“LIFT provides work-readiness, resources, tools, training, work experience and pastoral support. Activities and services are also provided to employers in our region, creating wrap-around pastoral care and pathways to transition young people into employment. Many of our rangatahi don’t have computers or laptops at home. This means they are not able to participate in the work readiness and job searching activities, but they can do using LIFT’s donated computers and laptops. They achieve:
- CV & Cover Letter Development and job searching online (Outcome 120 CV’s and 100 cover letters)
- Studying for Learners Licence and other online training platforms (Outcome 7 passed Learner Licence)
- Access to emails, correspondence work and NCEA credits
- Literacy and numeracy skills, access to NZQA website and personal Record of Learning
- Learning technology skills/becoming computer literate
Without the equipment provided by Digital Wings, LIFT rangatahi would not be able to undertake the same work readiness and job searching activities. With the support of Digital Wings more young people are ready for work and finding work. We use the iPad to make short video clips of our rangatahi that are used for self-review of our services and structure. Given that most of our rangatahi struggled in the traditional education system, we find a video/talking feedback system works much better.
- To date LIFT has engaged with nearly 300 young people. Around 100 young people have actively utilised the Digital Wings equipment through regular use and development of documents
- We have had over 40 employment outcomes as a result of young people being work ready through the development of CV, Cover Letters, literacy etc. As well as that, other successes include:
- One of our young people completed his math’s credits for his NCEA though daily studying on the computer. This young person left school prior to NCEA and being able to achieve NCEA credits is an awesome success for him. Especially since living remotely, he did not have computer access
- One of our young men had dreams of getting into the Defence Force but he kept failing the literacy and numeracy aspect of the theory test. We set him up with online literacy and numeracy resources which he regularly completed in our office using a Digital Wings Computer. We just found out he has passed his entrance exam
- One of our young people who had previously struggled in the education system, achieved 100% in her Learners Licence on her first attempt after studying through the Digital Wings computers.
Without the support of Digital Wings, LIFT would not have been able to get up and running as quickly as we did and offer the services required by our customers at the outset. The ongoing kanohi-ki-te-kanohi relationship we have with Digital Wings has continued to support the growth and development of LIFT. We seek ongoing feedback from the rangatahi, whanau and communities that access our services and knowing that Digital Wings as a partner can help us respond to that feedback with resources and tools is critical.”
