Three-day recruitment drive for St John hopes to improve Maori, Pasifika numbers

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Hato Hone St John will soon begin Whakaōrite Whiwhinga Mahi, the organisation’s first region-wide targeted recruitment initiative in Tairāwhiti and the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

St John has partnered with tertiary, local iwi, hapū, whānau and hauora Māori providers, with the mission of ensuring the health workforce better represents the communities they serve.

“The recruitment drive will involve a three-day hīkoi from Opotiki to Gisborne, travelling State Highway 35 and will be set up at either ambulance stations or on marae or local hauora Māori grounds and facilities along the way,” said St John central east district operations manager Jeremy Gooders.

“There will be opportunities to korero with our people about joining St John, and there will be multiple interactive stalls that will showcase the different career opportunities in St John with a strong focus on ambulance careers, both paid and volunteer,” he said.

“We will also have vehicles from our ambulance fleet, including our new Waka Manaaki ambulance, on the hikoi.

“Our arotake hauora health checks initiative will be set up to take blood pressure and glucose, which helps whānau get a better understanding of these vital signs and when they should be seeking help.

“And of course, there will also be information and people to talk to about our paid and volunteer St John careers and pathways as well scholarship opportunities from New Zealand Paramedic Education and Research Charitable Trust.

“We are excited about being able to engage with the communities in this way because we know that improving Māori and Pasifika representation in our workforce by having targeted recruitment initiative is vital,” Mr Gooders said.

“Māori representation in paid ambulance officer positions at Hato Hone St John currently sits around 9.1 percent.

“We’d like to grow this because we know that having tangata whenua who live, know, and love their communities is critical to enabling and advocating for equitable service delivery so this kaupapa has a long-term vision of improving Māori representation within the workforce.

“We also intend to extend this initiative to other parts of the motu in time,” Mr Gooders said.

The three-day recruitment Hikoi will get under way at Te Kura o Whanau a Apanui in Te Kaha on December 4, proceeding round the East Coast to Gisborne, and finishing at Torere Marae in Ōpōtiki on December 6.