Youth Justice Resource Worker - Hawkes Bay

Come join a vibrant, supportive Hawkes Bay based Youth Justice team covering both Napier and Hastings Flexibility of casual hours to suit your lifestyle $26 per hour + 8% holiday pay

Do you have a passion for supporting young people to overcome challenges and achieve their potential? Have you guided your own children, whānau members, or young people through life's ups and downs and want to make a meaningful difference in your community? If so, this could be the opportunity for you.

Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children is committed to putting tamariki and rangatahi at the heart of everything we do. We work together to ensure children and young people are safe, strong, connected, and able to thrive in loving whānau and communities. Our values guide us every day:
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. Our purpose is to ensure all tamariki are supported to grow up safe, loved, and connected, with every opportunity to flourish.

This role is part of a casual pool of Resource Workers who provide flexible support to our Youth Justice team on an as-needed basis. No two days are the same. You could be helping a young person navigate a challenging situation, supporting whānau connections, or assisting Social Workers with a range of youth-focused activities.

Key responsibilities may include:

• Building positive relationships with tamariki and rangatahi through one-to-one support and mentoring
• Providing supervision and support at Youth Court, community appointments, access visits, and activities
• Transporting young people safely to appointments, programmes, court appearances, and placements
• Acting as a positive role model while supporting young people to achieve agreed goals
• Providing emotional support and encouragement during difficult or uncertain times
• Maintaining accurate records and communicating effectively with Social Workers and the wider team
• Supporting Youth Justice Social Workers with day-to-day activities and programmes

This is meaningful work where your life experience, resilience, and ability to connect with young people can make a genuine difference.

• A genuine passion for working with and supporting tamariki and rangatahi
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Experience in caregiving, youth work, social services, community support, coaching, mentoring, or similar environments
• The ability to remain calm, professional, and supportive in challenging situations
• Positive role-modelling and sound judgement
• Respect for confidentiality and the ability to maintain professional boundaries
• An understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures, particularly tikanga Māori and Pacific communities
• A full, clean New Zealand Driver Licence
• Flexibility to work casual hours, including evenings, weekends, and public holidays when required

You’ll enjoy:

• Being part of a welcoming and supportive Youth Justice team
• Flexible casual work arrangements
• Opportunities to develop specialist skills and experience working with rangatahi
• Ongoing training and professional development
• A workplace committed to inclusion, diversity, and wellbeing
• The chance to make a positive impact in the lives of tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau
• The hourly rate for this casual position is $26 per hour plus 8% holiday pay.

Applications close: 12 November 2026

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.