Support Worker - Canterbury

Open Home Foundation; Spreydon-Cashmere Community; On-site; NZD 30,000 - 39,000; Part time

Job summary

Open Home Foundation in Canterbury, New Zealand, is seeking a casual Support Worker to help care for Tamariki in a residential setting. The role focuses on supporting families and ensuring safety and well-being, with empathy, professionalism, and respect for cultural values.

You will work evenings, weekends, and overnight as required, with a Certificate in Health and Wellbeing preferred and experience with young people. A valid driver's license and First Aid certification are essential.

Qualifications

• Certificate in Health and Wellbeing is preferred.
• Experience working with young people in residential settings.
• Willingness to undertake training for care of vulnerable children/young people with disabilities or ASD.

Responsibilities

• Support Tamariki to ensure safety and meet their needs with empathy and professionalism.
• Help stabilise placements for children with specific needs in a residential setting.
• Establish confidence, rapport and routines with children and their families.
• Be available to work evenings, weekends and overnight shifts.

Skills

Experience with youth

Rapport building

Flexible hours

Driver's license

First Aid

Cultural awareness

Māori/Tauiwi understanding

Residential care experience

Education

Certificate in Health and Wellbeing

First Aid certification

Job description

Support Worker - Canterbury

Casual Position

“Supporting Families, Caring for Children”

The Open Home Foundation (OHF) is a Christian Community Response and has a vision that every child and young person has the opportunity to grow up in a secure, loving family and receive a depth of care which will bless them throughout their lives.

Integral to our ongoing success are our Support Workers who ensure the needs and safety of our Tamariki are paramount. The Support Worker role plays a very important part in families’ lives, helping stabilize the placements of children with specific needs—all while demonstrating a lot of care, empathy and professionalism.

The successful applicant will have the following:

• Ideally have a Certificate in Health and Wellbeing.
• Experience working with young people.
• Experience or willingness to undertake training in providing physical, emotional and therapeutic care of vulnerable children/young people with disabilities and / or autism spectrum disorder in a residential setting.
  
• Have experience working in a residential setting and a desire to work with children with disabilities and/ASD.
• Be excellent at quickly establishing confidence, rapport and routine with the child and their family.
• Have their own transport and a full clean driver’s license is essential.
• Be First Aid certified.
• Be available to work evenings, weekends, and provide overnight care of young people, alongside transport and general support.
• An in-depth understanding of how the role recognizes the special relationship between Māori and Tauiwi and strong empathy with the organization's special character.
  
• An alignment with the Open Home Foundation’s Christian Kaupapa.
  
• Hours as agreed ~ Candidates must be available to work outside school hours, with some overnight work, afternoons/evenings.

Applications close: 26th September 2026 (Applicants may be appointed prior to closing date)