Pou Ora | Health Improvement Practitioner

Pou Ora (Health Improvement Practitioner)

Rito Tuatahi | Early Years Health Services | Waikato Region

Support tamariki and whaanau to thrive through early intervention, wellbeing support and integrated care.

We are seeking a passionate and experienced Pou Ora (Health Improvement Practitioner) to join our growing Early Years Health Services team.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of tamariki and whaanau by providing brief, evidence-based interventions that support mental health, emotional wellbeing, behaviour change and physical health goals. Working within a kaupapa Maaori environment, you will play a key role in ensuring whaanau receive timely, culturally responsive and coordinated support.

As part of an integrated Early Years team, you will work closely with clinicians, Pou Haapai (Support Workers), Pou Haapai Ora (Health Coaches) and Primary Care teams to help improve health and wellbeing outcomes for whaanau across the Waikato region.

What you'll be doing

In this role you will

• Deliver brief, evidence-based interventions supporting mental health, emotional wellbeing, behavioural and physical health outcomes.
• Work alongside whaanau to identify goals and develop practical strategies for positive change.
• Promote resilience, self-management and healthy behaviour change.
• Support prevention, early intervention and timely access to care.
• Identify risk, complexity or concerns requiring specialist services and facilitate appropriate referrals.
• Collaborate with clinicians, Primary Care teams and wider service providers to support integrated care.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary discussions and coordinated whaanau-centred support planning.
• Maintain high-quality clinical documentation and outcome reporting.
• Support health promotion, prevention initiatives and service development activities.
• This role provides an average of 8-10 brief interventions per day and includes a mix of face-to-face, telephone, online, clinic and community-based engagement.
• Ko wai koe | About you

• You will be a registered health professional who is passionate about improving outcomes for tamariki, whaanau and communities
• Current registration and Annual Practising Certificate in a relevant profession such as psychology, counselling, nursing, occupational therapy or social work.
• Experience in mental health, behavioural health, health improvement or a related field.
• Experience delivering brief, evidence-based interventions within a primary care, community or health setting.
• Strong clinical assessment, intervention and risk identification skills.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities.
• Sound clinical judgement and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
• A commitment to culturally safe, whaanau-centred practice and the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• A full, current New Zealand driver's licence and willingness to travel throughout the rohe as required.
• Experience in kaupapa Maaori services, te ao Maaori, tikanga Maaori, CBT, ACT, motivational interviewing or working with tamariki, rangatahi and whaanau will be highly regarded.
• Moo maatou | About Raukura Hauora o Tainui

At Raukura Hauora o Tainui, our vision is

• Kia whai hua i te toonuitanga
• To pursue the rewards of a thriving and prosperous way of life.
• We deliver kaupapa Maaori health and wellbeing services to people living within the rohe of Tainui waka and are guided by our values:
• Pono me te Tika - Honest and true
• Kia uu - Taking leadership for the wellbeing of others
• Tiakitanga - Protecting, caring for and serving our people
• Kia Kotahi nei - Standing together and drawing on each other's strengths
• Aroha - Treating everyone with love, care and respect.
• We are committed to Waikato Tainui tikanga, culturally safe practice and achieving better outcomes for whaanau through integrated and innovative models of care.
• Join us

If you are passionate about early intervention, integrated care and empowering whaanau to achieve their health and wellbeing goals, we'd love to hear from you.

Bring your clinical expertise, your commitment to equity, and your passion for whaanau wellbeing to a role where you can make a genuine impact every day.