Peer Support Worker Corrections

Ko wai matou | Who we are

Waihopai Hauora and Emerge Aotearoa have a shared mission.

Join us as we open the doors of a

brand-new service situated within Otago and Invercargill prison

Our mission is to deliver an innovative matauranga Maori drug and alcohol programme, utilising mana and wairua-enhancing, strengths-based Te Ao Maori practices.

Mo te tunga | About the role

Do you have a complex past involving interactions with authorities, incarceration, or personal struggles with drugs, alcohol, or mental health?

Through tuakana-teina or mentoring relationships, you will be living proof that change is achievable.

In this

brand-new Peer Support Worker role

, you will play a crucial part in supporting individuals in custodial settings who are experiencing substance-related harms.

Utilising mana and wairua-enhancing, strengths-based Te Ao Maori practices, you will work to tungia te ururua—remove old habits—and cultivate new strategies and skills for sustainable recovery.

You will work alongside clinicians, wairua practitioners, peers, and custodial staff, using your facilitation skills to complement and enrich a programme steeped in kawa and tikanga.

In a remand setting, you will support a collaborative effort to provide matauranga Maori-led therapeutic psycho-educational groups and interventions.

Pay Equity Hourly rate $24.97 - $29.83.

If you have the following skills and attributes, you could make a great Peer :

Have lived experience with alcohol / drugs, mental health, or incarceration, and are in active recovery

Are able to look past people's offenses,and focus on their potential

Are a natural leader with mana, trusted and relatable to tane

Understand and value Tikanga Maori and Pacific cultures

Ability to work in values-led, mana and wairua-enhancing ways, demonstrated through language, attitudes, and behaviours

Good communication skills and proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications

Full NZ driver's license

Willingness to undergo criminal conviction and reference checks for approval to work in Otago and Invercargill prison.

• In your cover letter, please include a half-page introduction / biography about yourself and what you have learned from yourown personal experience and your journey to wellbeing.

What value has it added to your life?

Unfortunately, we cannot accept applications if you have not addressed your lived experience.

Ko ta matou mahi | What we offer

Comprehensive leave benefits - 4 weeks of annual leave, 10 days of sick leave from day one, 3 days of wellbeing leave, and 5-10 days of study leave.

Learning, development, and training opportunities

A supportive and collaborative team environment, with a manager who values and celebrates success.

A strong focus on wellbeing and work-life balance, with initiatives to support your personal and professional growth.

This role will be advertised until filled so apply today to make a difference with us!

Whilewe are passionate about creating a diverse and inclusiveorganisation, we areunable to consider applications from anyone who does not currently have the right to legally work in Aotearoa.

2025 Career Video – Health and Disability

Reference # 40471

Posted on 20 Aug 2025

Closes on 19 Sep : 55

Location(s) Dunedin, Invercargill

Expertise Educators / Facilitators, Peer Advocacy, Peer

Job level(s) Graduate (qualified, no experience), Experienced (less than 2 years), Experienced (2 years +)

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