Community Karitane, Plunket Kaiāwhina & Pacific Community Karitane

Community Karitane, Pacific Community Karitane and Plunket Kaiāwhina are qualified health workers who work alongside Plunket Nurses and volunteers to deliver services and support to parents and families in the community.

The have completed a National Certificate in Tamariki Ora – Well Child Services (Level 4) course approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

Community Karitane

Community Karitane offer support to families with children under the age of five, and provide information on parenting issues such as breastfeeding, infant nutrition, sleeping and child behaviour.

As a Community Karitane, you will:

• work from a health promotion model
• promote and support family and whānau independence
• support families to make informed choices for children
• report and share health information for health gain.

Community Karitane work with families and whānau in their homes, at Plunket premises, Plunket Family Centres, or mobile clinics. Parenting courses offer families further chances to receive support from Community Karitane in a friendly, informal setting.

Pacific Community Karitane

Pacific Community Karitane have strong links with the Pacific community in which they work.

By focusing on enhancing Pacific fanaua and family strengths they assist families to achieve positive health outcomes.

Pacific Community Karitane have an understanding of the socio-economic determinants and cultural practices that affect Pacific people’s health and wellbeing. They utilise Pacific models of care, developing or adapting health promotion strategies to ensure that they are acceptable and appropriate to the Pacific communities in which they work.

Plunket Kaiāwhina

Plunket Kaiāwhina are qualified Māori health workers who work in partnership with local iwi, Māori health groups and other community agencies to support whanau.

Plunket Kaiāwhina work with whānau who have children up to the age of five and focus on enhancing whānau strengths and capacity, to reduce health inequalities.

As a Plunket Kaiāwhina, you will:

• create and promote a respectful, positive health environment for whānau
• provide information to support whānau to make informed decisions
• work in partnership with whānau using Māori models of health
• have in depth knowledge of community and Māori tikanga, working collaboratively with other organisations to improve the health and wellbeing of whānau and tamariki.