Mayor as taskforce chairman
11 August 2015
KAWERAU Mayor Malcolm Campbell has taken over as the chairman of the national Mayor’s Taskforce for Jobs.
Mr Campbell began as a member of the committee 10 years ago and recently took on the role of deputy chair.
When previous chairman and Clutha District Council Mayor Bryan Cadogan became unwell, Mr Campbell took over his position.
“It’s all about getting young people under the age of 25 into work, but that varies a little bit now we don’t discriminate on age. We are out there to help any area we can to get people into work.”
The organisation works under the umbrella of Local Government New Zealand and offers mayors help when they require it, Mr Campbell said.
He said one example of the taskforce’s work was creating partnerships between councils, including one between Kawerau and Matamata-Piako district councils.
In this partnership 32 unemployed Kawerau residents were offered employment in the Matamata-Piako district through the Silver Fern Farms factory.
“We just don’t throw a whole lot of young people at something and leave them, they do need pastoral care and that back up support wherever they are sent off to work.”
Another significant area of the task force’s work was supporting young people through the hurdles of getting a licence.
“If you’re somewhere rural, no driver’s licence means no job,” he said.
“A lot of people my age don’t realise how hard it is for youngsters to get licences now.”
Source: Whakatane Beacon