Delivering for young New Zealanders
Hon John Key
Young people will make a difference to New Zealand's future. It is their efforts that will continue to lift this country's prosperity, and boost the economy of tomorrow.
The National-led Government is determined to give young people the opportunities they need to succeed.
Recently we announced our Youth Opportunities Package, which invests $152 million to help create work, education, and training opportunities for young people. Last week we announced two more packages aimed at young Kiwis.
The first of these is our Break-Away Package for School Holidays. This is designed to increase opportunities for children to take part in meaningful activities in the school holidays - whether it's drama, outdoor adventure, or organised sport.
Many New Zealand families already choose to get their kids involved in holiday activity programmes. But some families cannot afford the programme fees, and some communities do not offer the programmes.
That's why this summer we're providing 15,000 places on one-week holiday programmes for young people aged 11 to 17, targeting deprived communities and families under stress and starting in high-needs areas in Auckland. We'll increase this to 30,000 places next year and roll it out around the country.
We're also providing 500 places in residential respite camps for children who are cared for by foster parents or extended families - to give caregivers a break away and to give children a positive experience in their school holidays.
And we've introduced the Prime Minister's Youth Programme to reward a select number of young people who've overcome adversity and made positive changes to help turn their life around. They'll get a break away in exciting and challenging activities with high-profile role models.
The second package is designed to broaden the Fresh Start for Young Offenders package of initiatives, some of which was announced earlier in the year. These reforms target young people who have veered off the rails and found themselves in trouble with the police or the youth justice system.
Fresh Start will help ensure that judges, when faced with a youth offender, are able to tailor a range of measures they believe will address that young person's criminal behaviour and help get them back on track.
The initiatives in the package range from 1000 places on new Community Youth Programmes for at-risk youth who are yet to come before the courts, right through to 40 places in military-activity camp programmes for more serious and repeat young offenders.
National believes that every young Kiwi should be able to find a way onto the path of success. Our Break-Away Package for School Holidays and our Fresh Start for Young Offenders will help give young New Zealanders the opportunity and responsibility to better themselves.
After all, the success of our country relies on unlocking the potential of the next generation.
