Youth Coach - Te Ara Whakamana
Mahi that genuinely changes young lives
Ongoing training & external supervision
Five weeks annual leave
Supportive, kaupapa-driven team
About us:
Kāpiti Youth Support (KYS) is a Youth One Stop Shop and registered charity that's been supporting rangatahi on the Kāpiti Coast for more than 25 years. We provide free integrated primary health, mental health, social support and education services to young people aged 10–24, and we're now one of the largest NGOs in the district – working with over 5,400 rangatahi across five sites.
Our wraparound, mana-enhancing approach keeps the young person at the centre of everything we do. We see each rangatahi as an individual, working alongside them, whānau and community to strengthen belonging, resilience and opportunity.
Our values guide everything we do:
Young Person Centred
Commitment to Quality
Kaupapa of Care
Relationship Focused
Innovation / Thinking Differently
About the role:
KYS recent success in securing a He Poutama contract provides an exciting opportunity for Youth Coaches to join our Te Ara Whakamana team on the Kāpiti Coast.
As a Youth Coach, you'll deliver support to a caseload of rangatahi aged 15–25 living throughout the Kāpiti Coast. Through intensive coaching, mentoring, advocacy and case management, you'll help young people build stability, connection and long-term independence. It's varied, relationship-driven mahi where no two days look the same – and where your support makes a real, lasting difference.
Your responsibilities include:
Building trust with rangatahi and whānau, and supporting eligible participants through referral, enrolment, privacy, consent and day-one confirmation.
Completing holistic assessments covering a wide range of topics, including aspirations, education, wellbeing, culture, and practical barriers and co-designing an Individual Development Plan.
Maintaining regular one-to-one coaching, mentoring, advocacy, motivation, and practical assistance.
Facilitating individual and group programmes in work readiness, communication, literacy, numeracy, digital skills, budgeting, career exploration, CV and interview skills, workplace expectations and self-management.
Coordinating access to services such as transport, identification, banking, driver licensing, health and addiction support, housing, childcare, justice navigation, and cultural connection.
Working with an Employment Broker to identify suitable employment, education or training or pathways, and preparing rangatahi for interviews, workplace visits, and work experience .
Providing individualised post-placement support, identifying risks, agreeing mitigation plans, and supporting rangatahi transition into employment or further training.
Maintaining accurate case notes and records, updating internal systems on time, and supporting collection of rangatahi feedback.
As the successful candidate, you will have:
Relevant qualification in youth work, social work, counselling, education, employment support or a related field, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
Experience working effectively with rangatahi aged 15–24 who face multiple or complex barriers.
Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships, sustain engagement and work inclusively with whānau.
Ability to work as part of a team without direct supervision and committed to delivering a quality service.
Competence in strengths-based, trauma-informed, culturally safe and neurodiversity-affirming practice.
Commitment to practicing holistically, incorporating and working within taiohi's context, which can include family, culture and community work.
Sound assessment, case coordination, risk identification, recordkeeping and digital-system skills.
An understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and equitable service delivery, and the ability to practise from a bi-cultural and multi-cultural perspective.
Knowledge of the Kāpiti community and local support networks is desirable.
Ability to work flexibly across community locations and outside standard hours if required.
A full, clean New Zealand driver's licence.
We pride ourselves on our supportive, kaupapa-driven team culture, and we're looking for someone who shares our values and is genuinely committed to improving outcomes for young people.
Please submit your application and cover letter via seek. Applications close on the 23rd September.
For more information about KYS please visit our website – www.kys.org.nz