Lawrence Gullery/Stuff
Apprentice Pairama Katipa-Maikuku with supervisor Tai Mataroa, buildings maintenance officer Patrick Carr and apprentice Hayze Carr-Rewi inside the workshop they refitted at the Ōtorohanga Kiwi House and Native Bird Park.
Rural councils have managed to find 500 jobs for young people and those displaced by Covid-19, as part of a $11.5 million community recovery programme set up mid-2020. It represents just under half of the 1150-job target the 23 rural councils have to meet, under their partnership agreement with funder Ministry of Social Development, through the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs. Each council had the chance to apply for $500,000, to find 50 jobs each, or training and education opportunities for young people in their communities or those out of work because of the impact of coronavirus.