Occupational Therapist - Waikeria Prison

Occupational Therapist Position at Waikeria

When the mind is free and the spirit is willing, anything is possible - Ngapo Wehi. Hikitia describes a collection of mental health and addiction services in the Waikato region across three prisons: Waikeria, Tongariro, and Springhill Corrections Facility. Hikitia is 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 addiction services within the prison environment.

We are looking for Occupational Therapists to join our team at Waikeria, 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 Occupational Therapists who display 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 emphasizing 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.

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.

The full salary range is $70,956 - $91,307. Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.

Join Ara Poutama Aotearoa - Department of Corrections, where your work will contribute to improving public safety, reducing re-offending, and addressing 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.

To apply, submit your application and view the position description through our careers site to ensure transparency - applications received via email will not be considered. Applications close 11pm Saturday, 10th October 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.