The networks of The Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (started by Christchurch Mayor Garry Moore) and Career Services will be used for the work.

Stage one will capture the data and stage two will look in more detail as to how to use the data to develop strategies to work more effectively with young people after they leave school.

Mayor of Christchurch Garry Moore said some schools already captured aspirations data but there was no follow up of students, nor was there data shared within the post-school community.

“There is no substantial or centrally held data on destinations of our school leavers,” he said.

Career Services has experience and expertise in career counselling, and questionnaire administration and is a national service with a relationship with secondary schools.

Garry Moore said that the proposal would trial the systems, data collection and follow up of students to assist mayors in the Taskforce target of “ensuring no young person was without work or training by the year 2005.”

“An important step in reaching that target is to know where our young people go when they leave school,” he said.

The cost of the scheme will be $93,000 in the first year and $91,500 in the second. If successful, the project should be able to be refined for use throughout the country.

The project will be launched by Career Services in Christchurch on Friday 14 September at 4pm in the Mayor’s Lounge, Civic Officers, Tuam Street.

Speakers will include Mayor Garry Moore, Judith Backhouse, of Career Services, Ranui Ngarimu from Skill NZ, and the Associate Minister of Social Services and Employment, Ruth Dyson.