Ebony Poutu was content in her role in shoe retail until a video about youth work opened her eyes to a new career path.
Ebony is now a Driving School Coordinator at Youth Inspire and is working towards her New Zealand Apprenticeship in Youth Work through Careerforce. Careerforce is a work-based health and wellbeing training provider that supports learners to gain NZQA qualifications while working.
“I saw this role advertised and watched the video in the application. I saw the impact it was having on youth and thought ‘how amazing would it be to be part of it.’” says Ebony.
Youth Inspire is based in Lower Hutt and aims to improve the lives of rangatahi (young people) in the wider community by equipping them with the capability, resilience and connections for sustainable employment.
In her role as Driving School Coordinator, Ebony is responsible for helping rangatahi to achieve their learner, restricted and full driving licences. She finds her role deeply rewarding, “You can see the long-term effects not only on the individuals, but on their whānau and community as well. So even though it feels like we’ve only got this short time with them, that impact can have very lasting outcomes”.
She adds, “Seeing them win is amazing but also teaching them resilience – if they didn’t come out on top that day, it just means it wasn’t their day, and they just need a bit more practice”.
Above: Ebony Poutu – Driving Coordinator at Youth Inspire
Having last studied in 2002, Ebony was a bit nervous about undertaking the Youth Work apprenticeship and was concerned about not having enough time, but decided to enrol anyway. “I just thought if I can do something to improve myself and help our rangatahi even more, then why wouldn’t I?”.
Ebony is part of a cohort of staff at her workplace all working towards their Level 4 Youth Work Apprenticeship. She is enjoying the collaboration and support from her two Careerforce Apprenticeship Advisors, Charmaine Tuhaka and Charlie Stanworth-Miller who she catches up with monthly. “I’m way better at communicating face-to-face and talking rather than writing so sometimes it can be a challenge writing it all up”
Charlie says, “Ebony is a joy to work with. She is really passionate about the mahi and the young people she supports. She is very motivated with her studies and always asks for help if she doesn’t understand a question.”
Careerforce also offers wānanga opportunities for all learners to support their completion of modules on topics such as Te Tiriti, colonisation and Kaupapa Māori services. Ebony found these wānanga valuable, “I found it quite eye opening and it was great to have a whole group of people that were learning things for the first time and just coming together to connect and share views”.
Ebony says she has also enjoyed the self-care module in the Youth Work apprenticeship; “a lot of people just work, work, work and they forget about themselves, I have already started implementing small things I can do to manage self-care both at work and outside of work.”
Ebony recommends the work-based apprenticeship programme to anyone considering it, “You’ve got all the necessary support you need and you can re-submit assessments again if needed. If it’s not quite right I just learn from it.”
“There’s not really anything to be scared of, but your own fears,” adds Ebony.
You can find out more about Careerforce’s Apprenticeship in Youth Work here. Employers may also be eligible for payments of $500/mth for eligible first year apprentices (up to $6000).