Youth Addictions Practitioner - Military Style Academy

Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children; Auckland; On-site; NZD 126,000 - 139,000; Full time

Job summary

Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children seeks an Addictions Practitioner for the Military Style Academy programme in Palmerston North. You will support rangatahi through residential and community transition with evidence-based interventions and trauma-informed, strengths-based practices.

You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, whānau, and community services to promote recovery, resilience and reintegration, while managing risk and tailoring plans to individual needs.

Qualifications

• You are an experienced practitioner with a tertiary qualification in addictions, psychology, social work, counselling, education, or a related field.
• Registration with the appropriate professional body (e.g., DAPAANZ) where applicable.
• Experience delivering therapeutic interventions and working with high-risk, vulnerable populations.

Responsibilities

• Conducting specialist addiction assessments and developing individual intervention plans.
• Delivering evidence-based interventions using Motivational Interviewing, CBT, relapse prevention, and strengths-based practice.
• Supporting rangatahi to understand links between addiction, wellbeing, decision-making and offending behaviour.
• Identifying triggers, managing risk factors, and developing healthier coping strategies.
• Providing continuity of care and therapeutic support during transition back to the community.
• Collaborating with whānau, social workers, education providers, health services and community agencies.
• Contributing addiction knowledge to multidisciplinary case reviews and care planning.

Skills

Experience with youth addiction issues

Therapeutic interventions delivery

Risk assessment and management

Stakeholder engagement

Driver licence

Education

Registration with DAPAANZ or relevant professional body

Tertiary qualification in addictions, psychology, social work, counselling, education, or related field

Job description

Support recovery. Inspire change. Help rangatahi build brighter futures.

• Palmerston North Location
• 12 Month Fixed Term Contract

Oranga Tamariki is seeking a passionate and experienced Addictions Practitioner to join the Military Style Academy (MSA) Programme in Palmerston North. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you'll help rangatahi overcome addiction-related challenges and build the foundations for long-term wellbeing, rehabilitation, and successful reintegration.

The Military Style Academy is an intensive therapeutic intervention for serious and persistent youth offenders. The programme combines educational, vocational, cultural, therapeutic, and physical activities designed to support sustainable behavioural change and positive long-term outcomes for rangatahi. Through a strengths-based, trauma-informed, and mana-enhancing approach, the programme addresses the underlying drivers of offending behaviour while helping young people create positive futures for themselves, their whānau, and their communities.

As an Addictions Practitioner, you'll provide specialist assessment and treatment services for rangatahi experiencing substance use, behavioural addictions, and other addiction-related challenges. You'll support young people both during their residential journey and throughout their transition back into the community.

Mō te tūnga | About the role

Reporting to the Te Ara Hou Programme Manager, you'll deliver evidence-informed interventions that support recovery, strengthen resilience, reduce harm, and promote positive behavioural change.

Key responsibilities include:

• Conducting specialist addiction assessments and developing individual intervention plans.
• Delivering evidence-based interventions using approaches such as Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, relapse prevention, and strengths-based practice.
• Supporting rangatahi to understand the relationship between addiction, emotional wellbeing, decision-making, and offending behaviour.
• Assisting rangatahi to identify triggers, manage risk factors, and develop healthier coping strategies.
• Providing continuity of care and therapeutic support as young people transition back into the community.
• Working collaboratively with whānau, social workers, education providers, health services, and community agencies.
• Contributing specialist addiction knowledge to multidisciplinary case reviews and care planning.
• Supporting staff capability through coaching, education, and guidance on addiction and recovery principles.

He kōrero mōu | About you

You are an experienced practitioner who is passionate about supporting vulnerable young people to make meaningful and lasting changes in their lives.

You will bring:

• A relevant tertiary qualification in addictions, psychology, social work, counselling, education, or a related field.
• Registration with DAPAANZ or another relevant professional body where applicable.
• Experience working with young people experiencing addiction-related challenges.
• Experience delivering therapeutic interventions and behaviour change programmes.
• Experience working with high-risk, vulnerable, or justice-involved populations.
• Strong assessment, treatment planning, and risk management skills.
• Knowledge of youth development, addiction, recovery, and behavioural change theories.
• Understanding of trauma-informed, strengths-based, and culturally responsive practice.
• Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills.
• A current full New Zealand Driver Licence.

Why join the Military Style Academy?

This is an opportunity to be part of a unique programme that supports rangatahi to break harmful cycles, strengthen protective factors, and create positive futures.

You'll be part of a team committed to:

• Supporting meaningful behavioural change and recovery.
• Delivering evidence-informed therapeutic interventions.
• Strengthening connections to whānau, culture, and community.
• Supporting successful rehabilitation and reintegration.
• Making a genuine difference in the lives of young people every day.

About Oranga Tamariki

Oranga Tamariki works to ensure all tamariki and rangatahi are in loving whānau and communities where they can be safe, strong, connected and flourish. We are committed to improving outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi, particularly Māori, through culturally responsive and evidence-informed practice.

If you're passionate about addiction recovery, youth development, and helping rangatahi realise their potential, we'd love to hear from you.

If you have any questions about role, please contact

Remuneration for this position starts between $125,926- $139,459 depending on experience.

Applications close at midnight on Friday 23rd of October 2026.

If you are interested, please ensure that you make yourself familiar with our code of conduct as it sets out our expectations for our kaimahi and requires you to present at work free from the influences of both drugs and alcohol.