme, Tupu Aotearoa, is currently available in South Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

But the Pacific People's minister, Aupito William Sio, said $NZ8.85 million from the Provincial Growth Fund would expand it to regional centres including Hawke's Bay, Southland and Otago.

The programme had proven successful, he said.

"We've been able to measure the success of that in South Auckland so that every taxpayer dollar that's invested in this programme there's a return of $11 back."

Aupito said while the extra funding was only for two years, he was confident the programme's success would lead to it being continued and expanded further.