Tariana Turia says it is great news that a rural Maori community has become the first group in Aotearoa to create jobs for their unemployed youth under the Government's new Community Max scheme.

"I take my hat off to Ngati Rangi and Te Atihau Trust for being innovative enough to create jobs for eight of their youth at their marae," Mrs Turia said. "I also praise those youth for stepping up to the plate and grabbing the opportunity to do the work their old people did for them.

"These youth are faced with a great opportunity that will not only reconnect them to their roots, but arm them with new skills as they learn about carving restoration, how to garden and maintain water systems and paint buildings."

Up until now the youths (aged between 18 and 24) have been unemployed, but as of Monday (September 7) they will start work for six months to restore 10 marae in the Ngati Rangi tribal area which goes from Whanganui in the south to Taumarunui in the north and includes the towns of Ohakune, Raetihi, Waiouru and others.

"I'm extremely proud of Ngati Rangi and their youth and as the morning mist clears over their sacred mountain Ruapehu, I'm sure he too will be proud to see them work the land below sowing the seeds for a better future."

About seven other organisations have been approved to run projects under the scheme, but it is understood that Ngati Rangi is the first to get their project into action.

Mrs Turia encouraged other Maori organisations to follow Ngati Rangi's lead by capitalising on the schemes the Government has funded to get youths into work.

Organisations interested in Community Max can contact Work and Income on 0800 778 008.