Skills for the Future: How Workshops are Opening Doors for our Rangatahi

We believe that every young person deserves the chance to step into their future with confidence. That’s why our Employment Team runs a packed calendar of practical, hands-on workshops designed to help rangatahi grow the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to thrive in the workforce.

Over the past few months, our young people have been showing up and stepping up - from learning how to perform CPR to mastering safe food handling, tackling digital safety, and even refining their interview techniques.

Between May and July, we will have facilitated a number of workshops focused on building real-world readiness. Some highlights include:

Employment and Police Rights Workshops
Delivered in partnership with Community Law, these sessions gave young people the chance to understand their legal rights in the workplace and when interacting with police. The second session tackled harmful digital communication - a topic that’s more important than ever.

Interview Workshops (Parts 1–3)
Created and delivered by our Employment Team, this in-house series walked rangatahi through everything from body language to answering tough questions and making a great impression in interviews. The feedback? Game-changing.

First Aid Training with FACTco
Participants spent a full day earning their First Aid certification - a fantastic addition to their CV and a skill that builds both capability and confidence.

Barista and Safe Food Handling
This two-day course helped young people gain practical, employable skills that open doors in the hospitality sector.

Volunteering Information Session
Delivered in collaboration with Volunteering Canterbury, this session helped participants understand how volunteering can build both experience and community connection.

Leap of Faith
This personal development workshop challenged our rangatahi to step outside their comfort zones, with powerful outcomes.

Cooking Workshops
Running through June and July, this five-part series will support young people to build independence, learn budgeting, and connect over shared meals – all essential life skills.

Ongoing Partnership with Community Law

Our ongoing partnership with Community Law has been an incredible asset since it began in mid-2023. Together, we’ve run regular workshops covering employment rights, tenancy, police interaction, and more. These sessions provide rangatahi with the chance to ask questions in a safe and supportive environment, and the impact has been huge.

Every workshop we offer is another step forward – not just in employment preparation, but in self-belief, independence, and empowerment. We’re proud of our rangatahi for showing up and giving it their all.

If you’re a business, trainer, or organisation who would like to be part of delivering workshops, mentoring, or practical sessions for our young people, we’d love to hear from you.