Healthy Active Learning Community Connector - Horowhenua

Purpose

The Horowhenua Healthy Active Learning Community Connector will support schools, kura and communities to identify, plan and implement opportunities for quality play, sport and physical activity experiences for tamariki.

Developing and maintaining strong meaningful relationships with schools, kura and community providers is a critical component of this role. This will enable strong connections with the wider community such as whānau, local health and physical activity providers to ensure a connected and coordinated approach to health and wellbeing outcomes for our tamariki.

The key focus of this role is to advocate for quality school and community play, sport and physical activity experiences through sustainable opportunities and interventions.

What is Healthy Active Learning?

Regional Sports Trusts partner with Sport New Zealand to employ the physical activity workforce that will work with approximately 800 primary and intermediate schools and kura. The physical activity workforce will target tamariki (5-11 year olds), with the following expected outcomes:
• Tamariki are supported to make positive and informed choices about food, nutrition and physical activity.
• Tamariki are supported to develop critical perspectives about food, nutrition and physical activity.
• Tamariki are actively and positively engaged in learning.
• School and kura cultures, environments and processes value and prioritise quality physical activity and
nutrition that meets students’ needs.
• Schools, kura and communities provide access to healthy food and quality physical activity.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

As the Healthy Active Learning Community Connector, you will: Work in partnership with a cluster of Healthy Active Learning schools, kura and their local communities.
Support schools and kura to create an environment that promotes quality play, sport and physical activity.
• Use best practice evidence and insights to challenge traditional behaviours and delivery models to meet the needs of tamariki through relevant and improved play, sport and physical activity opportunities.
• Advocate for and assist in the development of plans and systems that promote opportunities for quality play, sport and physical activity experiences.
• Work with schools, kura and the Healthy Active Learning workforce to ensure Healthy Active Learning remains aligned and connected to schools’ culture, values and priorities.
• Support the planning and implementation of a wide range of opportunities and experiences such as cocurricular and extra-curricular sport and physical activity events or competitions.
• Advise and support effective recruitment, retention and recognition of coaches, officials and managers to support quality play, sport and physical activity opportunities and experiences.
• Advocate for an increase in awareness, knowledge and understanding of time, place and permission to enable quality play opportunities.
• Advocate and support schools and kura to adopt best practice health and safety and risk management protocols.
• Support schools and kura to strengthen their connections with their wider community, including whānau and local health and physical activity providers.
• Support schools and kura to scope, identify and access community resources, assets and providers to add value to quality play, sport and physical activity opportunities.
• Support communities to engage and connect with school and kura to provide quality play, sport and physical activity opportunities.
• Advocate for and support local communities, including territorial authorities, to provide quality play, sport and physical activity opportunities.
• Support schools and kura to be valuable members of a community play system.
• Facilitate the development of and strengthen partnerships between schools, kura and their local community.
• Support engagement with whānau and the wider school community regarding school and kura related activities.
• Assist and empower schools and kura to make well informed decisions when using external providers within their education setting

Teamwork and collaboration

• Positively contribute to, and support the implementation of, Healthy Active Learning.
• Work closely with Healthy Active Learning Advisors to influence and develop an active and healthy school culture.
• Work closely with and connect with, other relevant teams across Sport Manawatu to ensure an integrated approach.
• Work collaboratively with the Healthy Active Learning regional workforce such as the Ministries of Education and Health.

Skills, Experience and Education

As the Healthy Active Learning Community Connector, you will have:
• A relevant tertiary qualification that is related to Community Development, Education and/or Sport and Recreation.
• Experience in planning, coordinating and implementing quality play, sport and physical activity opportunities and experiences for tamaraki.
• Experience in planning, coordinating, prioritising and completing multiple tasks and projects to meet deadlines and produce quality results.
• Experience working with schools and/or kura.
• Knowledge and understanding of the systems, structures and operating models that underpin play, sport and physical activity across Aotearoa.
• Knowledge and understanding of the systems and structures that guide and influence schools and/or kura.
• Knowledge and understanding of how the community sport and education sectors interact to deliver play, sport and physical activity opportunities.
• Knowledge and understanding of the holistic value of play, sport and physical activity and its contribution to the wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi.
• Knowledge of Sport New Zealand’s strategies and approaches.
• Knowledge of the wider social and political context in which Regional Sport Trusts operate.
• Knowledge of, and commitment to, the Treaty of Waitangi and an understanding of what it means to uphold the mana of the Treaty and its principles of partnership, protection and participation.

Applications close at 5pm on Thursday 23rd March 2023. For more information or a copy of the job description, please email michelle.copeman@sportmanawatu.org.nz