Want to work in Addiction Services?
Produced by the Northern Addiction Collaborative, August 2020.
This information will help you decide what type of work you want to do, and what training or qualifications employers prefer.
Type of Roles
Addiction Services employ people in a range of roles. The three most common roles are listed below. Click on them for more information.
Addiction Support Workers work in collaboration with clients, family and whānau providing information, education, skill development and support to assist people to manage their recovery and wellbeing (dapaanz, 2011). Support Workers are usually encouraged to gain a qualification while working, unless they already have one.
Addiction Peer Support Workers use their own experiences of recovery from addiction challenges to support others on this journey. They are encouraged to complete appropriate training and/or a qualification while working, unless they already have one.
Addiction Practitioners are health professionals who are qualified and competent to independently provide the continuum of addiction interventions which includes comprehensive assessment, treatment planning and delivery (dapaanz, 2011). They will need a qualification before being employed and are usually encouraged to become or maintain a professional registration while working.
Finding Addiction Jobs
Jobs in addiction services tend to be advertised in these places:
You can prepare for work in addiction services by:
- Volunteering or doing casual work.
- Being familiar with the Treaty of Waitangi;
- Having a full New Zealand driver’s license;
- Being able to use Microsoft applications, e.g., Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel.
