• Are you passionate about the health and wellbeing of our community? 
• Are you ready to make a positive impact on community wellbeing? 
• Working in the Horowhenua and Palmerston North region

About THINK Hauora: 

At THINK Hauora we are committed to enhancing health and wellbeing within all communities, including Māori, Pasifika, Youth, and LGBTQIA+ communities, across our rohe. We value diversity and inclusivity, and we warmly welcome individuals from all walks of life to contribute to our vision of Connecting Communities for Wellbeing.

THINK Hauora is committed to honouring Te Tīriti o Waitangi to improve Hauora outcomes for the communities we serve.

About the Role:

We have an exciting opportunity for a Mātanga Whai Ora (Health Improvement Practitioner) to join the Te Ara Rau Access & Choice team here at THINK Hauora. We offer brief psychological interventions and hauora support to anyone in the MidCentral rohe. This is a full-time fixed term role ending on 30 July 2027. There is potential for this fixed term period to be extended.

Join our team at THINK Hauora as a Health Improvement Practitioner (Matanga Whai Ora) for Te Ara Rau Access & Choice (TARAC). In this role, as part of a collaborative primary health care team you will:

• Provide Brief Psychological Interventions centred primarily on evidence-based practices (e.g. CBT, MI and ACT) within a Stepped Care approach.
• Promote Self-Management Skill Training and other relevant Interventions. 
• Liaise and organise mental health and addiction responses across primary mental health continuum (e.g. other community settings including secondary Mental Health, AOD services).
• Offer a generalist approach to Primary Mental Health (e.g. monitoring of physical and mental health needs for Tangata Whaiora and whānau).
• Co-ordinate access to Packages of Care opportunities where appropriate.
• Work alongside General Practice Teams (GPTs) to provide co-ordination, education and immediate responses to mental health queries.
• Provide access for Tangata Whaiora and whānau to E-therapy and other relevant self-management resources.

Working as a Mātanga Whai Ora offers a busy but incredibly rewarding environment, whereby you will tangibly get to see the difference and positive impacts that you can have on people's lives. You will also work alongside General Practice Teams, Matanga Whai Ora, other Health Coaches and Kaiwhakapuaki Waiora (Health Coaches within Iwi & Māori Organisations) to provide coordination, education and immediate responses to mental health queries. 

Key Qualifications and Responsibilities:

To be considered for this role, you must have:

• An agile and flexible mindset; willing to work in a new way 
• Minimum of two years’ experience in a mental health setting providing brief psychological interventions (i.e. CBT, MI, SFT, ACT/FACT) 
• Be a registered health professional with a current annual practising certificate
• An awareness and understanding of clinical risk
• An understanding of various cultures within the community and ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people and services
• Innovative and pragmatic when problem solving
• A basic understanding of how general practice teams work within primary care
• A demonstrable commitment to and knowledge of Te Tiriti O Waitangi
• A current Drivers license
• Willingness to provide education and training to relevant audiences

Additional training will be provided to support you in this new role. You will also receive ongoing support and mentorship.

At THINK Hauora you will work alongside a diverse team of professionals who are passionate about delivering primary health care to our region and making a positive impact to our communities. Working for THINK Hauora will provide genuine opportunity to contribute to the quality and wellbeing of our rohe.

What we offer

At THINK Hauora you will work alongside a diverse team of professionals who are passionate about delivering primary health care to our region and making a positive impact to our communities. Working for THINK Hauora will provide genuine opportunity to contribute to the quality and wellbeing of our rohe.

Our staff benefits include:

•      Competitive base salary

•      Professional Development opportunities

•      Annual flu vaccinations

•      EAP (employment assistance programme)

•      All staff receive 10 days sick leave per annum after three-months' continuous service

•      We enjoy casual-dress Fridays

To apply for this role, please Apply Now via Seek.

We’ll be reviewing applications as they come in, so please don’t delay…we encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as suitable candidates may be contacted before the listing closes.

In confidence, please contact Claudia Nicholson, Clinical Team Lead - Te Ara Rau Access & Choice on 021 983 263 or Renee Dennis, Clinical Team Lead on 0212207964.

Position Description to be added soon.