START – Whana Tū, Youth Service Organisational overview: The purpose of the START, Whana Tū – Youth Service is to deliver the YP / YPP (Youth Payment & Young Parent Payment) and the NEET (Not Engaged in Education & Training) contracts within the Palmerston North & Manawatū District communities. This is a contract that is facilitated by Iuventus with the Ministry of Social Development.

Staffing: START, Whana Tū – Youth Service has nine staff. All staff are experienced and / or qualified within Case management, Social Work and / or Youth Work; staff have continued to actively receive professional development and support in accessing this from the organisation.

In July 2019, we completed our seventh year within youth services after the initial period of establishment and development of the service and a way of working with young people within Palmerston North and the Manawatū region (July 2012 to June 2019); a understanding of how the youth services contract worked, and how we as an organisation were going to implement this service within our community. We have developed the initial evolution of youth service provision after the early years within the establishment and improvement of the youth transition programme that solely worked with NEET (Not Engaged in Education and Training) young people between the ages of 16 to 18 years old.

Our business hours are Monday to Friday, 08:30am to 05:00pm (Closed on all Statutory Holidays).

For more information visit the START website Click here