Allied Health Assistant - Bodywise

• Bodywise (Physical Activity Focus)
• Waikato, Hamilton based
• Permanent part-time
• 5 FTE / 20 hours per week

 Join our Bodywise team to support tamariki and whānau to find a lifelong love of being active, confident and connected through movement.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

We are looking for an Allied Health Assistant with a strong physical activity and movement focus to work with families referred to our Bodywise programme. Bodywise is a free whānau-focused healthy lifestyles programme for overweight children aged 5 to 12 years. Our small and enthusiastic team takes a family-based approach and works with parents/caregivers, extended whānau and tamariki to support the family to make healthy lifestyle changes together. The team includes a doctor, psychologist, and dietitian. The Allied Health Assistant plays a key role in leading and delivering the physical activity component of the programme, working alongside this multidisciplinary team towards holistically improving health.

Your work will involve supporting primary school aged tamariki and their whānau to explore the benefits and joy of activity and movement for health. We need a team member who is confident about promoting and facilitating physical activity and who understands why movement is important for children, not only for physical health, but also confidence, wellbeing and long-term engagement.

You will be based in Hamilton, with visits to various community-based locations including homes of tamariki.

You will work closely with health professionals across Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora Waikato, so we are seeking someone who values and understands the importance of collaborative engagement.

You will also be expected to establish and maintain strong connections within the wider community, and to confidently link whānau with local physical activity opportunities and resources.

Key responsibilities:

• Work with whānau to support their tamariki into physical activities within their local communities, encourage active play and movement and support families to be more active together.

Click here to view the position description.

About the Team/Service

Allied Health is a department of the Waikato district that provides Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech & Language Therapy, Dietetic, Audiology & Newborn Hearing screening, Social Work, and Psychology services. Staff within these professions are all involved in direct client care and work in a wide range of situations to improve the health and wellbeing of the people they work with. Their work includes people who are acutely unwell in hospital, or requiring rehabilitation for serious illness or injury, people who have chronic illness or disability and need to improve functional independence and quality of life. Allied Health staff work in partnership with individuals and their family/whānau to facilitate relationships and a smooth journey through the healthcare system.

For more information on living and working in Waikato click here

About you

Qualifications, essential skills and attributes

• Minimum of NCEA level 2 or similar.
• Skilled in delivering support and services to customers.
• Proven ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Skilled in conveying information clearly and professionally.
• Confidence working independently with children and whānau in community settings.
• Competent computer skills.
• Current full, clean New Zealand Drivers Licence.

Desired:

• Working knowledge of Tikanga Māori.
• Experience working with children and their whānau.
• Good working knowledge of community groups, and activities available to tamariki in the Waikato region.
• Previous training, qualifications, or work experience around facilitating group activities, teaching or coaching, sport, recreation, physical activity, sports and exercise science, movement or youth programmes
• A solid understanding of working with children with physical and mental disabilities would be an advantage.

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to Apply

To apply please click Apply online or apply via our Waikato Careers website by clicking here

All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal before 11:59 pm on 24 March 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Kaitlin Basson at Kaitlin.Basson@TeWhatuOra.govt.nz

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