Mayors Taskforce for Jobs and Ngā Puna Pūkenga - Budget 2023

Continuing to deliver regional initiatives that drive better employment, education and training outcomes - Wellbeing Budget 2023.

This initiative will continue to support employment opportunities for young people and those disadvantaged in the labour market.

The Government is investing $28 million to continue delivery of the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs Community Resilience Programme and Auckland Council’s Ngā Puna Pūkenga partnership for an additional two years (2023/24 to 2024/25).

• Funding for the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) and Ngā Puna Pūkenga (NPP) programmes is due to end in June 2023. Extending funding will allow continued delivery of regionally-led initiatives that drive better employment, education and training outcomes, improving employment outcomes for women, Māori, Pasifika, disabled people and ethnic community youth.
• Since March 2020, more than 3,000 people have been supported into full-time employment through MTFJ, while NPP has delivered 650 full-time job placements since August 2020. Of the 1,380 MTFJ placements between 1 July 2022 to 30 April 2023:
  • 46% (635) were for Māori
  • 4% (55) were for Pacific people
  • 51 were for people with a disability.
• Between MTFJ and NPP combined, at least 2,900 employment opportunities over two years will be provided for young people and those disadvantaged in the labour market.
• Ngā Puna Pūkenga supports the development of the Auckland workforce through social procurement, contributing to broader outcomes for some of Auckland’s most disadvantaged, while MTFJ represents a significant investment in employment services for rural and provincial New Zealand, increasing the number of skilled workers in the labour market. Both initiatives represent a strengthened relationship between central and local Government.
• Strong regional links between government agencies and communities have been forged through these initiatives with communities and whānau directly benefiting from the increased community capability and employment provided through MTFJ and NPP.
• This initiative forms a package with the Oranga Mahi and Employment Programmes initiatives.