Lived Experience Advisor - Māori

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Location:  Kenepuru Hospital

Contract:   Permanent, Part Time 0.8 FTE

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is dedicated to serving all New Zealanders. Through integration and collaboration, we - re building a health system underpinned by partnership, equity, sustainability, whānau-centred care, and excellence. 

About the Role 

Are you passionate about mental health and addiction? Have you used adult mental health and addiction services? Would you like to use your lived experience to make a difference? If the answer is yes, then we'd like to hear from you.

We are looking for a skilled and passionate individual to work across all our services with a focus on systemic issues related to the needs and concerns of tāngata whai ora Māori and their whānau.

Lived Experience Advisors are people with lived experience of mental distress and/or addiction and recovery. They have experience of accessing secondary (community team) or tertiary (inpatient unit) mental health and/or addiction services and want to use that experience to bring about systemic change. We are system-focused advisors and work in collaboration with MHAIDS to provide a lived experience perspective within the organisation. 

The Lived Experience Advisor - Māori will ensure a Māori lived experience perspective is presented, valued and implemented in decision-making, policy and quality improvement projects. You will be based with the Lived Experience Advisory Team at their Kenepuru Hospital office, but you will regularly attend meetings at MHAIDS services in other locations. The salary for this position at 0.8 FTE is $57,000-$69,000.

The role is 32 hours, 0.8 FTE. However, there is flexibility to start at 3 days a week if necessary and work up to 32 hours.

About the Team/Service 

The Lived Experience Advisory Team is currently a team of seven people based at Kenepuru Hospital and working within inpatient units, youth services, forensic services, addictions services, serious event reviews, our kaupapa Māori service Te Whare Marie, and staff learning and development. The team is part of a larger MHAIDS Lived Experience Team that includes the Director of Lived Experience and Engagement, and three Lived Experience Leads who work within our adult community mental health services across Wairarapa, Hutt Valley, Wellington, Kapiti and Porirua.

About you 

Our ideal candidate:

• Has personal lived experience of accessing secondary (community team) or tertiary (inpatient unit) mental health and/or addiction services and can share appropriate and relevant experiences to influence systemic change.
• Has an understanding of the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and how they apply to the health sector, knowledge of tikanga and Te Reo Māori, and connections with Māori communities.
• Has an understanding of the lived experience and peer workforce, upholds peer values and has an understanding of recovery that is trauma-informed, strengths-based, and wellbeing orientated. 
• Has experience in project, advisory, and group work with diverse groups of people and can work with differences in opinion and move collectively towards a common goal.
• Knows the relevant rights, legislation, policies and standards. E.g. Health and Disability Code of Consumer Rights and can recognise and champion the voices of current tāngata whai ora in quality improvement, service design, and delivery.

Working at Health New Zealand 

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is - the weaving of wellness - . We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand. 

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand are committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations. We embrace diversity and welcome application from all people, including all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and disability. A workforce that is diverse and inclusive means that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We are pro-equity health organisation, with a particular focus on Māori, Pacific Peoples, and the Disability Community. 

How to Apply 

To apply please click - apply now. - All applications must be submitted through our online careers - portal. If you have any questions about the role, please contact shelly.alexander@tewhatuora.govt.nz 

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advertisement.