Psychologist - Tai Aroha, Hamilton

Department of Corrections NZ; Hamilton; Hybrid; NZD 83,000 - 133,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks annual leave

Departmental Day

National psychology training & devt

Te Reo Māori & Tikanga allowance

APC reimbursement & Professional Indem

Expert Witness Allowance

Health & wellbeing support

Job summary

Department of Corrections NZ is seeking a Registered Psychologist to join Tai Aroha - Community-based Special Treatment Unit in Hamilton. The role involves recruiting, assessing and developing individualized treatment plans for residents within a 10-bed facility that prioritises Māori tikanga and therapeutic community approaches.

You will deliver group and individual therapy, complete progress reports, and help plan reintegration pathways post-programme.

Qualifications

• Be registered with the NZ Psychology Board and hold a current APC.
• Experience delivering therapeutic interventions, including group therapy.
• Knowledge of Māori culture and protocols.
• Ability to build therapeutic alliances with clients in challenging contexts.
• Strong report-writing experience.

Responsibilities

• Recruit, assess and develop individualized treatment plans for new residents.
• Facilitate the 16-week Cognitive Self-Change rolling-group programme.
• Complete reports outlining residents' treatment progress and outcomes.
• Consult on reintegration pathways for residents post-programme.
• Deliver bespoke individual treatment sessions and participate in running the therapeutic community.
• Senior staff may provide clinical supervision and training.

Skills

Therapeutic interventions

Māori culture awareness

Professional boundaries

Feedback receptiveness

Report writing

Interpersonal skills

Diversity empathy

Education

Registered Psychologist with NZ Psychology Board

Annual Practising Certificate (APC)

Job description

Tai Aroha - Community-based Special Treatment Unit, Hamilton Ehara taku toa I te toa takitahi amma he toa takitini - my strength is not the strength of my own, but the strength of many Mŋ te tūnga

Mŋ te tūnga | About the role

Tai Aroha is a beautiful purpose-built 10-bed residential treatment facility for men considered to have a high risk of violent offending. It is run by a dedicated team of psychologists, reintegration coordinators, a programme facilitator, a Kaupapa Māori practitioner, and other support staff, who work together to help residents address the causes of their offending and build pathways for positive and crime-free lives. It incorporates therapeutic community principles and processes, tikanga Māori practises, and offence-focused psychological treatment. As a psychologist at Tai Aroha - your core tasks will be to recruit, assess and develop individualised treatment plans for new residents. You will help facilitate the 16-week Cognitive Self-Change rolling-group treatment programme, complete reports outlining their treatment progress, and consult on reintegration pathways for the men post-programme. All staff will have the ability to deliver bespoke individual treatment sessions as appropriate and take an active role in running the therapeutic community, and senior staff will have further opportunities to provide clinical supervision and training. This role is available as either a permanent position or a 6-month fixed-term contract, depending on your preference, with flexible hours ranging from 0.5 FTE up to full-time (1.0 FTE).

Mŋ u | About you

We're looking for a skilled treatment provider capable of developing meaningful therapeutic alliances with men that have often been entrenched in the criminal world and had few safe relationships in their lives, who will work collaboratively with colleagues to maintain an environment that allows these men to let down their defences so real change can occur. It is essential that all staff have strong professional boundaries and understand the importance of proactively navigating transference issues to keep our residents and staff safe. This is a chance to be proactive and reflective, combining your expertise with the satisfaction of making a real difference in the lives of those we serve. To be considered for this role you must be registered with the New Zealand Psychologists' Board and hold a current Annual Practicing Certificate.

Ngā pūkenga me nē ŋ wheako | Skills and experience

We are seeking a Registered Psychologist with the New Zealand Psychologists' Board who:

• Has knowledge of, or shows a willingness to learn, about Māori culture and protocols
• Has experience in delivering therapeutic interventions, ideally group therapy with people who have a high-risk of violence
• Has life experience that means they can work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and ethnic groups
• Is comfortable having their practice viewed and are receptive of regular feedback on their practice
• Has experience with report writing

Ngā painga | The benefits

The salary range for this role is $83,286-$133,370 per annum, with appointment and remuneration based on clinical competency, skills, and experience.

• 5 weeks annual leave, increasing to 6 weeks
• Annual Departmental Day
• National psychology training and development opportunities
• Te Reo Māori and Tikanga allowance
• APC reimbursement and Professional Indemnity Insurance contribution
• Expert Witness Allowance (where applicable)
• Health, wellbeing, and EAP support

Mŋ mātŋ | About us

Join Ara Poutama Aotearoa - Department of Corrections, where your work will contribute to improving public safety, reducing re-offending, and address the overrepresentation of Māori in correctional facilities. As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship), and whānau (relationships) to guide our work and achieve the goals of our Hŋka Rangi strategy. We value inclusion and diversity in our workforce, and as a Public Service organisation we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the public we serve. We strive to make our recruitment process fair, and we encourage you to discuss reasonable accommodations with us if required.