Hospital Play Specialist

**Hospital Play Specialist (Youth), Starship Children's Health**
- Fixed term (12 months), Part-time role (0.6 FTE/24 hours per week)
- Great professional development opportunity

**Te whiwhinga mahi | The Opportunity**

If you have experience supporting youth under stress, a background in education or youth specific training we would love to hear from you. Play for youth is vital for continued development and learning as well as managing the social and emotional challenges of being in hospital. Play for our rangatahi may look like getting creative, challenging one another to a game, hanging out or relaxing in the youth zone. The Youth focused play specialist facilitates programming in our youth zone as well as some direct 1-1 work with those who need additional support understanding or negotiating their hospital journey. Working with the multi-disciplinary team and offering play based, creative programming for our rangatahi supports a sense of connection and emotional safety.

The primary role of a Hospital Play Specialist (Youth) is to provide a holistic play, recreation and education programme for rangatahi in Hospital. At present, the youth HPS facilitates a drop in space in the youth zone 3 afternoons a week; liaises with the wider HPS team to identify youth who may not be able to access the youth zone, or those that need additional support. The youth zone is a space for creative activities, access to games & IT resources, opportunities to meet others, hang out and relax or explore. As a trusted member of the multi-disciplinary team, the Hospital Play Specialist utilizes developmental and therapeutic play opportunities to promote holistic development and well-being, nourish resilience, and minimize stresses associated with their hospital journey for both the patient and their whānau.

For further information, please refer to the Position Description here

**Nga Pūkenga Motuhake | Important Skills**

Requirements for the role:

- Qualifications in teaching or youth related specialty.
- Registration and certification with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand if applicable
- Experience with youth, 12-18 years old, as a teacher or support worker, preferably within the health or education sectors.
- Eligibility to work towards registration with the Hospital Play Specialist Association Registration Council. (requires a tertiary degree related to the field)

**Ko wai mātou | Our Organisation**

Te Toka Tumai Auckland is part of Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand, the overarching organisation for New Zealand’s National Health Service. We provide health and disability services to more than half a million people living in central Auckland, regional services for Northland and greater Auckland, and specialist national services for the whole of New Zealand. We are committed to upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi and providing culturally safe care. We value role modelling manaakitanga as demonstrated by Ngāti Whātua in the gifting of their whenua on which our hospitals stand.

Starship Child Health is a dedicated paediatric healthcare service and major teaching centre, providing family centred care to neonates, children and young people throughout New Zealand and the South Pacific. Starship is a part of Te Toka Tumai Auckland and is the only comprehensive children’s hospital in New Zealand serving a population of approximately 1 million children.

**He aha ngā painga o tēnei mahi mōu | Why you will enjoy working here**

What we can offer you:

- A unique and rewarding work environment that provides a high level of job satisfaction and is always interesting
- An opportunity to grow both as a person and as a professional

For more information on what we offer, please click here.

**Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply