About Us

The Vision

The Government has a shared goal with the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs: that, by 2007, all 15-19 year olds are in employment, education, training or some other option that leads to long-term economic independence and well-being. The Youth Transition Services (YTS) initiative, is a Ministry of Social Development initiative, designed to provide young people aged between 15 and 19 years old with additional support to ease their transition from school to work, further education or training.

What We Do

Youth Transition Services works with young people, helping them to identify appropriate work or training opportunities and to put them in touch with employers and training providers. We also work with businesses, education providers, government agencies, local government and community groups to coordinate the various services available to young people.

Who We Are

The Lead Provider responsible for the co-ordination of Youth Transition Services in Gisborne is Pulse Marketing Ltd. Vicki Crosswell-Toms is the Co-ordinator for Youth Transition Services in Gisborne and can be contacted by phone 06 868 4038 or email vicki@pulsemarketing.co.nz

The Service Provider for Youth Transition Services in Gisborne is Career Connexions Tairawhiti Limited. The team lead by Geoff Meade and Gordon Aston have been working in this field for a number of years and have a wealth of experience behind them.

The Team

Hera Katipa
(Youth Coach) is Ngati Porou born and bred in Te Araroa. She has an extensive background in community development, working mainly in education and health largely in this region. Her last role with the Labour Department focused on community business and enterprise development initiatives throughout the Eastern Bay of Plenty and Tairawhiti, working with a wide range of community organisations. Hera has worked with young people teaching and coaching in a variety of roles beginning in 1988 where she was appointed as Transition teacher at Te Waha O Rerekohu in Te Araroa.

A move to Hamilton in 1990 saw her appointed Youth Advisor with the Hamilton City Council. Upon returning to Te Araroa she was responsible for Careers, Health, and P.E at Te Waha O Rerekohu. She later went on to work for Te Runanga O Ngati Porou as a Sports Co Ordinator delivering sports and recreation activities for young people in East Coast Communities.

Norm Hauiti
(Youth Coach) was born and and raised in Gisborne and Tolaga Bay. Norm was born and bred on the East Coast by his Grandparents who instilled the values of life and experience in him. Norm comes from a background of various roles which include farming, horticulture, forestry, security and most recently as a Case Manager with Work and Income New Zealand. During his tenure with work and Income, Norm was enlisted to work with the youth caseload, which he says was a pleasure and a passion to do. His main role was to help our youth into employment and training.

Norm says he relished with pride when he saw young people moving from being on a benefit into work or training, and was able to help them achieve this. Norm has also been involved with youth through sporting circles on the East Coast, he has helped coach rugby and touch teams in Tolaga Bay. Norm is loving his role with Youth Transition Service Gisborne and uses his life experience to help our rabgatahi.

Lena Bevan
(Youth Coach) was born and bred in Gisborne and is of Ngati Porou descent. A trained teacher with 6 years experience in a variety of teaching roles, Lena began teaching in a school of approximately 500 pupils and 30 staff as the Lead Information & Communication Technology teacher. She spent a year as a teacher of teen mothers at Lytton High School before travelling overseas and working in London for two years as a relief teacher.

Lena has travelled throughout the UK, Europe and America. Lena is currently working as a Career Works Administrator/Coordinator at Gisborne Girls High School and is proactive with her involvement in the STAR and GATEWAY programmes.

Carmen Tumanako
(Youth Coach) was born and bred in Gisborne and is of Tuhoe and Te Aitanga A Mahaki descent. Carmen comes from a background which includes horticulture, farming and general labour intensive work. More recently she has followed her passion for helping people in her role as a Case Manager at WINZ. Through this role she has built strong relationships with tertiary providers and with a vast array of industries.

Carmen also had the opportunity to work more intensively with youth in the Tairawhiti district, helping them into employment and training opportunities.

Henry Iona
(Youth Coach) is of Samoan / Maori descent. He has a BA in Criminology from Victoria University and 10 years plus experience as a qualified personal trainer. He is currently studying toward a Bachelor in Social Work through Otago University. Born and bred in Porirua, Wellington, Henry has been a resident in Gisborne since 2005. He has used his experience in the health and fitness industry to do conditioning aspects of various professional athletes, a certified group fitness instructor, has been a conditioning coach for rugby squads at club and representative level and of late has been involved with educating families and children in fighting child obesity epidemic.

Henry has worked in roles within Sport Wellington Region, Sport Gisborne Tairawhiti, Wellington Rugby Union and is currently contracted to Ngati Porou Rugby Union. He is passionate about giving, presenting and creating opportunities for all youth in the Tairawhiti region.

Karen Johnston
Karen is originally from Fintray, Aberdeen in Scotland. She Immigrated to New Zealand in 1995, Gisborne has been her home ever since. Karen is a mother of twins and is a qualifi ed chef and owner of a local catering and hospitality business called “Fintray”. Karen brings to YTS fi fteen years of extensive networking and work experience with in the Tairawhiti region. She has tutored with youth at Gisborne Girls High, Lytton High School and
at the Polytechnic teaching TOP’s Hospitality courses and NZQA.

Karen says “I can relate to youth because I have clear memories of how it was for me at the fine age of 15, going to Polytechnic, finding work and
enjoying my teenage years. Thirty years on I am still practicing my trade with passion. Loving Gisborne, Loving Life”.


Gordon Aston
(Co-Director of Career Connexions Tairawhiti Ltd - service provider of Youth Transition Services in the wider Gisborne region) is of Te Aitanga Mahaki, Ngati Porou, Whanau Apanui and Ngai Tahu descent. He has vast experience in working with adults and youth in the career planning sector in Wairoa, Gisborne and on the East Coast. He also has extensive networks with tertiary providers and with a vast array of industries.

Gordon is a member of the Career Practitioners Association of New Zealand and the Chamber of Commerce. He has vast experience and networks in the fishing and sports fitness industries having had his own business operations in both. He also retains an extensive personal interest in both areas.

Geoff Meade
(Co Director of Career Connexions Tairawhiti Ltd) has lived and worked in Gisborne for over three decades and almost all of that time has been involved in some form of career development work for young (and not so young) people. He started at Lytton High School, spent a stint seconded to the Ministry of Education working nationally for the Careers and Transition Department, worked for Quest Rapuara seeing through the change of name to Career Services and for the last eleven years has been in the private sector in his own companies.

He sees the word 'career' as a holistic process where all facets of life balance are worth achieving, not just income. "The joy about this work is to hear the life changing stories that come back to you weekly after you have spent so long helping people to take informed, positive and often exciting steps to improve their lives".