Pou Tuitui - Practice Lead

The Christchurch East Central Attendance Service (ECAS) Consortium – comprising of:

Te Ora Hou Ōtautahi (Lead Provider), Te Rūnanga o Ngā Maata Waka (TRoNMW), Aranui Community Trust Incorporated Society (ACTIS), and Te Tahi Youth - has formed a unified collective to deliver a high-quality attendance service that is consistent, culturally grounded, and responsive to the needs of tamariki, rangatahi, whānau, and schools across the Christchurch East Central catchment area.

Te Ora Hou Ōtautahi is kaupapa Māori faith-based community and youth development organisation with a strong community development focus. We are a whānau-friendly, dynamic organisation made up of a passionate, fun and diverse group of youth workers, health, community, and social workers committed to serving young people and whānau within our communities.

The ECAS Pou Tuitui | Practice Lead plays a central role in supporting tamariki and rangatahi to re-engage meaningfully in education across East and Central Ōtautahi. As part of the ECAS collective, the Practice Lead supports our service throughout this catchment.

This role reflects the Ministry of Education’s national Attendance Service model, which emphasises:

• Personalised case management, not punitive responses

• Understanding and addressing attendance barriers

• Culturally responsive engagement with Māori and Pasifika

• Strong relationships with whānau, schools, communities, and social agencies

• A shift away from “truancy language” toward compassionate, strengths-based support

Drawing on proven experience of what we know in supporting rangatahi and whānau to re-engage with education, the Pou Tuitui | Practice Lead supports Attendance Navigators and other frontline ECAS staff to strengthen their practice through shared learning, reflection, and kaupapa-aligned ways of working. The focus is practice quality and coherence across ECAS — frontline delivery and safeguarding responsibilities remain with individual providers.

This position sits within Te Ora Hou Ōtautahi and reflects a kaupapa Māori framework that upholds mana motuhake, whakapapa connections, and whānau-led solutions.

The skills we are looking for:

• Experienced leader (5+ years) in education, youth, social services or kaupapa Māori settings

• Deep understanding of attendance drivers, education sector systems, and whānau-led approaches

• Knowledgeable in data systems, Case Management systems, and insights-driven service design and delivery

• A deep understanding of and a passion for education, youth, and community development.

• An ability to work closely with schools.

• A self-starter with excellent strategic thinking, communication, listening, and teamwork skills.

• An ability to forge and maintain empowering partnerships and relationships particularly with Māori, Pasifika, and educational communities.

• A good understanding of current educational initiatives to improve achievement.

• A good grasp of current issues in education and community impacting on students and their attendance.

• An ability to forge and maintain excellent working relationships with key partners

• An understanding of restorative practice and the ability to be firm fair and understanding.

• A strong commitment and alignment to the Mauri (values) of Te Ora Hou.

This work would suit someone with a background in education and in working in community with students and whānau.

The position is based in Christchurch, working with ECAS kaimahi and Christchurch families and schools. Applicants will need a current full driver's licence, and NZ residency or a valid NZ work permit.

If you are looking for a new challenge and have a desire to work with people who are passionately working to support positive transformation in our communities then please apply now.

Applications close 31st August 2026 - Applications will be reviewed as they are received