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Due to the expansion of our school attendance services under a new Ministry of Education contract, we are growing our team and seeking a Kaiawhina Attendance – Youth Advocate. 

The Attendance Youth Advocate role supports tamariki and rangatahi aged five to 15 years old by working directly with and walking alongside the young person, with the aim of supporting them back onto education pathways. 

This position is 26 hours per week, based in Ashburton. It has two aspects: 20 hours within our Attendance Service, and 6 hours supporting the coordination of our popular CACTUS after-school adventure programme. 

CACTUS delivers fun, challenging activities for young people, including three weekend camps each year and a five-day adventure camp in January. 

Applicants should: 

• Have well-developed verbal communication skills with young people and their families 
• Have well-developed written communication 
• Be able to work within, and have clear boundaries 
• Be able to maintain a high level of confidentiality 
• Be sensitive to, and accommodating of, cultural and individual differences 
• Have the ability to develop effective relationships with schools and agencies 
• Have a passion for supporting young people and a belief in the high value of young people being engaged in education and extracurricular activities 
• Have a level of physical fitness enabling them to join in on all aspects of physical activity that CACTUS participants are required to complete 
• Be willing to step outside of the usual duties to assist colleagues, respond to service needs, or ensure continuity of care. Flexibility, initiative, and a willingness to “step up” and offer help where needed are essential aspects of being part of our team. 

Applicants would need to be available 5 days per week during school terms, starting by 8:30 each morning, with greater flexibility during school holidays. This is an exciting opportunity to make a real and significant difference to the lives of young people in our community. 

Applications close Sunday 4th January 2026 

To download the job description and application form please go to the Careers section of our website: www.safer.org.nz/careers.

For further information, please contact Rachael at 
info@safer.org.nz or on 03 308 1395.

We offer a fun, family-friendly, and flexible work environment.