Registered Social Worker

Fixed term (until December 2026), part time (18.5 hours per week)

• Contribute positively to the student experience, engagement and success
• Deliver culturally safe, clinically effective social work services to a diverse student community
• Support student engagement, wellbeing and success

Mō Tēnei Tūranga Mahi – About the Role

As a Registered Social Worker, you’ll support Ara students to navigate challenges, strengthen wellbeing, and stay engaged with their learning. Based in Timaru, this part time role offers autonomy, flexibility, and the chance to have a real, visible impact within a close knit campus and community. The work sits across social work, wellbeing, and mental health promotion, with a strong emphasis on early intervention and practical support.

In this role you will

• Deliver meaningful, student focused social work
• Provide culturally informed, safe, and clinically effective patient/client assessments
• Develop, coordinate and deliver educational workshops, mental health and wellbeing campaigns and initiatives
• Be involved in promotional events and student orientations to promote the role of social worker service in supporting student success
• Actively build and maintain professional relationships with essential external services and government agencies
• Work flexibly to meet students’ needs in the delivery of social work services
• Contribute to regional student wellbeing priorities
• Participate in data collection, evaluations and planning of services to ensure services are aligned and sufficiently reach the full spectrum of our student community.

You will work independently as the sole Health Centre role at the Timaru campus, while being well supported by local academic staff, student services, and the wider Health Centre team based in Christchurch.

This is a part-time role of 18.5 hours per week. We are flexible on how these hours are worked and open to different working patterns, which we’re happy to discuss at interview.

Ngā Pūkenga Me Ngā Wheako – Skills and Experience

We’re keen to hear from a values-driven Registered Social Worker who motivated to make a real difference in a tertiary education setting. You’ll bring solid professional judgement, warmth, and a genuine interest in supporting students to thrive.

You’ll likely bring:

• Demonstrated experience providing social work services to a diverse range of clients including youth
• Strong assessment, intervention, and crisis response skills
• A good understanding of human development, behaviour, and relationships, including the ability to pick up on what isn’t always said
• The ability to work sensitively and confidentially, while maintaining clear professional boundaries
• Proven experience successfully engaging with students and communities from diverse backgrounds and identities, in particular Māori, Pacific, Youth, Rainbow community, and people with disabilities.
• Working knowledge of child protection legislation and confidentiality requirements
• Enjoys building strong relationships and working collaboratively with external agencies, community groups, and individuals
• Understands the importance of self-care and professional resilience in this type of work
• Confidence in your own judgement and ability to work autonomously
• Is comfortable using Microsoft Office and everyday business systems
• A clean, current NZ driver’s licence

It would be an advantage, but not essential, if you also have:

• Experience in the health field, in particular Mental Health
• A tertiary qualification with a Kaupapa Māori, tikanga Māori, or Pacific focus
• Proficiency in te reo Māori and tikanga, a Pacific language, or an active commitment to developing language and cultural capability
• Knowledge of the education sector, ideally from a Māori or Pacific viewpoint.

Mō Mātou – About us

Ara Institute of Canterbury is the South Island's largest provider of tertiary vocational education, and our Timaru campus is pretty special.

Small class sizes, approachable tutors and a close-knit community make this a place where your work has an immediate impact. Modern facilities include a library and a training restaurant run by hospitality students, all within walking distance of the Timaru city centre and Caroline Bay. A free shuttle from Ashburton and Oamaru keeps the campus well connected across the region.

We offer tangible benefits: income protection for permanent kaimahi over 15 hours, fee discounts on Ara courses for staff, professional development leave and funding, generous leave provisions and an annual Christmas closedown to enjoy time with whanau and friends.

Guided by our values Hono | Connect, Hihiri | Inspire and Aroha | Respect, we're committed to equity, inclusion and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

If you're looking for work that matters, Ara could be your next chapter.

Tono Ināianei - Apply now

We accept applications via our online application system. For any other queries, please email ***email_hidden***.

Rā Katinga - Applications close – 11:59pm, Sunday 21 June 2026

Job Details

Reference #

23414

Posted on

08 Jun 2026

Closes on

21 Jun 2026 23:55

Location(s)

Timaru

Expertise

Business / Corporate , Students Support Services

Job level(s)

Experienced

Work type(s)

Fixed term part-time