Community Job Coaching reaches milestone
The New Zealand Government’s Community Job Coaching programme has enrolled 4,000 young people in under a year, with 290 moving into sustainable jobs and 640 paid work activities completed.
Community Job Coaching, launched in October 2025, has reached 4,000 enrolments, according to Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston. The programme provides locally tailored job coaching for 18–24-year-olds on Jobseeker Support, aiming to reduce long-term welfare dependency. Participants receive up to 26 weeks of personalised support and 12 months of post-employment assistance to ensure stable work transitions.
The Ministry of Social Development reports that 290 participants have secured sustainable jobs, while 640 have undertaken paid work activities, including full-time, part-time, casual, and temporary roles. One participant, previously on a benefit for two years, now works full-time as a tiler after receiving support through the programme. The Government highlights the programme’s role in breaking cycles of welfare dependency among young people.
Three new regions—Taranaki, Central, and Nelson—will join the programme in its second year, expanding access to tailored job coaching across Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, East Coast, Wellington, Canterbury, and Southern regions. The expansion aims to provide more young Jobseekers with localised employment support and career pathways.
The Government has set a target to reduce the Jobseeker Support benefit by 50,000 and invests in programmes like Community Job Coaching to help young people into jobs, higher incomes, and sustainable careers. The initiative is designed to support up to 10,000 young people over two years, with a focus on equipping them with skills, confidence, and ongoing assistance to remain employed.