Casual Residential Youth Worker - Te Pae Tawhiti Dunedin

Are you looking for a real opportunity to positively influence young people, help them grow and successfully transition back into the community?

Join the team based at Te Pae Tawhiti in Dunedin as a Casual Residential Youth Worker.

Mō mātou | About us

Our tamariki and rangatahi deserve to feel safe, have their voices heard, and be surrounded by loving whānau. At Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children, we're on a journey to ensure that it happens. We are a leading social work practice that is child-centred, trauma-informed, and effective for all cultures. We are a Ministry with a commitment to putting tamariki and rangatahi at the heart of everything we do and say.

Mō te tūnga | About the role

We are looking for positive role models to work with our young people, helping them turn their lives around. To help them achieve this, our Residential Youth Workers, as part of a team, provide daily care and support. They get involved assisting our young people to re-engage with school/vocation, attending appointments, having visits with their family, connecting with peers, and managing themselves within the home. We work to keep our rangatahi connected to the positive influences in their lives - mentors, whānau, work and community-based programmes.

As a Casual Residential Worker you will be required to cover the shifts of our Residential Youth Workers. This is not a 9 to 5 job - our rangatahi require wrap around support from us which is why our Residential Youth Workers do rostered shifts as we provide 24-hour, 7-days per week care (including weekends and public holidays).

Typical duties of the role can involve:

• Coaching rangatahi through our structured day and through all life necessities
• Participating in activities with our rangatahi
• Supporting our rangatahi by helping them with their studies, teaching them life skills such as cooking, art, music and cultural programmes and mentor them to make positive life choices
• Establishing rapport with rangatahi who have experienced trauma and assist with redirecting behaviour
• General housekeeping duties to maintain tidy and safe spaces for young people

Ngā pūmanawatanga ōu | What you will bring:

• Resilience, initiative and a proactive approach with a positive outlook
• Empathy, patience and ability to see past what someone may be struggling with
• A tertiary education within psychology, social sciences, social work, sports, music, arts or teaching (beneficial but not required)
• Life experience and understanding of what rangatahi may be going through
• Flexibility to work different shifts - mornings, evenings, weekends and public holidays. Availability throughout the Christmas and New Year period is desired.
• Experience working with rangatahi and tamariki
• Sound judgement with the ability to manage risk and make tough decisions
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to adapt to your audience
• Understanding and confidence in tikanga Māori and te reo Māori

In 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:

This position pays $26.00 per hour + 8% holiday pay on hours worked. There is a variety of shifts available as residences operate 24/7.

We offer 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

Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to Apply:

Apply online with your CV and Cover Letter. If you are an Oranga Tamariki employee already, please ensure you register or login using your work email address. For reporting and transparency, it is important that all applications are submitted through our careers site, please do not email through applications and/or CVs. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Info_recruit@ot.govt.nz

Applications Close: Midnight Thursday 3 December 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 expectations for our kaimahi and requires you to present at work free from the influences of both drugs and alcohol.