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\nBevan Thompson.
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Alexa Cook\n<\/p>\n
As a growing number of Central Hawke’s Bay residents desperately search for work, local man Bevan Thompson is helping them with everything from attaining a drivers licence, to boosting their confidence through korero and cuppas. <\/b><\/p>\n
Alexa Cook gained an insight into the mahi going on behind the scenes to get people off the benefit, as part of Pinch Point – an ongoing RNZ series about living with the cost of living.<\/b><\/p>\n
“I’ve had a couple of clients that stand there and say ‘Ohh man, I can’t get nothing’ and shed a couple of tears.<\/p>\n
“So we just sit there, have a cup of tea and I reassure them that ‘don’t worry bro, we’ll get it done’.”<\/p>\n
With a warm smile and a welcoming hug, Bevan Thompson radiates positivity. It’s this optimism that was helping get people’s lives back on track.<\/p>\n
“I’ve always been a good believer in helping people into self motivation – to inspire them into you can do it.<\/p>\n
“That’s all it is, is korero with people about that ‘can do’ attitude,” he said.<\/p>\n
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Photo: RNZ\n<\/p>\n
The number of people living off a benefit in Central Hawke’s Bay is the highest it’s been in more than 12 years as residents struggle to find work in a tough job market.<\/p>\n
Bevan works for Te Taiwhenua O Tamatea and does the employment placements and pastoral care for the Ministry of Social Development.<\/p>\n
Many hours were spent on the road, visiting people in their homes to see what challenges they were facing with finding a job, and helping in any way he could.<\/p>\n
One of his clients, 19-year-old Caleb Watene, had been searching for work for over eight months.<\/p>\n
“It’s just about letting him know there is someone there in his corner,” said Thompson.<\/p>\n
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\nCaleb Watene.
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Alexa Cook\n<\/p>\n
Caleb lived in Waipawa and was on the jobseeker benefit, which was how he had ended up with Thompson’s help.<\/p>\n
“It gives me more hope really and makes it easier for me to get a job,” he said.<\/p>\n
Because in the never-ending grind of searching for work, applying for jobs, and being rejected it was easy to lose hope.<\/p>\n
“It’s tiring and stressful, and makes you scared a bit. I could end up in a position where we have to go back living with our parents,” he worried.<\/p>\n
It was the longest he’d been out of a job since he began working at age 14, and told RNZ that living off a benefit was hard when the cost of living was so high<\/a>. Each week he had $30 left after paying for rent, power and groceries.<\/p>\n “It’s pretty hard at the moment… it’s harder than it used to be, way harder. Before I went to Aussie, I could crack a job just like that,” he said.<\/p>\n The main employment opportunities in Central Hawke’s Bay were the freezing works, a pet food company, farming or seasonal orchard work.<\/p>\n \nEleven percent fewer jobs are being advertised in Hawke’s Bay than a year ago However with recent restructures and businesses closing there were 11 percent fewer jobs being advertised in Hawke’s Bay than a year ago. Bevan Thompson was seeing it firsthand.<\/p>\n “In the year that I’ve been here it’s steadily rising, the unemployment out there. It’s tough times for everybody,” he said.<\/p>\n\n
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\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Alexa Cook\n<\/p>\n