Community Karitane

Whānau Āwhina Plunket; Dunedin; On-site; NZD 57,000 - 66,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Well Health Day

Retail discounts

Generous parental leave

Work close to home

Job summary

Whānau Āwhina Plunket in Dunedin is seeking a part-time Community Karitāne (Health Worker) to support families with newborns, promote healthy lifestyles, and deliver wrap-around services.

You will work with Plunket Nurses and Kaiāwhina to provide non-clinical support and community outreach, including planned Saturday clinics when required.

Qualifications

• NZ work rights required.
• Full clean NZ driver's license required.
• National Certificate in Tamariki Ora – Well Child Services must be completed.

Responsibilities

• Support whānau to manage parenting challenges with empathy and reassurance.
• Collaborate with Plunket Nurses, Kaiāwhina and other services to deliver wrap-around support.
• Attend clinics or community events as needed, including some Saturdays when planned.

Skills

NZ work rights

Driver's license

Tamarki Ora cert

Education

National Certificate in Tamariki Ora – Well Child Services

Job description

How proud would it make you to be proactive in your community promoting a healthy lifestyle and working with whānau who have recently welcomed a new addition?

We have the opportunity for you to join our team as a Community Karitāne (Health Worker) in Dunedin. We have a part time (0.6FTE) permanent role available.

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

Our Karitāne are assets to our team, and support whānau during the times that can be most worrying for parents and caregivers while they get to know their new pēpi or overcoming the latest developmental leap. Your focus will be on improving health outcomes within a variety of settings to promote health, education and to support parenting choices with individuals, whānau and groups.

This position works in collaboration with our Plunket Nurses, Kaiāwhina and wider Plunket services to deliver wrap around support. Providing some of the non-clinical support that Plunket is world famous in New Zealand for - babies don't come with a manual, but our Plunket people are the next best thing.

To meet the needs of our clients, from time to time, our team hold clinics or community events on a Saturday, however this would be organised in advanced.

Payrates for Karitāne are between $57,405 ($29.05 per hour) and $65,874 ($33.32) per hour depending on experience.

He kōrero mōu | About you

It is the clear communication, empathy and reassurance you provide that will support whānau to manage each challenge as it comes. A passion for working with tamariki and their caregivers is key and we will provide you with the training and support to learn the rest.

Our mahi relies on seamless teamwork - being able to loop in Nurses for clinical support, referring to our community support services for more holistic care, and reminding our whānau that we're a call away 24/7 through our PlunketLine service - it is important that you're confident in working independently but also understanding how to work within a team environment.

In supporting our pro-equity journey, it's vital you have an understanding and commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi or are able to demonstrate an understanding of what it looks like to support whānau Māori to thrive.

In Addition, You Will Need To

• Hold New Zealand work rights
• Be committed to completing the National Certificate in Tamariki Ora – Well Child Services programme (funded)
• Hold a full, clean New Zealand drivers licence

Ngā hua mahi o Te Whānau Āwhina | What we offer

• Work close to home in a community based role
• A Monday – Friday role, with some flexibility to work around you
• 'Well Health Day': the ability to use sick leave for a proactive planned health day
• Retail discounts
• A generous parental leave scheme to support growing whānau

Whānau Āwhina Plunket is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of pēpi, tamariki and their whānau/family. We have committed to adopting a pro-equity approach where we give life to the Treaty principles of tino rangatiratanga, partnership, active protection, equity and options in our mahi/work to ensure healthy tamariki, confident whānau and connected communities. This journey is creating exciting career opportunities - If you would like to contribute to the important mahi we do, nau mai, haere mai.

Applications close on 2nd October 2026.