Peer Support Worker

Ember; Rotorua; On-site; NZD 34,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Additional leave

Health & Wellbeing programme

Training opportunities

Career progression

Job summary

Ember Rotorua is seeking a Peer Support Worker to use your lived experience of mental health and/or addiction to support others in the Rotorua community. This is a permanent full-time role based in central Rotorua with 40 hours per week.

You will build meaningful relationships, draw on recovery journeys, and work with a team to help people live well and pursue goals. Applicants should have NZ Certificate Level 4 preferred, a NZ driver's license, and valid work visa or residency.

Qualifications

• Your own lived experience of mental health and/or AOD challenges is required.
• NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing Level 4 preferred; applicants progressing toward it welcome.
• A current Full NZ driver's license is required.
• A valid/current work visa, residency, or NZ citizenship is required.
• Experience in mental health and/or addictions with a client-centered approach.
• Passion for walking alongside those in need, supporting recovery.

Responsibilities

• Provide peer support drawing on lived experience to assist clients.
• Build authentic relationships and offer hope, understanding and practical insight.
• Collaborate with the team to support goals and pathways to recovery.

Skills

Lived experience

Driver's license

Work visa / Residency

Mental health / addictions experience

Client-centered approach

Recovery-focused attitude

Education

NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing Level 4

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Permanent, Full-time (40 hours per week)

Normal working hours are between 7.30am and 8.00pm 7 days per week

Service is located in central Rotorua

Ember Support Worker Pay Rates: $25.00 - $30.00 per hour (depending on qualification held and its equivalence to the NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing L4, with stepped increases based on tenure)

Ember Korowai Takitini blends professional expertise and lived experience to offer a range of services and supports for anyone with mental health, addiction or intellectual disability needs

At Ember we support people to live the lives they choose and we challenge the systems that hold them back.

We desire a society that better understands and responds to mental distress, addiction and intellectual disability.

Ember offers:

Additional leave, including recreation days and study leave.

A comprehensive Health & Wellbeing programme, including wellbeing cards loaded with money to spend on your health needs, flu vaccinations, and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), and more.

Training opportunities for upskilling, personal & professional development, and career progression.

The opportunity to make a meaningful impact every day in a values-led organisation.

Peer Support Worker

• Permanent, Full-time (40 hours per week)

• Normal working hours are between 7.30am and 8.00pm 7 days per week

• Service is located in central Rotorua

• Ember Support Worker Pay Rates: $25.00 - $30.00 per hour (depending on qualification held and its equivalence to the NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing L4, with stepped increases based on tenure)

Ember Korowai Takitini | Nga Matapono

Ember Korowai Takitini blends professional expertise and lived experience to offer a range of services and supports for anyone with mental health, addiction or intellectual disability needs

At Ember we support people to live the lives they choose and we challenge the systems that hold them back.

We desire a society that better understands and responds to mental distress, addiction and intellectual disability.

Ember offers:

• Additional leave, including recreation days and study leave.

• A comprehensive Health & Wellbeing programme, including wellbeing cards loaded with money to spend on your health needs, flu vaccinations, and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), and more.

• Training opportunities for upskilling, personal & professional development, and career progression.

• The opportunity to make a meaningful impact every day in a values-led organisation.

The Service | Ko Te Whare O Rotorua Community Team

Our Rotorua Community Support Service supports people experiencing mental health and wellbeing challenges to live well in their communities. Through practical, person-centred support, we help people build independence, develop everyday living skills, strengthen community connections, and work towards their personal goals. Our team works alongside tāngata whai ora, whānau, clinical services, and other community supports to empower people to build confidence, enhance wellbeing, and create meaningful lives in the communities they call home.

Role | Nga mahi

Peer support is a challenging and deeply meaningful role that requires resilience, self-awareness, and the ability to genuinely connect with others. What makes this role unique is that you will draw directly on your own lived experience of mental health and/or alcohol and other drug (AOD) challenges — including your journey of recovery — to support and inspire the people you work alongside.

As a Peer Support Worker, you will build authentic, trusting relationships and use your personal story to offer hope, understanding, and practical insight. Together with the people you support, you will explore new perspectives, recognise patterns, and strengthen self-belief. You will walk alongside them as they try new approaches, discover their own strengths, and move toward the life they want.

You will have | Nga Pukenga

• Your own personal lived experience of mental distress and/or AOD challenges. By “lived experience” we mean that you have the experiential knowledge — the learning, wisdom, and insight — that comes from having personally faced your ownmental health distress and/or addiction, and worked toward recovery. This is required for this role.

• A New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing Level 4, or equivalent qualification is preferred, but we welcome applications from those working toward this qualification or from those who are eager and willing to complete the qualification if they are the successful candidate

• A current Full New Zealand Driver’s license (required)

• A valid/current work visa, residency, or NZ citizenship (required)

• Experience working in the area of mental health and/or addictions with a client-centered, recovery-focused approach

• A passion for walking along side those in need, supporting on-going goals on the pathway to recovery (required)

When applying please include | Kia Whakauru

• An up-to-date CV

• A Cover Letter detailing

  • Why you’re interested in the role?

  • Any skills, competencies and experience (both professional and personal, if relevant) that you would bring to this role?

“He aha te mea nui o te ao? Maku e ki atu, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata”

What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.

Ember is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and embrace diversity and inclusion in the workplace and are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all. We particularly welcome applications from our Māori, Pacific and Rainbow communities.

We will interview candidates as applications come through rather than waiting until the advertisement closes. The vacancy may be filled earlier if a suitable candidate is identified.