Mental Health Social Worker - Waikato Region

About this role

'Ki te wātea te hinengaro, me te kaha rere o te wairua, ka tāea ngā mea katoa” 

‘When the mind is free and the spirit is willing, anything is possible' - Ngapo Wehi. 

Hikitia describes a collection of mental health and additions services in the Waikato region across our three prisons: Waikeria, Tongariro and Springhill Corrections Facility. Hikitia has been designed to address the over-representation of prisoners with mental health and addictions issues and is the first of its kind in New Zealand. It will provide multi-treatment mental health and addictions services, within the prison environment.

Ngā kawenga | About the roles

We are looking for Social Workers to join our teams at Waikeria and Tongariro, focusing on Hauora Hinengaro (Mental Health). You will play a vital role in delivering evidence-based mental health interventions for vulnerable people in our care. Your responsibilities within the broader multidisciplinary team involve conducting holistic assessments and implementing safe and effective interventions that enhance mental well-being.

This fresh opportunity is well-suited to Social Worker who displays a strong dedication to culturally sensitive practices and collaboration within an MDT that includes custodial and other health services. Your responsibilities include developing long-term plans and interventions for individuals dealing with various complex physical and psycho-social needs Our teams are fully committed to setting an example of expert clinical excellence while emphasising Humanising and Healing principles – treating all individuals in our care, as well as their whānau, with the utmost respect for their human dignity and inherent mana. Your enthusiasm for promoting comprehensive, recovery-oriented health services within the prison environment, including incorporating kaupapa Māori practices aligned with Hokāi Rangi, will drive your contributions. 

Collectively, we are dedicated to delivering culturally safe practices and approaches for those in our care. This involves acknowledging their intricate and interconnected histories of severe trauma, mental health challenges, substance use, unhealthy relationships, and socio-economic factors, which often contribute to their involvement in offending.

He kōrero mōu | About you 

We welcome applications from qualified candidates who can demonstrate a strong alignment with our values and mission. The selection panel will assess your cover letter for evidence of meeting the lead requirements, including being either a registered Occupational Therapist in New Zealand with a current practising certificate, or a Social Worker with a qualification recognised by the Social Workers Registration Board New Zealand. For either discipline, we prefer candidates holding a post-graduate degree in mental health or related field, capable of conducting mental health assessments, case formulations, and treatments based on evidence-based best practices in a Correctional setting.

Candidates should possess robust experience in mental health practices such as community, acute, forensic care, or recovery and rehabilitation, along with knowledge of mental health models such as the recovery model, and risk assessment. Additionally, candidates should be proficient in operating within a Māori cultural setting, understanding Te Tiriti and its implications for health and wellbeing. Strong interpersonal skills, relationship-building abilities, and collaborative aptitude are essential, along with the capacity to adapt behaviour to diverse situations and individuals, and effectively manage difficult circumstances. 

Utu ā-tau | Salary 

The full salary range is $82,886  – $102,194. Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role. 

Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections) Health Services lead the delivery of patient-focused primary health care services to tangata within corrections facilities across Aotearoa. Hōkai Rangi, our over-arching strategic direction, places the focus on health at the heart of our business. Building our frameworks from a Mātauranga Māori basis is our focus to drive and support equity for Māori, which in turn will contribute to achieving our outcomes of reducing reoffending. 

You can find out more about us here. 

Mō mātou | About us

Join Ara Poutama Aotearoa - Department of Corrections, where your work will contribute to improving public safety, reducing re-offending, and address the overrepresentation of Māori in correctional facilities. As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship), and whānau (relationships) to guide our work and achieve the goals of our Hōkai Rangi strategy.

We value inclusion and diversity in our workforce, and as a Public Service organisation we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the public we serve. We strive to make our recruitment process fair, and we encourage you to discuss reasonable accommodations with us if required.

About Waikeria; a new 500-bed facility at Waikeria Prison, with an additional 100-bed dedicated mental health and addiction service. The new facility represents a step forward to realising our organisational strategy Hōkai Rangi. The new facility will feature more spaces for whānau interaction than seen in any of our prisons to date. Multiple visits facilities combined with greater use of technology to promote contact between prisoners and their whānau will help support their reintegration with the community. Hikitia, the new mental health and addiction service based from the new facility, will be the first of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand. We are working in partnership with mana whenua Raukawa and Ngāti Maniapoto, Te Whatu Ora Waikato and Te Aka Whai Ora, and the Waikato District Health Board to design a Māori model of care, inclusive of evidence-based practice.

Tono ināianei | Apply Now

To submit an application and view the position description, click the apply link. All applications must be submitted through our careers site to ensure transparency – applications received via email will not be considered.

Applications Close 11pm Sunday, 22nd February 2026. 

Please apply and describe your motivation for joining the department, highlighting relevant skills and experience. Please include a tailored CV or Cover Letter if you have one. Alignment to our Kaupapa is critical to our success - we ask that you provide examples that reflect and demonstrate our organisation values.  

Ara Poutama Aotearoa values diversity in our workforce, and as a Public Service organisation we are committed to building a workforce which reflects the public we serve. We strive to make our recruitment process fair and inclusive, and we encourage you to discuss reasonable accommodations with us if required. 

If you want to find out more about a career with us visit our careers page or email our team at MahiWaikeria@corrections.govt.nz.