Job Vacancies
Purapura Whetu empowers people to reach their full potential through personal growth, positive mental health, and wellbeing. We embrace a Māori view of wellbeing and provide clinical and cultural support services to whānau in Canterbury.
Applications for the following positions are sought from suitably qualified candidates to provide high quality services to the whānau we serve.
For further information, please email careers@pw.maori.nz.
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Job Listings:
Kaihautū Kaupapa | Programme Lead
Lead implementation. Build partnerships. Bring the vision to life.
The Kaihautū Kaupapa provides strategic, operational, and relational leadership across He Pikinga Waiora.
This role brings people, priorities, and workstreams together to ensure the initiative remains connected to its kaupapa
while moving confidently from establishment into delivery.
You’ll lead implementation, build strong relationships with partners and stakeholders, coordinate programme activity,
and help navigate the complexity that comes with establishing an innovative new service.
This role will suit someone who enjoys building new initiatives, connecting people, solving complex problems, and leading through collaboration.
You'll bring:
- Experience leading complex programmes, services, or multidisciplinary teams.
- Strong relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills.
- The ability to balance strategic thinking with practical implementation.
- A commitment to kaupapa Māori and whānau-centred practice.
- Confidence leading through change and uncertainty.
You’ll work alongside two other Kaihautū
He Pikinga Waiora operates through a unique three-way collaborative leadership model.
As Programme Lead, you’ll work alongside the Kaihautū Tū Manawa Ora | Practice and Pastoral Lead, who supports integrated practice, kaimahi wellbeing and professional growth, and the Kaihautū Arotake | Quality Lead, who leads evaluation, continuous improvement and organisational learning.
Together, the three Kaihautū share responsibility for the direction, delivery and success of the kaupapa, bringing programme leadership, strong practice and continuous learning together.
Why join He Pikinga Waiora?
You'll be joining more than a new service. You'll be joining a kaupapa that has the potential to influence how integrated, kaupapa Māori support is delivered into the future.
You'll have the opportunity to:
- Be part of the founding leadership team.
- Help establish an innovative kaupapa Māori pilot from the ground up.
- Work collaboratively across two respected Māori organisations.
- Shape a service designed around whānau rather than systems.
- Influence a model with the potential to inform future investment and service delivery across Aotearoa.
- Lead alongside others in a collaborative leadership model where responsibility is shared and success is collective.
Salary is dependent on qualifications and years of experience.
Hours of Work
He Pikinga Waiora operates outside of standard business hours to ensure tamariki, rangatahi and whānau can access support when it suits them best. Kaimahi will work across a rotating roster that includes daytime, evening and Saturday shifts. While individual rosters will be agreed in advance, applicants need to be available to work within the service's operating hours.
Indicative hub operating hours:
Day Operating hours
Monday 12.30pm – 6.00 pm (rostered shifts)
Tuesday – Friday 10.00am – 8.30 pm (rostered shifts)
Saturday 9.30am – 3.30 pm (rostered shifts)
About our partnership
He Pikinga Waiora is delivered in partnership by Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi Trust and Purapura Whetū Trust.
Together we bring decades of experience supporting whānau across Waitaha through kaupapa Māori approaches that strengthen wellbeing, belonging, identity, and opportunity. This partnership combines the strengths of both organisations to deliver a new, integrated model of support that places tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau at the centre.
To find out more about our organisations, please visit our websites https://www.pw.maori.nz/ and https://tepuawaitanga.maori.nz/.
Applications
If you're excited by the opportunity to build something new, work collaboratively, and help shape the future of kaupapa Māori service delivery, we'd love to hear from you.
Position descriptions are available on our websites -
https://tepuawaitanga.maori.nz/job-opportunities/
https://www.pw.maori.nz/job-vacancies/
For further queries on these roles, please contact ronik@tepuawaitanga.maori.nz
Please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining the role you're applying for. Let us know about your key strengths and what attracts you to He Pikinga Waiora. Applications need to be made via our website.
Applications close 18 September, 2026.
We will be reviewing applications as they are received and progressing to interviews quickly. We reserve the right to close advertising early if the position is filled during the advertising period.
After Care Kaimahi
About the role
Working as an Aftercare Kaimahi, you will join a team of clinical, peer support and Mātauranga Māori specialist practitioners providing holistic supports for those navigating recovery and reintegration into community after participating in Men's or Women's Residential programmes at Te Whare Tapuwae o te Mana Tane or He Kete Oranga o te Mana Wahine. You will be part of a dedicated Aftercare team primarily based in the community with residential services at Greers Road, but with some pre-engagement with tangata whaiora in prison, and a valued member of the wider Tū Manawa Ora whānau.
Key responsibilities:
- Work one-to-one or in group facilitation with tangata whaiora from Men's and Women's Residential AOD programmes, enabling support for their recovery and reintegration goals
- Practice in a mana-enhancing, culturally sustaining and trauma-informed way
- Support a team to ensure all plans developed with tangata whaiora are whaiora-led
- Connect tangata whaiora with other agencies and supporters
- Monitor risk and safety for tangata whaiora and within the team
- Proactively build strong effective networks with housing and employment providers
About you:
- Have successfully completed a Level 4 Certificate in Health and Wellbeing or equivalent, or on a pathway to do so
- Have experience and knowledge in working alongside tangata whaiora with offending, AOD mental health and / or trauma challenges
- Have good organisational skills to juggle a busy workload
- Be a strong team player and communicator
- Have a good understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and knowledge of tikanga Māori / te reo
- Have a non-judgmental approach to working with tangata whaiora
About us:
Tū Manawa Ora is a group of programmes and services delivered by Purapura Whetū in partnership with Odyssey House Christchurch for Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections).
We deliver addiction support services and reintegration programmes for tane and wahine in prison and after release in community.
Aftercare for residential services works across both Te Whare Tapuwae o te Mana Tane and He Kete Oranga o te Mana Wahine residential programmes.
Tū Manawa Ora practice is grounded in recognition of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and our shared values, including: Whakawhanaungatanga, Tapu & Noa, Hautoa, Mauri & Wairua, Pouhere, Ūkaipō, Mana and Tiakitanga.
For more information about the role, including key responsibilities and requirements, please refer to the Position Description on our website www.pw.maori.nz/job-vacancies/
Kaitautoko | Support Worker – He Kete Oranga o te Mana Wahine
About the role
Working as a Kaitautoko | Support Worker, you will join the He Kete Oranga o te Mana Wahine team in North Canterbury, providing support for tangata whaiora (clients) navigating recovery from addiction through participating in a residential Alcohol and other Drug (AOD) therapeutic community. He Kete is run by Purapura Whetū and Odyssey House Christchurch, as part of a group of Tū Manawa Ora services focussed on recovery and reintegration supports, funded by Ara Poutama | Department of Corrections and Te Whatu Ora | Health NZ.
Key responsibilities
- Connect with tangata whaiora completing AOD treatment within a residential therapeutic community setting
- Work in a mana enhancing, culturally sustaining and trauma informed way
- Support a team to ensure activities and wellbeing plans are tangata whaiora led
- Monitor risk and safety for all team members, tangata whaiora and any visiting whānau
About you
- Have successfully completed a Level 4 Health and Wellbeing qualification relevant to working with tangata whaiora recovering from addiction and trauma, or on a pathway to complete one
- Have experience and knowledge in working alongside tangata whaiora and whānau with offending, AOD mental health and / or trauma challenges
- Have good organisational skills to juggle a busy workload
- Be a strong team player and communicator
- Have a full, clean Drivers Licence
- Have a good understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, tikanga Māori and te reo Māori
- Be confident in bringing Te Ao Māori and Mātauranga Māori into your practice
- Have a non-judgmental approach to working with tangata whaiora
For more information about the role, including key responsibilities and requirements, please refer to the Position Description on our website www.pw.maori.nz/job-vacancies/
Whanau Worker Clinician - Prisons
About the role
Working as a Whānau Worker, you will join Tū Manawa Ora prison-based addiction support services at Te Aka Tika (Christchurch Men's Prison) and Te Ara Tiaho (Rolleston Men's Prison), to provide support for whānau of tangata whaiora (clients) navigating recovery and reintegration into community.
Key responsibilities
- Connecting with tangata whaiora completing education and reintegration groups within the prisons to inform them of whānau supports available
- Working with whānau in the community of tangata whaiora coming out of prison to develop and deliver relevant supports that are whānau-led
- Working in a mana enhancing, culturally sustaining and trauma informed way
- Supporting a team to ensure reintegration plans are tangata whaiora and whānau led
- Connecting whānau of tangata whaiora with other agencies and supporters
- Monitoring risk and safety for all team members, tangata whaiora and their whānau
- Proactively building strong effective networks within whānau and family supports locally
About you
- Have successfully completed a Level 7 professional qualification relevant to working with whānau (eg. social work, counselling)
- Have a professional registration (eg. registered social worker)
- Have experience and knowledge in working alongside tangata whaiora and whānau with offending, AOD mental health and / or trauma challenges
- Have good organisational skills to juggle a busy workload
- Be a strong team player and communicator
- Have a good understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and knowledge of tikanga Māori / te reo
- Have a non-judgmental approach to working with tangata whaiora
About us
You will be a valued member of the wider Tū Manawa Ora services group, a partnership between Purapura Whetū Trust and Odyssey House Christchurch.
For more information about the role, including key responsibilities and requirements, please refer to the Position Description on our website www.pw.maori.nz/job-vacancies/