3K to Work launched across New Zealand

  • Anne Tolley
Social Development

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the successful 3K to Christchurch employment initiative has now been expanded to other regions to assist job seekers to relocate for full-time employment.

Since the $3,000 incentive payment was introduced under 3K to Christchurch in July 2014, more than 1,700 clients have taken advantage of the scheme. 92 per cent of those remained off a benefit for longer than 91 days, 33 per cent were aged 24 or younger, with 53 per cent employed in the construction sector.

While 3K to Christchurch is continuing, $1.5 million in funding from Budget 2015 is being used to expand the scheme to other regions to support an initial 500 job seekers over the next year to relocate to another area for work. This number could increase based on demand.

The new $3k to Work initiative is targeted at supporting high risk clients who are relocating to take up employment, but where commuting would be financially impractical. The $3,000 discretionary grant is focused on clients who are:

  • aged 18 – 24 years, or
  • have been in receipt of a main benefit for more than 6 months, or
  • are currently in a Work Focused Case Management service, or
  • are Limited Service Volunteer (LSV) graduates, or
  • are experiencing social factors where relocation would be beneficial (gang affiliates and victims of family violence)

Clients from Auckland and Canterbury would have to meet the LSV or social factor criteria to be eligible.

“3K to Christchurch is successfully helping job seekers into sustainable employment and supporting the Canterbury rebuild,” says Mrs Tolley.

“It makes sense to expand the scheme to support clients who have the opportunity to take up full time employment but are disadvantaged by distance.

“We will continue to look at different ways to help people into work and to support those at risk of being long-term beneficiaries.

“Last month I announced that an additional 40,000 places for work focused case management are being made available for beneficiaries in the year ahead, following a funding boost in Budget 2015.

“The number of clients receiving intensive Work and Income support is increasing from 80,000 to 120,000, with the additional places focused on sole parents and jobseekers with health conditions and disabilities, who want to work but need extra advice and guidance.”