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Last modified: 21 Dec 2021 8:00am

Three men in black jerseys labelled intern, in a kitchen mixing some food ready to cook

A Council internship programme to help young people into work is already having an impact just weeks after the first intake.

The first six interns for the Council’s Trailblazers internship have graduated with two interns already getting into full-time employment thanks to the programme.

Trailblazers is a collaboration by the Council and Youth Pathways, with support from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) for people who are unemployed or working less than 30 hours a week.

It includes 25 hours of placement hours with the Council including working in libraries, the Selwyn Sports Centre and events planning.

The programme also focuses on fitness and health, cultural wellbeing and exploration, and life skills development. It includes presentations from a number of guest speakers in local business.

Two of the interns gained full-time employment following the six-week work readiness course including placement, while others are actively seeking employment in Selwyn.

Council Community Services and Facilities Group Manager Denise Kidd says it was great to see the success for the first intake and the Council is excited to see the continued impact of the programme over the next year.

“We’ve tested and refined the programme over this intake and it’s been fantastic to see how the interns enjoyed their time and how positive they were about the benefits. Local government is a great place to work and it really does improve community life. Skills and experiences gained through these roles are also hugely relevant to a wide range of other jobs in the community.”

Applications are now open for Intake 2 which starts on Monday 14 February 2022. Applications close on Friday 31 December 2021. Information on the programme can be found on our trailblazers page . Applications can be sent to trailblazers@selwyn.govt.nz or dropped off at any of our service centres.

Businesses interested in knowing more about the graduate interns or who want to be involved in the programme can email trailblazers@selwyn.govt.nz. MSD is also happy to talk with local businesses and potential employers about subsidies and benefits that may be available.