Supporting young people into employment

Two Massey University academics have used their research findings to craft guidelines for businesses, to help support young people into employment. The guidelines will assist employers to better understand the experiences of vulnerable young people and to develop effective strategies for working with youth who are not involved in education or training.

The 45-page document is based on two Massey research projects – the Pathways to Resilience and Youth Transitions studies, led by Professor Robyn Munford and Professor Jackie Sanders, from the School of Social Work.

“Employment offers the opportunity for young people to make decisions, to contribute to a team, and to set goals,” Professor Munford says. “Through work, young people can experiment with career pathways, and identify future jobs or skills they would like to acquire. Ideally, young people’s transitions into employment allow for the development of positive identities, however, research shows that employment can often be quite fraught for them.”

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