work ready or already working
income levels for part-time or full-time work
Young people can work part-time and earn up to a certain amount while receiving payments from us. Once they earn to much or gain full-time employment, payments must immediately stop.
What young people need to know
You will need to ensure young people know about how much they can earn before their payments are affected, the impact income has on their entitlement, and ensuring they declare their income early or notify you immediately of any changes.
Part-time work
If the young person is referred to an Industry Partnership programme, you must discuss the income limits and impact on their payments before they are referred to the programme.
If the young person earns too much (in any job or programme), payments will be suspended and will auto-cancel after 8 weeks.
Full-time work
Young people who participate in the Industry Partnership programme opportunity and gains sustainable employment will no longer qualify for youth service and payments must stop.
Suspending payments
Generally, payments are cancelled. However, depending on the circumstances, you can request to suspend the young person's payments, rather than cancel. This way they won't have to reapply for YP/YPP if they aren't able to move into sustainable employment.
If the young person's payments are suspended due to employment and they successfully gain sustainable employment (in any job or programme), payments will auto-cancel after 8 weeks.
Notifying YSSU
In any case, YSSU must be notified of any income or employment changes that will affect their entitlement to payments. You will need to notify YSSU via an ART task.
Helpful links
job placement
If a job offer is made (or they're able to get a job on their own), you will need to assist the young person in dealing with employment matters with employers to ensure both parties have a clear understanding of the job expectations and conditions, including:
- position description, employment agreement and employee rights
- working conditions, health and safety, working environment
- pay, wages and salary, probation period
- hours of work
- skills development, induction, industry specific skills and training
- career pathway, performance incentive, promotion, other positions within company
- further training, industry qualifications, apprenticeships.
The job must be permanent (the job will last longer than 91 days), full-time for at least 30 hours per week for full-time and it must start out at minimum wage.
Young person secures full-time work
Whether the young person is supported by you or they get a full-time job on their own, you will need to notify YSSU via ART tasks. You should:
- assess eligibility to the types of financial support when entering the workforce, e.g. Transition to Work Grant
- attach supporting documents to the appropriate ART tasks, e.g. contractual employment agreement, letter on employer letterhead, outlining the job offer, hours, duration, etc.
financial support for young people entering the workforce
Work and Income have a number of supports that can help young people enter the workforce.
Transition to work grant (ttw)
TTW is a non-taxable, non-recoverable payment that can be made to help meet additional costs essential for transitioning into employment.
$5k to work
$5k to Work is an incentive payment for young people who are relocating for work.
Course Participation Assistance (CPA)
CPA is assistance to help young people take part in training and work related skills development.
Flexi-wage subsidies
Flexi-wage Subsidies is a wage subsidy and extra assistance to support employers to take on people who do not meet the entry level requirements of the job.
Extra help while working
Whether they're starting full-time work or already working, young people may be able to get Extra Help from Work and Income for things like accommodation, childcare or health and disability.
Young people with children can also test their eligibility for Working for Families through Inland Revenue. The payment is to help young people raise their families and is based on their yearly family income and family circumstances.
in-work support
Once a young person secures employment, they will be eligible for in-work support for up to six months.
This approach should be tailored to the needs of the young person. However, research indicates that more intensive support is optimal in the first three months of placement to troubleshoot any issues with the employer and the young person.
Engagement log plan
It is important to have an engagement log plan in place to support the young person and the employer.
whītiki tauā virtual mentoring service
Whītiki Tauā is a free, voluntary virtual mentoring service run by Whakarongorau Aotearoa in partnership with MSD for:
- Anyone placed in Mana in Mahi across New Zealand
- Young people aged 18-24 who are on a main benefit, or
- Young people 18-24 who have exited benefit into employment or study within the past 3 months.
The service is run over 12-months and provides a consistent, reliable, and safe person (mentor) for our young people to kōrero with, ask questions, and get advice from.
Our young people can talk to their mentor about anything they want, such as challenges they’re having with work, their relationships, whānau, or life in general.
The mentor’s role is to listen and support the mentee without judging or telling them what to do.
Referring a young person to the service
When contacting and meeting the young person due to ageing out of youth service, you should encourage them in getting continued support when they leave our service through the Whītiki Tauā service. You should support them through the transition over to Whītiki Tauā and have them:
- fill out the online referral form on the Whakarongorau Aotearoa website, or
- calling 0800 089 898 - Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm.
For more information: