Permanent and Casual Residential Youth Workers Palmerston Northat Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children -
Are you looking for a rewarding career working with youth? We are looking for empathetic, resilient and honest people interested in applying their skills and experience to supporting the wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi in the youth justice system.
We currently have opportunities for Permanent and Casual Youth Workers at Te au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice Residence in Palmerston North!Mō mātou | About us Te au rere a te Tonga (TARRAT) is one of five Youth Justice residences across Aotearoa New Zealand run by Oranga Tamariki- Ministry for Children.
Located in in Palmerston North, TARRAT provides a safe, secure and supportive environment where rangatahi (young people) who have offended can make changes and get their lives back on track.
We provide 24/7 support and care for up to rangatahi aged 13 to 18 years old who are involved in the Youth Justice system and we understand that the causes of offending are complex, and that successfully dealing with young offenders demands action beyond simple punitive measures.
Mō te tūnga | About the role Residential Youth Workers provide rangatahi with the confidence and skills to become positive contributors to their whānau and communities.Guiding behavioural change is a massive task and means our kaimahi have many responsibilities, including: Ensuring that a safe and secure environment is maintained for the benefit of the rangatahi, staff and the community Supporting young offenders in their personal growth and rehabilitation with a focus on health, education, training and employment including participation in activities Working with rangatahi to help them build and strengthen relationships with their whānau and communities and encouraging them to act on referrals to servicesA Youth Justice residence is a 24/7 operation, and requires staffing at all times.Permanent, full time Residential Youth Workers work a three weekly roster pattern of AM and PM shifts, this includes working some weekends and public holidays.
Casual Residential Youth Workers cover the shifts of our Residential Youth Workers on an on call basis.They can be asked to work any day of the week from Monday to Sunday, including public holidays.
Ngā pūmanawatanga ōu | What you will bring We value our kaimahi and the wide range of skills and experiences they have.
We want to hear from you if you have: The ability to build positive relationships with a wide range of people whether it be through your experience in customer service, coaching, engaging in your community or experience working with rangatahi in positive and proactive ways Studied psychology, social sciences, social work, sports, arts or teaching and you want to bring those learnings to life in meaningful way by applying your skills to rangatahi in need of your help every day (beneficial but not required).
Life learnings are equally important and we value the life experience of our staff bring to this practical and challenging role.Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to work with others and contribute to a supportive and inclusive team.
Knowledge of Tikanga and Te Reo which is an advantage- Oranga Tamariki is committed to developing our kaimahi to develop this important capability.
Willingness and ability to work across a roster or cover shifts that covers mornings, evenings, weekends and public holidays An appropriate level of physical fitness that will allow you to safely support and interact with rangatahiIn this role you need to have the right to work in New Zealand, either as a NZ citizen or permanent resident, or by holding a valid work visa.
You also need to have a full, clean New Zealand driver's license as you will be required to drive as part of your job.You will also need to be able to meet the safety checking and police vetting requirements required under the Children's Act.
Nōu te rourou | What's in it for you We are committed to ensuring that our kaimahi have the best possible preparation and support to prepare them to work in our unique environment
- this includes a paid three week training period to start off in the role for ALL youth workers.Annual remuneration for Permanent Residential Youth Workers starts between approximately $57,760 and $65,334 (depending on your experience).
On top of this, we also apply a 20% allowance to your base remuneration for working shifts on a rostered pattern.
The 20% allowance is applied once you have completed your initial training and are placed onto a rotating roster that covers days, evenings and weekends.Base remuneration plus the 20% allowance works out to be between $69,312 and $78,400 (depending on your experience).Casual Residential Youth Workers are offered $26.00 per hour + 8% holiday pay on hours worked.Oranga Tamariki offer a step-based remuneration package, that offers progression annually for experience through tenure.
We offer a vibrant and supportive team, flexible work options and a genuine commitment to wellbeing.We offer significant training and professional development so that you can thrive and grow.
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.
To see all the benefits of working for Oranga Tamariki, please visit https://mahi.orangatamariki.govt.nz/working-with-us/employee-benefits/Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to Apply Apply online with your CV and Covering Letter.
If you are an Oranga Tamariki employee already, please ensure you apply using your Oranga Tamariki email address on our online Careers portal.
If you have any questions about role, please contact Info_recruit@ot.govt.nz Applications for these roles close at midnight Wednesday 4 February 2026!
We will be reviewing applications and inviting candidates to interview prior to this date, so apply now!
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 expecations for our kaimahi and requires you to present at work free from the influences of both drugs and alcohol.