Pou Haapai Ora (Health Coach) | Pou Haapai (Support Worker)
Rito Tuatahi | Early Years Health Services | Waikato
Support whaanau to build on their strengths, achieve their goals and navigate their health and wellbeing journey.
We are looking for experienced Pou Haapai Ora (Health Coach) or Pou Haapai (Support Worker) to join our Rito Tuatahi team within Ngaa Ratonga Whare Rito (Early Years Health Services). These are dual-function roles combining health and wellbeing coaching with practical, strengths-based whaanau support, navigation and advocacy.
At the heart of this mahi is building trusted, mana-enhancing relationships with whaanau. You will work alongside whaanau to understand what matters to them, recognise their strengths and aspirations, identify barriers, and develop realistic health and wellbeing goals and practical next steps.
Through coaching conversations, practical support and advocacy, you will encourage confidence, self-management and positive behaviour change, while helping whaanau connect with the health, social, cultural and community services that can support their journey.
What your mahi will look like
In this role you will:
Build trusting, mana-enhancing and culturally responsive relationships with whaanau.
Use strengths-based and whaanau-centred coaching approaches to support whaanau to identify their priorities, aspirations and wellbeing goals.
Help whaanau turn their goals into realistic and achievable actions.
Support whaanau to navigate health, social, cultural, education and community services.
Provide referrals, warm connections and advocacy where required.
Follow up with whaanau to celebrate progress, identify barriers and adapt agreed actions.
Work collaboratively with Pou Ora, clinicians, Pou Haapai Ora | Pou Haapai kaimahi and the wider Early Years team to provide coordinated whaanau-centred care.
Contribute to outreach and community engagement that improves access to health and wellbeing services.
Maintain accurate and timely records of whaanau engagement, goals, referrals and agreed actions.
This mahi takes place across the Waikato region and includes a mixture of face-to-face, telephone, online, clinic, community and home-based engagement.
Ko wai koe | About you
You’ll bring a genuine commitment to working alongside whaanau and an ability to build relationships grounded in trust, respect and manaakitanga.
Ideally, you will bring:
A New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 4) or an equivalent relevant qualification.
Relevant experience in health coaching, health and wellbeing, social services, community services, whaanau support or a related field.
Experience using strengths-based, person-centred or whaanau-centred approaches.
An understanding of health coaching, behaviour change, motivational approaches and self-management support, or a willingness to undertake relevant training.
Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
Strong organisation, time management and problem-solving skills.
The confidence to work independently while being part of a multidisciplinary team.
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 flexibility to travel as required.
Experience working with children and whaanau, within iwi or Maaori health, primary care, community or social services would be an advantage. An understanding of te ao Maaori and tikanga Maaori, knowledge of local services and referral pathways, or experience in health coaching, motivational interviewing and behaviour change would also be valuable.
Moo maatou | About us
Raukura Hauora o Tainui delivers kaupapa Maaori health and wellbeing services to all people living within the rohe of Tainui waka. Our mahi is guided by our vision:
Kia whai hua i te toonuitanga
To pursue the rewards of a thriving and prosperous way of life.
Our values guide how we work with whaanau, our communities and each other:
Pono me te Tika – Honest and true
Kia uu – We preserve and advocate for our rights, taking leadership for the wellbeing of others
Tiakitanga – We protect, take care of and serve our people
Kia Kotahi nei – We stand together as one, drawing on each other’s strengths
Aroha – We treat everyone and ourselves with love, care and respect.
Our practice reflects our commitment to Waikato Tainui tikanga, our ancestral ties to the Kiingitanga and Tainui Waka, and culturally safe, whaanau-centred care.
He aha te mea nui?
If you are passionate about walking alongside whaanau, building on their strengths and helping create meaningful, achievable change, we would love to hear from you.
Come and be part of mahi that puts whaanau at the centre.