Advanced Youth Practitioner, Youth INtact - Odyssey - Waikato

Youth INtact is a community-based youth alcohol and other drugs (AOD) service working within a Model of Care established by the Waikato District Health Board.  

Delivered by Odyssey, an AOD treatment provider, Youth INtact is a new approach to service delivery for rangatahi/young people with problematic to severe alcohol and/or other drug use – offering easily accessible community based assessment and treatment services that are wraparound, holistic and culturally responsive. 

Odyssey delivers its Youth INtact service for Hamilton, North and Surrounds from its central Hamilton base in Garden Place.  Communities receiving this service are Hamilton, Te Awamutu, Cambridge, Morrinsville, Te Aroha, Matamata, Ngaruawahia, Huntly, Raglan and Te Kauwhata. There are a mixture of school clinics and community-based services, depending on the community needs.

Who are we looking for?

We are seeking a full-time, permanent Advanced Youth Practitioner to join our Youth INtact team for this Monday to Friday position. You will be based at our community service hub in central Hamilton with weekly travel throughout our service area. A registered AOD practitioner, social worker or health professional holding HPCA/NCAC Counsellor status, you will have a NZQA level 7 or higher qualification in a relevant social service field. 

You will have specialist knowledge of the effects related to the misuse of alcohol and other drugs and will have an understanding of mental health issues. You will be competent in engagement, assessment and integrated case management with young people. You will have a sound understanding of cultural norms, practices and traditions, especially with regard to Māori and Pacific communities.

Passionate about working with young people, you will be able to creatively engage and motivate them to work towards goals. You will have experience working effectively with family/whānau and a wide range of people and have excellent facilitation skills. You can demonstrate experience using a client-centered strengths-based approach.

Key responsibilities include:

· Providing youth friendly alcohol and drug clinical assessment, treatment and management of clients/ rangatahi as per Waikato Youth AoD Model of Care to achieve effective client outcomes. 

· Actively assisting team members to deliver effective clinical services by providing advice on clinical decisions using best practice techniques and providing clinical input in multi-disciplinary team forums/case reviews.

· Assisting the Clinical Manager with managing the triage inbox. Responding to referrals and allocating cases to appointed practitioners. 

· Managing caseloads with more complex clients, ensuring regular risk assessment and safety planning.

Odyssey is an equal opportunity employer and a smoke free organisation. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Please note that Police and MSD clearance checks will be required for this role. 

All applicants should include a CV, cover letter and complete the online registration and application forms. For all enquiries please contact Nicola Mooney, P&C Administrator on 09 638 4957 Ext. 727

Closing date: Friday 14th August