Support Worker - Personalised Support Service

Mō mātou | About Hōhepa

Working at Hōhepa, is different from the average, you become part of our community of people, staff, volunteers, and contractors who all have a common goal - helping people to reach their full potential and lead enriched and meaningful lives in a holistic, supportive environment. We are a community leader providing services and support for people living with an intellectual disability to live their best lives and find a valued place in our society. Inspired by Dr Rudolf Steiner’s principles of anthroposophy, we seek to understand each person and situation as unique, not a one size fits all philosophy.

Mō te tūranga | About the Role

Working in the Personalised Support team at Hōhepa, you’ll be based at Melrose Farm, a vibrant day service in Kennedys Bush. At Melrose Farm, we support around 20 enthusiastic young adults in their personal growth. Most have recently finished high school and are excited to take the next steps in expanding their world and developing new skills.

Joining the Personalised Support Team in a day support role means embracing flexibility and a love for continuous learning. We are a collaborative, innovative, and highly motivated team at Melrose Farm, where your personal growth is just as important as the growth of the people you support!

We are looking for someone who is motivated, active, and sees person-centred support as the heart of their approach. A willingness to learn and use gestures, visuals, and adaptive communication tools is important, as some of our attendees use these methods to express their needs and wants.

Many of our people have a diagnosis of autism, so understanding the importance of rhythm and predictability is key to supporting them in living their best lives. Maintaining boundaries, paying attention to detail, and noticing early signs of behaviour change are crucial to ensuring our people feel calm and supported.

If you are looking for a new challenge this could be the opportunity for you!

This position's salary scale is set by pay equity and dependant on qualification level, pays between $23.15 and $28.25 per hour.

Nga kawenga mahi | Role Responsibilities

• Daily tasks include supporting with daily routines while encouraging independence to develop skills and personal growth.
• You will mostly be working in a 2:1 or 1:1 ratio with no day being the same at Melrose Farm, with some days, you may be supporting people to volunteer at local community organisations, supporting someone at the gym, going for walks in nature, or heading to the swimming pool.
• You will have the confidence to support personal cares, cooking, medication administration, and cleaning tasks.
• You will be passionate about supporting and extending people’s ability to access and be part of their wider community.
• You will be supporting our people to establish new social connections within Melrose, Hōhepa and wider community.

Nga haora kua tohua | Rostered hours:

• Monday 9am to 4pm
• Tuesday to Thursday 8:45am to 4pm

Total Hours per fortnight: 57.5

Mō koe | About You

Your aroha and approach is what really matters at Hōhepa – previous experience is not a prerequisite because we provide on-the-job training. You will either be an experienced Support Worker looking for a change or you are simply looking for a career where your enthusiasm and passion for helping others will make a real difference in people’s lives. To thrive in a Support Worker role at Hōhepa you will be:

• Self-motivated, energetic and flexible with a high level of initiative.
• A team player - Work closely with and supporting your colleagues, creating a great team environment.
• A kind nature with a can-do attitude and willingness to learn and continue to develop your skills as a support worker.
• A commitment to upholding the pinciples of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in all aspects of the role.

Nga hua o te mahi ki a Hōhepa | Benefits of working at Hōhepa

At Hōhepa, as part of our team you will:

• Have certainty of hours through fixed rosters
• Enjoy a great person to-staff ratio, allowing for more personalised support
• Work in a fun, friendly and supportive team environment
• Receive ongoing support for your professional and career development
• Support to complete a NZQF Certificate in Health and Wellbeing level, 2, 3 or 4
• Long service leave
• Christchurch City Council Gym and Pool Membership discounts
• Untamed Organic Vegetable discount

Applicants will be progressed as they apply, so if this sounds like you, please apply now!

Applicants must have a NZ full driver’s licence and ability to work in New Zealand.

Please note that the 90-day trial period will apply to any successful applicant who hasn’t previously worked for Hōhepa Canterbury

At Hōhepa the role of a Support Coordinator is what is often referred to in the wider healthcare sector as a Support Worker. We feel that the title Support Coordinator better reflects the nature of the role, which requires working in partnership with the people receiving support to ensure we are achieving our organisation mission of every life fully lived.