Youth Justice Youth Worker

Do you want the chance to make a difference one moment, milestone and interaction at a time? Are you interested in helping tamariki develop the skills they need to be meaningful contributors to their whānau & 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 permanent position available
• Based at our Whakatane site

What is a Youth Worker?

A Youth Worker works in Oranga Tamariki's Youth Justice Residences, Care & Protection Residences, Care & Protection Group Homes, and other residential facilities that provide care and support to youth offenders and/or at-risk tamariki and rangatahi.

The starting salary for a permanent, full time Youth Worker is between $57,760 - $65,334

Mō te tūnga | About the role

We are looking for positive role models to work with our rangatahi, helping them turn their lives around. To help them achieve this, our Residential Youth Workers, as part of a team, provide daily care and support. They get involved assisting our rangatahi to re-engage with school/vocation, attending appointments, having visits with their family, connecting with peers, and managing themselves within the home. We work to keep our rangatahi connected to the positive influences in their lives - mentors, whānau, work and community-based programmes.

Typical duties of the role can involve:

• Coaching rangatahi through our structured day and through all life necessities
• Participating in activities with our rangatahi
• Supporting our rangatahi by helping them with their studies, teaching them life skills such as cooking, art, music and cultural programmes and mentor them to make positive life choices
• Establishing rapport with rangatahi who have experienced trauma and assist with redirecting behaviour

Ngā pūmanawatanga ōu | What you will bring

• 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 New Zealand driver's license.
• Meet the Children's Act safety checking and our vetting requirements, including the right to work in New Zealand.
• Flexibility to work different shifts - mornings, evenings, weekends and public holidays.

Nōu te rourou | What's in it for you.

Our Youth Workers receive full-time, on the job paid training. We are committed to ensuring that our kaimahi have the best possible preparation and support to prepare them to work in our unique environment.

We also provide ongoing development for our people. Oranga Tamariki is an organisation with great career development opportunities, in meaningful lines of work. A lot of our leadership team started with us as Youth Workers themselves.

Oranga Tamariki offer an impartial remuneration package, that offers progression annually for experience through tenure. We welcome diversity and are committed to working in an inclusive and respectful way.

Mō mātou | About us

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

We are committed to ensuring that 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.

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.

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

Hurry as applications close June 1st 2026. However we will be reviewing CVs and interviewing as we go so get your applications in today as we will close the role early if the preferred candidate is found

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.