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Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has approved funding for 131 community organisations through the Community Response Fund.

More than $7.5 million has been allocated in this fifth round of the CRF.

“We created this fund to help organisations keep delivering services to families through tough financial times,” said Minister Bennett.

“Since June last year, we’ve put $41 million into 779 community organisations and it’s helped keep many afloat,” says Ms Bennett.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has launched a new resource to help support teen fathers.

The booklet Supporting Teen Fathers: A resource for service providers will be used by organisations working directly with teen fathers.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says latest figures show online job vacancies increased by 2.6% over the last three months.

“It's good to see jobs vacancies are still on the rise as winter ends and the holiday season begins,” says Ms Bennett.

Skilled job vacancies also rose by 2.7% during the three months to November.

Hospitality and tourism (up 7.5%), and IT (up 7.3%) were the best industry performers.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett today celebrated with 14 young people from foster care who won William Wallace Awards.

William Wallace scholarships are an annual award for children in care, sparked by a bequest to Child, Youth and Family from a former foster child.

“I'm always impressed with young people who achieve their goals with absolute determination,” says Ms Bennett.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett unveiled the Government’s new cyber contract mapping tool in Parliament today.

Contract Mapping details community providers’ locations and the Government funding they receive around the country, on a publicly accessible website.

“Using technology to provide this level of detail is a first and reflects this Government’s focus on transparency and accountability,” says Ms Bennett.

There are 2,250 fewer New Zealanders on Unemployment Benefits since November, but the overall number on benefits has risen by 1.2%

As usual with universities finishing for summer, an influx of students (5,802) going onto benefits pushed overall benefit numbers up.

“But we are still seeing jobseekers find work, in fact more than 8,000 people went off benefits and into work last month,” says Ms Bennett.

Of the total 8,384 people who cancelled their benefits because they found jobs, 5,418 had been on an Unemployment Benefit.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett joined families and staff today at a graduation ceremony for young offenders.

“The young men who came here after committing serious offences have been challenged to take responsibility and make a fresh start,” says Ms Bennett.

“They will face challenges and temptations but I’m backing them because I believe if they work hard, they can turn their lives around,” says Ms Bennett.

Youth offenders spend two months on an intensive residential programme know as Military Activity Camp (MAC).

Youth Affairs Minister Paula Bennett is challenging councils to reach out to local young people through the Youth Development Partnership Fund.

"I also want to encourage young people to step out of their shells, look beyond  Facebook and TV and take part in their communities," says Ms Bennett.

The Youth Development Partnership Fund finances councils to develop education, training and employment projects with input from local youth.

Community groups will receive over eight million dollars through the Community Response Fund says Acting Social Development Minister Judith Collins.

Teachers and health workers will get training to recognise and respond to child abuse in a nationwide initiative announced by Acting Social Development Minister Judith Collins today.

Hon Kate Wilkinson says figures out today show a 45.6% increase in jobs advertised online since the June 2009 recessionary slump. 

Canterbury will get a touch of the green thumb with $96,000 of Enhanced Taskforce Green funding to help restore earthquake affected areas.

The latest Leading Indicator of Employment is forecasting modest employment growth over the coming quarters, says Hon Kate Wilkinson.

The number of New Zealanders on benefits fell in October says Acting Social Development Minister Judith Collins.

The number of people who are officially unemployed has fallen to 150,000 or 6.4 percent.

Taxpayer funded, interest free loans will no longer be available to drunk or dangerous drivers, Acting Minister for Social Development Judith Collins said today.

Acting Minister for Social Development Judith Collins welcomes the announcement of 25 successful Whanau Ora providers.

The Hon Kate Wilkinson says figures released today show the total number of skilled job vacancies increased by 5.2% in the three months to September.

Acting Minister of Social Development Judith Collins is pleased to announce funding has been granted to 14 new community programmes to tackle youth offending. 

Fresh Start legislation is now in force with the first round of youth offenders attending a Military Activity Camp as directed by Youth Court judges.

The growth in the number of people on benefits slowed to 0.6 percent in September says Acting Social Development Minister Judith Collins.

Canterbury community organisations will be able to use a special emergency fund to move to new premises if their building suffered serious earthquake damage.

The Government is extending the wage subsidy to support employees of small businesses seriously disrupted by the Canterbury earthquake.

From today, the National Government's Fresh Start package provides a new approach for serious youth offenders and at-risk young people.