Despite record-low unemployment the number of young people not in work or education remains stubbornly high.
But a community-focused initiative is trying to fix that with encouraging, and in some cases, life-changing results.
It's a job Karaitiana Whenuaroa never thought he'd be doing. The 19-year-old didn't even think he'd be working at all.
"I wasn't expecting to find anything but I'm pretty grateful. It's not every day you come across a job this good," he said.
He's been at Granite Tops in Levin for a month now and he's still learning. But thanks to a lot of support around him like from manager Prashant Patel he's doing well.
"It's good that he gets into the trade, it's good for his family and his future," Patel said.
And that's Whenuaroa's focus after becoming a dad at 16.
"My family is number one at the end of the day, they're what drives me to come to work every day and make a living," he said. "Everything seems like it's falling into place."
He's one of thousands of young people helped into work by Mayors Taskforce for Jobs, a Ministry for Social Development and Local Government NZ initiative to engage young people.
Horowhenua Mayor Bernie Wanden has seen the impact in his community.
"We have seen a massive response in terms of us being able to connect with those young people who need support and provide them with the opportunity to get into those jobs," Wanden told Newshub.
With youth crime and growing truancy in the headlines the programme is more important than ever.
So far this year it's placed more than 800 teens into work or education, and 60 percent are Maori or Pacifika.
"We're giving purpose to people who may not even be aware of what is out there," Wanden said.
And steer them from going down the wrong path. Something Whenuaroa knows all about.
"It is difficult for us, dropped out early, kicked out early, didn't do good at school. Sometimes it's a bit hard," he said.
"You don't know what you're doing, don't know where you're going in life, sometimes it makes you feel a bit worthless."
But clearly a bit of support can go a long way in changing that perspective and changing lives like Whenuaroa's.
