Posted 16 July, 2026
Oranga Rangatahi Social Worker Youth Justice
Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki
Napier City, HKB, NZ
Full Time
Reference: 2ce720a448f15758
Job Description
Work in partnership with whānau hapū/iwi and their community Mō te tūnga| About therole As a Social Worker, you will need to build high-trust and positive relationships with rangatahi. Your mahi will provide rangatahi with the environment, support and services to promote their wellbeing and work to prevent them entering the formal Youth Justice system. We help rangatahi achieve their goals, connect with culture and improve their relationships with whānau hapū/iwi and their community. This is a unique role at our Oranga Rangatahi early intervention programme located in Napier. In this role as a Social Worker within a small team, you will work in partnership with rangatahi, their whānau, Police, and community support services to address the underlying factors that contribute to the risk of offending. This role will provide a real opportunity to positively influence rangatahi, and whānau in your community. Our belief is that in the right environment, with the right people surrounding and nurturing them, any tamariki and rangatahi can, and should flourish. Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children has a commitment to putting tamariki and rangatahi at the heart of what we do. We work to ensure 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. Social work is a rewarding and challenging role but if you have what we are looking for, you could help shape the best outcomes for rangatahi. Key requirements of the role include: A passion for working with youth, connecting, understanding and building relationships to help provide positive outcomes for our rangatahi Strong Social Work assessment and critical thinking skills Excellent relationship building skills Strong written and verbal communication skills A commitment to bi-cultural practice and a culturally responsive approach (including a good Understanding of Tikanga Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi) Social Worker qualification with SWRB Registration and current Annual Practicing Certificate Nōu te rourou | What's in it for you Oranga Tamariki offer a competitive remuneration package, that offers progression annually for experience through tenure. 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 training and development for our people. Oranga Tamariki is an organisation with great career development opportunities, in meaningful lines of work 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. 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. Hurry as applications for this role close on Friday 26th June 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. #J-18808-Ljbffr