Job Description

• Can you offer support to people from a range of backgrounds and cultures?
• Have you got experience providing phone counselling, nursing triage, or holistic need assessment?

• Do you have a completed (or nearly completed) tertiary qualification in counselling, nursing, social work, or a related field?

Kōrero mō te tūranga - About the role

Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington is currently recruiting a Kaiwhakamahereora - Counsellor, Outreach to join our team at Mauri Ora - Student Health and Counselling on a casual basis.

The role of the Kaiwhakamahereora - Counsellor, Outreach is to assist students seeking counselling to access support in a timely and relevant manner. This is achieved through outreach calls to assess their needs, advise on their support options, and help them link appropriate support and resources.

Ō pūmanawa - About you

Key requirements:

• Completed or working towards the completion of a tertiary qualification in a counselling, nursing, social work, or psychology related field.
• Experience providing phone counselling, nursing triage or holistic need assessment.
• Demonstrated understanding of risk assessment.
• Strong active-listening skills and semi-structured interviewing skills.
• Strong relationship development skills, organisational ability and communication skills.
• A high level of professionalism with strong time management, good administrative practice, and attention to detail.
• Commitment to application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in an educational context.
• Demonstrated experience providing support to people from a range of backgrounds and cultures, particularly young adults.
• Proven ability to counsel using an approach that is non-judgemental, flexible, empathic and sensitive to cultural and religious differences and sexual orientation.

Desirable:

• Experience and interest in working with Māori, Pasifika, Gender Diverse and International communities.
• Experience in university/tertiary education or multidisciplinary team.
• Knowledge of the support needs of university students and of equity issues.
• Proven understanding of issues relating to late adolescence and early adulthood.
• Knowledge of The Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021.
• Proven experience using practice management software preferably Indici.

Click here to see further information, including salary details

If this link is not available, click 'apply' to view this on the University careers page.

Close date for vacancy: 11 March 2026.

Contact details for vacancy: If you have any questions regarding this role please get in touch with Emma O’Brien (emma.s.obrien@vuw.ac.nz).

How to apply: Please ensure you are applying for this role directly on our careers page and not via email. Candidates must submit supporting documents along with their resume, such as a cover letter. Applicants who do not have residency or citizenship and require a visa to work at the University must clearly indicate their visa status in their application and understand that if they do not have a current, relevant visa, they will need to secure this independently.

Mō Te Herenga Waka - About Our University

Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington is renowned for its high-quality research and exceptional teaching. We attract people from around the world. Our university campus spans Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington - the creative, scientific and political centre of Aotearoa New Zealand - and our students thrive on the connections we have made here.

Explore the many benefits of working at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. Find out where you fit in our strategic direction and learn more about our research expertise