Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust has come out in support of the Corrections Department's recruitment of Maori into careers within the department. The Trust is working with the Ministry of Social Development and the Department of Corrections to fill some 350 Correction Officer vacancies nationally.
A Corrections Recruitment hui was held in Napier on the 26 July.
The information evening was open to all but targeted local Māori. Recruitment staff and Corrections officers spoke to whānau about the types of jobs that they can do, the recruitment process and what they can expect when working in Prisons. The hui went into overtime due to interest and questions from attendees who came from a range of backgrounds and ages.
Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust CEO Robin Hape says, “It was great to see the response and high attendance at this hui. Our aim is to advocate for increased and secure employment for our people. We all know the statistics and we certainly want to see less of our people in jail cells, but if they are in there then we prefer our Maori people guarding them.
We believe our people can provide the positive role modelling inside the institutions as demonstrated by some of the Officers that presented at the hui. They were people who practiced tikanga in their private lives which they applied in their dealings with prisoners. Providing additional training and support will help get prospective applicants through the process and a cross-agency and Iwi approach is an effective way of supporting Māori into these jobs.”
People interested in corrections careers in Hawkes Bay can contact Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust or go directly to the Frontline Jobs section of the Department of Corrections website.