Residential Youth Worker at Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children, Manawatu - Wanganui

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Permanent, Full-Time, Palmerston North

 

Are you passionate about working with Aotearoa's youth?

 

This role may be your chance to contribute to maintaining a safe community!

 

Our Youth Justice Residence 'Te Au Rere A Te Tonga' provides a safe, secure and supportive environment where rangatahi who have offended can make positive changes and get their lives back on track. In addition to maintaining secure facilities, we aim to help rehabilitate young offenders. The role of our Residential Youth Workers understand that the causes of young offending are complex, and that successfully working along side young offenders, demands action beyond simple punitive measures. Our goal outcome is that all children, especially Tamariki and rangatahi Māori are in a loving families and communities where they be safe, strong, connected, and able to flourish!

 

Mō mātou | About us

Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children has a commitment to putting tamariki and rangatahi at the heart of what we do. In our work, we aim to demonstrate these values:

• We put Tamariki first
• We believe Aroha is vital
• We respect the Mana of people
• We are Tika and Pono
• We value Whakapapa
• We recognise that Oranga is a journey

 

Mō te tūnga | About the role

As a Residential Youth Worker, you are expected to provide rangatahi with the assurance and skills to confidently become positive contributors to their whānau and communities.

This includes guiding them in a behavioural change, this is a massive task and means our Residential Youth Workers have many responsibilities, including:

• Ensuring that a safe and secure environment is maintained for the benefit of the rangatahi, staff and the community.
• Supporting young offenders in their personal growth and rehabilitation with a focus on their health, education, training and eventual or current employment.
• Working with our rangatahi to help them build and strengthen relationships with their whanau and communities and encouraging them to act on referrals to services.
• Providing professional care and protection for children and young persons entrusted to Residential Care.
• Ensuring that appropriate models of behaviour are demonstrated.

We are looking for enthusiastic people that want to be part of a team that is instrumental in young lives around.

As a member of the Youth Justice Residence team, you will spend your days working alongside rangatahi, so you must have a passion for wanting to make a positive difference in their lives.

Ideally to excel in this role a tertiary qualification in sport, health, education, or youth work would allow you to understand the role but other life skills such as carpentry, IT, culture, and arts, as well as sporting skills would be invaluable.

You will be required to work a rotating roster between our shifts; morning shift (6:15am-2:45pm) and afternoon shift (2:15pm-10:45pm) which also involves working weekends and public holidays. In return you will be offered a salary range between $51,948 and $76,198, inclusive of penal rates for hours worked. We also have casual vacancies available for on-call and flexible working arrangements which could include night shifts, please indicate your preference in a covering letter.

 

Ngā pūmanawatanga ōu | What you will bring 

• Great engagement skills to overcome barriers.
• Experience with conflict resolution.
• Cultural awareness particularly around Māori and Pacifica communities.
• The ability to establish relationship with people from all walks of life.
• Good computer skills, particularly with Microsoft Office Software, as report writing is part of this role.
• A current, and full driver's license and ability to work some weekend hours.
• Experience in social service/working with at-risk youth is ideal, however applicants with transferable life skills are encouraged to apply.
• The ability to be flexible with working hours.
• A vision of our values, role, and obligations to Oranga Tamariki

 

If you will have established relationships and networks across the area and a good knowledge of the key players to help you make a difference in the lives of youth, then apply today!

 

Nōu te rourou | What's in it for you

Oranga Tamariki offer an impartial remuneration package, that offers 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. 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. 

To see all the benefits of working for Oranga Tamariki, please visit https://mahi.orangatamariki.govt.nz/working-with-us/employee-benefits/

 

Applications close: 31 May 2022

 

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 

 

At Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children, our highest priority is the safety and welfare of our kaimahi and the tamariki and whānau we support. We have strict health & safety measures to keep our people safe and as part of this role, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, or intend to be prior to starting with us. We may also ask you to undertake COVID-19 tests during your employment.