Casual Resource Workers - Tunnel Beach WHARE home Dunedin at Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children, Otago

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Make a difference for Tamariki and Rangatahi as a Resource Worker

• Casual Resource Workers - Based at our Dunedin Whare Home
• Hourly rate $26.00 per hour + 8% Holiday Pay on hours worked (as and when required for short or block assignments)

Overview

The Tunnel Beach Whare Home offers an innovative and nurturing care environment for tamariki and rangatahi who require emergency, respite, or planned care. Designed to provide a whānau-like setting, the Home accommodates up to five tamariki at a time and delivers safe, stable, and relationship-based care.

Care is led by full-time live-in caregivers, supported by a dedicated team of skilled Care Workers. Together, they work to create a positive and supportive environment that promotes wellbeing, growth, and positive outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi.

The WHARE model is designed to:

• Provide Whanau-like care with fulltime, live in caregivers
• Be Helped by a small group of flexible and qualified care staff, overseen by a Supervisor (Social Worker)
• Be focused on Achieving the goals and aspirations that tamariki and whanau have set in their All About Me Plan
• Focus on providing Relational and restorative care
• Be closely Engaged with local communities, sites and regions with leadership coming from regional teams and accountability to local, external stakeholders

Mō te tūnga | About the role: Resource Worker

As a Casual Resource Worker in the Whare home, you’ll play a vital role in providing care and stability for tamariki when the primary caregivers are away. This includes:

• Covering two days each month (one weekend) while caregivers take time off
• Supporting up to four weeks of scheduled annual leave throughout the year
• Providing planned and short notice support as needed
• Your responsibilities may include day-to-day care in the home, engaging with tamariki in the community, working alongside whānau, and collaborating with our wider support team
• We’re looking for people who are flexible, able to work varying hours (including overnights), and sometimes multiple days in a row. Most importantly, you’ll be committed to maintaining a safe, caring, and responsive family environment for tamariki

What successful candidates will bring to the role

Key requirements of the role include:

• Must hold a current full clean driver's licence
• Ability to pass the background checks, which includes police and Oranga Tamariki vetting (The clean slate scheme does not apply to the police vetting for this role)
• Provide professional references from current and previous employers.
• Previous experience in social services work or working with children and young people would be an advantage
• Ability to think on your feet, use initiative, and adapt quickly when situations change.
• Flexibility to provide support at short notice and a commitment to covering planned caregiver leave and scheduled weekend cover.
• Understanding and appreciation of cross-cultural practices in particular; knowledge of tikanga Māori, and Pacific peoples' culture
• Resilience to support tamariki with varied support needs.
• Have a calm and professional manner.
• Excellent, listening, oral and observations skills and ability to write handover notes
• Ability to develop warm, safe and meaningful relationships.
• Ability to be flexible and open to new learning.
• Sound decision making and judgement with the ability to anticipate and resolve problems and make decisions based on risk management analysis in a calm manner

Nōu te rourou | What's in it for you

We offer a vibrant and supportive team, we offer significant training and professional development so that you can thrive and grow. We welcome diversity and are committed to working in an inclusive and respectful way. This is your opportunity to apply your skills and experience to the wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi. 

Me pēhea te tuku tono  | 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 log in using your Oranga Tamariki email address.

If you have any questions about role, please contact Info_recruit@ot.govt.nz

Hurry as applications for this role closes midnight Wednesday 23rd September 2026!

If you are interested in any of our vacancies, 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.