Maori practitioner at Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections), Waikato

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

He aha te kai a te Rangatira? He korero, he korero, he korero.

What is the food of the leader? It is knowledge. It is communication.

Te Ara Poutama o Aotearoa is recognised as an international leader in the field of rehabilitation and is committed to providing high quality psychological approaches to the people in our care.  Humanising and healing are key principles of Hōkai Rangi, our over-arching strategic direction.

Hōkai Rangi expresses our commitment to delivering great outcomes for and with Māori in our care, and their whanau - so that we can begin to address the significant over-representation of Māori in our care.  Guided by the Braided Rivers Approach (He Awa Whiria), this role will support the blending of both western approaches and Te Ao Māori into our practice.

Ngā Kawenga| About the role

The Special Treatment Unit (STU) expansion is part of the overall Māori Pathways programme that is   rolling out across the motu with regard to Te Ao Māori values and beliefs systems and expansion of this focus across the motu.

This role will be situated at Karaka Special Treatment unit Waikeria Prison and presents an opportunity for a Kaupapa Māori Practitioner to work in a world class community-based unit that focuses on violence prevention.  Karaka Unit provides intensive treatment for convicted males who are motivated toward a life free of violence and to reintegrate in a positive way back into their hāpori and whānau.

A key focus will be to work with the programme participants to support them to connect with their culture and to strengthen the cultural protocols and initiatives within the unit, working alongside therapy/supervisory staff and mana whenua.  You will be part of the therapeutic Community of Change.

He Korero Mou | About you

You will have a passion for working with the people in our care, enjoy building relationships, and being able to work independently or as a member of a close-knit team.  It is necessary to have an established awareness of tikanga and knowledge of Te Ao Māori, as well as the ability to converse in Te Reo Māori.

You will use a Te Ao Māori lens to your approach, be active in the wider community, have knowledge and comprehension of current Māori Models of Health and be able to relate well to mana whenua.

Knowledge and experience within Te Ara Poutama o Aotearoa or Oranga Social Service's is preferred as is a suitable relevant tertiary qualification

Some of your key accountabilities will include:

• Promotion of Te Ao Māori within Karaka Unit & Waikeria Prison.
• Support the weaving of Te Ao Māori and psychological approaches within the programme.
• Develop and support staff to understand Te Ao Māori healing processes, knowledge and cultural protocols towards embedding these into the practices, processes and policies.
• Early and continuous whānau involvement in their rehabilitation and reintegration.
• Expanding opportunities to engage with Te Ao Māori such as Te Reo, tikanga, kapa haka, whakairo.
• Engaging with Mana whenua, Māori organisations, Waikeria Kaumātua Rōpū, community agencies and other sectors or individuals where support and sharing our work is required.
• Support the strengthening and sense of identity and belonging of the people in our care through policy design and support.
• Identifying opportunities to support engagement and partnering with mana whenua and other key partners 
• Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.

Ko wai maatou | Who we are

Te Ara Poutama o Aotearoa is a name that has been gifted to us after extensive consultation with Māori communities and iwi and is our commitment to improving the oranga and safety of the people, whānau, and that of the communities we serve.

As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship) and whaanau (relationships) to shape how we work and deliver the outcomes in our strategy - Hookai Rangi (https://arapoutama.nz/hokairangi).

Utu aa-tau | Salary

The mid-point of the salary range is $89,210 and the full range (85%-120%) is $75,829 - $107,052. Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.

Tono inaaianei | Apply Now

To apply, please submit a tailored CV and a cover letter describing your motivation for joining the department highlighting relevant skills and experience. Alignment to our kaupapa is critical to our success - we ask that you provide examples which reflect and demonstrate our organisation values.

It is an exciting time to join us, and we continue to seek out talented individuals who are committed to an inclusive, vibrant workplace. We recognise and celebrate the uniqueness of individuals, and that of the collective talent in our whānau.  All applications must be submitted through our careers site to ensure transparency.  Applications received via email will not be considered.

If you want to find out more about a career with us, visit careers.corrections.govt.nz or email our team at MahiWaikeria@corrections.govt.nz.