The Christchurch East and Central Attendance Service Consortium (ECAS) is a collaboration between Te Ora Hou Ōtautahi, Te Rūnanga o Ngā Maata Waka, ACTIS, Te Tahi Youth, and He Toki Māori Trades Training. Together, we deliver a consistent and culturally grounded attendance service that supports rangatahi, whānau, and schools across the region.
Te Ora Hou Ōtautahi is a kaupapa Māori, faith-based youth and community development organisation committed to strengthening whānau and hapori across Ōtautahi. Our rōpū is diverse, passionate, and whānau-friendly, made up of kaimahi who are dedicated to walking alongside rangatahi and whānau in ways that uphold mana, whakapapa, and self-determination, and to outwork Te Mauri and TOHATOHA collectively and individually.
We are seeking an Attendance Navigator to join our ECAS team. In this role, you will support rangatahi engagement, help them navigate challenges, and foster pathways for success while maintaining strong relationships with whānau, schools, and the wider community. You will assist rangatahi to re-engage meaningfully with education and strengthen the connections between schools, whānau, and community, contributing to the wider mahi of Te Ora Hou Ōtautahi.
About the Role
The Attendance Navigator plays a central role in improving attendance across East and Central Ōtautahi. This mahi aligns with the Ministry of Education’s national Attendance Service model, which focuses on personalised case management, understanding and responding to barriers, culturally grounded engagement with Māori and Pasifika, strong relationships with schools and whānau, and compassionate, strengths-based support.
You will work with rangatahi who are perpetually absent or non-enrolled from mainstream schooling, supporting them and their whānau to overcome barriers, rebuild confidence, and reconnect with education or training pathways. This mahi is rewarding and sometimes challenging, requiring consistency, humour, patience, and genuine care for those who have not always felt supported by the systems around them.
This position sits within Te Ora Hou Ōtautahi and reflects a kaupapa Māori framework that honours mana motuhake, whakapapa connections, and whānau-led solutions.
What You Will Be Doing
• Supporting rangatahi and their whānau to re-engage in education
• Working closely with schools, kura, whānau, and community partners
• Identifying attendance barriers and helping implement community-based solutions
• Facilitating whānau-led planning such as PATH or Personal Attendance Plans
• Strengthening cultural identity and whakapapa connections where appropriate
• Building trusted relationships with Māori, Pasifika, and wider community networks
• Keeping accurate records and contributing to reporting and pūrākau of change
• Practising in a restorative, fair, and mana-enhancing way
What You Will Bring
• A passion for education, rangatahi development, and community wellbeing
• Confidence working alongside schools and educational communities
• Strong communication, listening, and teamwork skills
• The ability to build and maintain empowering relationships with Māori, Pasifika, and whānau
• An understanding of current issues impacting rangatahi attendance
• Familiarity with restorative practice with a firm, fair, and understanding approach
• Alignment with the Mauri and values of Te Ora Hou Ōtautahi
• A background in youth work, social work, or community development is helpful but not essential.
Requirements
• Full New Zealand driver licence
• New Zealand residency or a valid New Zealand work visa
• Consent to police vetting
This role is based in Christchurch and works directly with local schools and whānau.
If you are looking for meaningful mahi and want to join a rōpū committed to positive transformation in our communities, we would love to hear from you.
