Limited Services Volunteer Programme Review

The LSV programme is a residential motivational training programme funded by the Ministry of Social Development and delivered by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). The programme targets 18 to 24 year olds who are at risk of long-term unemployment. Trainees stay in a military area for six weeks and undertake basic military training alongside learning skills for life and employment.

The LSV programme review considered how the programme address barriers to better employment and training outcomes for trainees.

The review found that the LSV programme help trainees in three ways:

• The structured military environment fosters learning and development.
• The life and employment skills helps trainees to learn and achieve.
• The wraparound practical and personal support helps trainees to address issues that they have not been able to tackle in the past.

The review found that improving post-programme mentoring and support could enhance outcomes, and that such support should be:

• consistently available across New Zealand
• adaptable to trainees’ needs
• long-term
• connected into the trainee’s whānau/family, and
• includes opportunities for peer-to-peer support.

The review considered whether a longer programme, such as the 20-week 1980s version of the LSV programme, might have better employment outcomes than the current LSV programme. The review found that improvements to post-programme support are likely to be at least as effective, and potentially better value for money.