Kaupapa Māori Alcohol and Other Drugs Practitioner

**Support positive change in your community**:

- ** A role for an experienced professional**:

- ** Modern working environment with supportive management team**

Our client Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau Hauora are looking for a trustworthy, confidential, well-organised Mental Health Practitioner to join their team. Established in 1995, our client provides quality health, social and education services for all who reside within the rohe of Tuwharetoa Ki Kawerau and Eastern Bay of Plenty.

**He aha te tūnga | About the role**
Managing approximately 15 - 20 caseloads at any one time, the key purpose of the Kaupapa Māori Alcohol and Other Drugs Counsellor role is to ensure that support services are being seamlessly delivered to Uri Haumate (uri) of Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau Hauora by reducing the harm caused by alcohol and drug use, and supporting those with a physical dependency to detoxify safely. Creating plans and strategies to implement, including access to brief interventions for relapse and follow-up and prevention measures that intervene with potential substance abuse are key duties of this role.

**Key responsibilities of the role include**:

- Ensuring the client is fully informed of their rights and involved in decisions
- Successfully implement interventions and strategies that reduce higher level, high needs uri to lower level needs
- Building rapport and working collaboratively with uri haumate to develop goals and strategies to keep uri well
- Identifying and monitoring any health and wellbeing issues
- Working collaboratively with whānau and caregivers to empower and support uri
- Preparing referrals to ensure community-based assessments and treatment services are provided in a timely manner to enhance recovery and reduce the risk of relapse
- Identifying needs and preparing referrals to external agencies for additional services
- Providing awareness of drug and alcohol use through education and health promotion to strengthen uri well-being and resilience
- Completing reporting requirements, ensuring strict client confidentiality
- File management, capture date and update progress details
- Ensuring all documentation is accurate and are managed and filed as per protocol
- A tertiary qualification in Mental Health or equivalent
- Registered DAPAANZ practitioner
- A minimum of three years’ experience, in a similar role performing similar duties
- Strong relationship and network management, able to develop working relationships with uri haumate, whānau, internal and external stakeholders
- Experience working in a kaupapa Māori environment
- Knowledge of TKKH and the Eastern Bay of Plenty Communities
- An in-depth knowledge of how uri and whānau at risk function
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Empathy, showing respect for clients and their whānau journey
- A commitment to safe work practices
- Excellent computer literacy skills, with proficiency in all Microsoft Office functions
- Positive, adaptable to change and resilient
- Willingness to undertake First Aid or other health and safety related training
- Knowledge of Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau tikanga and kawa
- A good understanding of tikanga Māori, competency in Te Reo Māori is desirable

It goes without saying that you will be professional, trustworthy, confidential and have excellent attention to detail. Having strong leadership and vision and respect for diverse backgrounds, cultures and individual values are essential qualities too.

Why Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau Hauora?

With a vision of Ko te noho ōranga o te whānau o te tīnana o te hinengaro o te wairua e tai ai te mauri mō ngā tāngata katoa, Whānau wellbeing is the unity of body mind and spirt the life force for all people and drives what they do.

**RECRUITMENT INFORMATION**

**_Confidentiality assured._