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Download AudioThe Salvation Army says young Māori and Pasifika are bearing the brunt of worsening unemployment rates.
Policy analyst Paul Barber says the number of NEETS – young people between 15 and 21 not in employment, education or training – jumped by 12,000 to 82,000 in the past year.
Youth unemployment stands at 12.4 percent, almost three times the official rate of 4.3 percent.
“Within that unequal impact on young people there’s a disproportionate impact on Māori and Pasifika young people. If you look at the rates for Māori young people it’s just under 19 percent in March and for Pasifika young people it’s nearly 17 percent,” Mr Barber says.
The Salvation Army wants to see rising unemployment addressed in Thursday’s budget – and it’s calling on employers to take on young people.
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