Youth Worker

Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children; Tauranga; On-site; NZD 57,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency for children's welfare in Tauranga is seeking a dedicated individual to support youth in Justice. This role involves engaging with young people and their whānau, collaborating with social workers, and providing vital support for independence skills. We seek someone with empathy, good communication skills, and an understanding of Māori culture. Competitive salary and a commitment to staff wellbeing offered.

Benefits

Supportive team environment

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience working with rangatahi and tamariki with resilience, initiative, and a proactive approach.
• Sound judgement to manage risk and make tough decisions.
• A current and valid clean New Zealand driver's license.

Responsibilities

• Engage with whānau and support rangatahi.
• Attend meetings with rangatahi and other professionals.
• Support rangatahi at Family Group Conferences.

Skills

Experience with rangatahi and tamariki

Empathy and patience

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Understanding in tikanga Māori and te reo Māori

Education

Tertiary education in psychology, social sciences, or related fields

Job description

Overview

Are you interested in helping tamariki develop the skills they need to be meaningful contributors to their whānau and communities? Would you like to share your interests, passions, and culture to help inspire and empower rangatahi? We would love to hear from you!

• Fulltime fixed term position available until May 2026
• Role in our Tauranga based Youth Justice sites

About the role

At our sites, we are working differently with our tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau. We are taking a collaborative team approach to decision making, planning and case management.

This position will see you involved in all aspects of supporting the team to implement the non-social work components of the young person\'s plan. The scope for development in this role is great and you will be a valued member of the team.

• Engaging with whānau and other people involved in the rangatahi\'s plan
• Spending time with the rangatahi and relating well to young people
• Working alongside Social Workers to support the mahi of bringing to life the Care Standards and positive outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi
• Attending meetings with the rangatahi and other professionals from a range of different agencies e.g. Police, Education, Health and the community
• Making and coordinating appointments for rangatahi
• Involving in activity based and recreational programmes with our rangatahi
• Taking young people to appointments that do not require a social workers presence
• Helping rangatahi to learn independence skills such as shopping and budgeting
• Supporting rangatahi at Family Group Conferences
• Recording and other administrative tasks to support the team
• Supporting rangatahi to attend visits to the home or with other whānau

These are just examples; a lot will depend on the special skills you bring to the team and how these can contribute to better outcomes for our rangatahi. You will be involved in the planning for the rangatahi and provide valuable feedback to the team from your involvement.

What you will bring

Note: Key requirements of the role include:

• Experience working with rangatahi and tamariki with resilience, initiative and a proactive approach.
• Sound judgement with the ability to manage risk and make tough decisions.
• Empathy, patience and ability to see past what someone may be struggling with.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to adapt to your audience.
• Understanding in tikanga Māori and te reo Māori.
• A tertiary education within psychology, social sciences, social work, sports, music, arts or teaching would be an advantage (but is not required). Life learnings are equally important and we value the life experience of our staff bring to this practical and challenging role.
• A current and valid clean New Zealand driver\'s license.
• Meet the Children\'s Act safety checking and our vetting requirements, including the right to work in New Zealand.

About us

Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children has a commitment to putting tamariki and rangatahi at the heart of what we do. Our vision is to ensure New Zealand is the best place in the world to be a child. We are also committed to ensuring Oranga Tamariki partners with hapū, iwi and Māori organisations to find appropriate solutions for tamariki in need.

Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children has a commitment of putting tamariki first; we believe aroha is vital, we respect the mana of people, we are tika and pono, we value whakapapa and we recognise that oranga is a journey.

What\'s in it for you

Oranga Tamariki offer an impartial remuneration package ranging from $57,760 to $65,334 depending on experience and offer progression annually for experience through tenure. We offer a vibrant and supportive team, flexible work options and a genuine commitment to wellbeing. We offer significant training and professional development so that you can thrive and grow. To see all the benefits of working for Oranga Tamariki, please visit.

How to Apply

Apply online with your CV and Covering Letter. If you are an Oranga Tamariki employee already, please ensure you apply with a login using your Oranga Tamariki email address. If you have any questions about the role, please contact us.

Hurry as applications for this role close Sunday 19 October; however we will be reviewing CVs as we go, so please submit your applications today as we will close the role if a preferred candidate is found.

If you are interested in any of our vacancies, please familiarise yourself 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.