Māori Mental Health Practitioner

Contribute to enhancing the oranga of those in our care
- Based at Mt Eden Corrections Facility
- Salary range: $60,606 to $80,716 with additional benefits

'Kotahi anō te kaupapa, ko te oranga o te iwi' - ‘There is only one purpose to our work: the wellness and wellbeing of our people'.
Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections) Health Services lead the delivery of patient-focused health care services to those within corrections facilities across Aotearoa. Hōkai Rangi, our over-arching strategic direction, places the focus on health at the heart of our business.
Mō te tūnga | About the role
As part of Ara Poutama Aotearoa's commitment to transformational change at Mt Eden Corrections Facility, we are seeking a Kairuruku Hinengaro - Māori Mental Health Practitioner to join our supportive and multi-disciplinary mental health team.
As a Kairuruku Hinengaro, you play a pivotal role working in partnership with the Intervention and Support Practice Team, who are dedicated to providing high quality mental health support and treatment to the most vulnerable in our care.
Key components of the role will be assessing the “oranga” needs of those in our care from a whakapapa, hinengaro, wairua, and well-being perspective. You will provide effective caseload management, cultural triage, assessment, and evidence informed treatments that align to mana whenua best practice. A crucial aspect of your role with be to provide cultural support, advise and coordination of Māori initiative and operations to enhance the well-being of those in our care.
This opportunity will suit a Kairuruku Hinengaro - Māori Mental Health Practitioner who demonstrates a strong commitment to mentoring culturally safe practice and partnership. Utilising skills of te reo me ona tikanga, mātauranga Māori and rongo Māori to enhance the effectiveness of services provided to those in our care. Our teams are committed to modelling expert practice and ensure a strong focus on the principles of Hōkai rangi, Humanising and Healing - respecting the human dignity and inherent mana of all in our care, and their whānau.
Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience
- Experience and knowledge in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga
- Grounded knowledge of mātauranga Māori
- An in-depth understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and how it relates to health well-being and equity
- An understanding of the impact of colonisation on health and wellbeing
- Knowledge of indigenous methodologies and health models
- Experience of working effectively within a kaupapa Māori environment, and commitment to on-going personal development in this area
- Broad knowledge of mental health within a holistic view
- Experience of working with people presenting with acute and complex mental health and/or addiction issues
- An understanding of trauma informed care and experience in working with people who have experienced complex trauma
- Effective facilitation and negotiation skills in an individual or group setting
- Knowledge of the Mental Health Act and National Mental Health Sector Standards
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical information clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical members

Utu ā-tau | Salary
The salary range is $60,606 to $80,716. Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.
On top of your base salary, we also offer paid professional development, and paid external study to help you advance your knowledge and career path with us. As a part of the Ara Poutama whānau we also have a multitude of staff benefits for you to utilise and encourage you to join our many rōpū.
Ko wai mātou | About us
Ara Poutama Aotearoa is a name that has been gifted to us and is our commitment to improving the oranga and safety of the people, whānau, and that of the communities we serve across the motu.
To apply, please submit a tailored CV and a cover letter describing your motivation for joining the department highlighting relevant skills and experience. Alignment to our kaupapa is critical to our success - we ask that you provide examples which reflect and demonstrate our organisation values.