Mō tÄ“nei tÅ«ranga mahi | About this role

1x permanent opportunity available

Te Whai Ora Waikato Rural South Site, Te Awamutu

This is a great permanent opportunity for a qualified, registered, and experienced Tauwhiro/Social Worker to come and be a part of our team in our Te Whai Ora Waikato Rural South Site, Te Awamutu.

'It takes a whole village to raise tamariki' we are offering a renewed sense of community and a unique opportunity for social workers to join our growing whānau orientated team at Te Whai Ora Waikato Rural South Site - where you will be encouraged and supported to work effectively with our client whanau using Te Toka Tumoana, our indigenous and bicultural principled framework.

Mō mātou | About us

Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children has a commitment to putting tamariki and rangatahi at the heart of what we do.

Our purpose is to ensure that all tamariki are in loving whānau and communities where oranga tamariki can be realised.  We believe that by getting involved early in their lives and showing love and care, we give children the best chance of growing into happy thriving New Zealanders.

We are committed to 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. 

Mō te tÅ«nga | About the role

This is a permanent position working in a team of 4 social workers. The work may be in the assessment - intervention space or in a tamariki in care team. Te Whai Ora is a caring progressive site, and our staff enjoy great community relationships. We appreciate our relationship with mana whenua. We have an inclusive site culture focussed on acknowledgment of what we all bring to our mahi enabling us to work well together to meet the needs of our tamariki and their whanau.

• Hear tamariki and rangatahi voices and support them or their whānau to make positive changes
• Work with various cultural groups and people from different backgrounds
• Complete initial safety checks and assessments on the tamariki, rangatahi and whānau 
• Holding hui; supporting whānau to grow their capacity to care for their tamariki and rangatahi 
• Be involved in planning interventions to maintain tamariki and rangatahi within their whānau
• Work alongside partners in our community, non-government organisations and state sector agencies
• Be an advocate on behalf of tamariki and rangatahi to ensure they have the support and resources needed to reach their full potential

Ngā pūmanawatanga ōu | What you will bring

Ideal candidate for this role is an experienced Social Worker who has worked in Aotearoa in a similar role a non-governmental organisation (NGO) sector and/or someone who has worked within Oranga Tamariki previously.

• A full, clean, current driver's licence
• Full registration with New Zealand's Social Work Registration Board (SWRB)
• A social worker qualification recognised by the SWRB
• Empathy, patience and ability to see past what someone may be struggling with
• Sound judgement and organisational skills
• The ability to manage risk and make tough decisions
• Excellent verbal communication skills with the ability to adapt to your audience
• Great written skills as you will need to write court reports, case notes and other documents
• A positive outlook, supporting nature, team player
• Understanding and appreciation of cross-cultural practices in particular; knowledge of tikanga Māori, and Pacific peoples' culture 

Nōu te rourou | What's in it for you

Oranga Tamariki offer an impartial remuneration package for this position that starts between $74,839.35 to $90,714.36, dependant on experience, 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.