Social Interviewer

About the role

Illegal dirt bike riding is an ongoing issue in Ōtara. For a number of years, residents have expressed concern about dangerous riding and its impact on public safety. The NZ Police have contracted Community Think to support the development of a co‐designed, community‐endorsed plan to address the underlying drivers of this behaviour and create more positive pathways for rangatahi in Ōtara. Police acknowledge that this issue cannot be achieved through enforcement alone and that solutions must be grounded in local knowledge, relationships and experience.

To support this co-design process, we are looking for three local people with strong connections to Ōtara to work as ‘social interviewers’ over a six week engagement period. These interviewers will talk to relevant people, groups and organisations in the community to gain a better understanding of the issue from different perspectives, including what an effective response would look like in practice. Insights gathered over this period will feed into an intervention model that provides clarity around safety protocols, activation processes, and how Police will work together with community partners going forward. Engagement activity will range from informal street-level conversations through to more structured kōrero with whānau and community leaders.

Successful applicants will be required to attend a two-day training workshop prior to the six week engagement period. Throughout this period, they will be supported through weekly in-person check-ins with experienced community development coaches, who will provide guidance, supervision and the opportunity to collaboratively refine the process as it unfolds. The contract will conclude with a final workshop in early October to distill and analyse findings from the engagement period for the purpose of informing the final report back to the Police. To be clear, Community Think will be working independently from the Police on this project. 

Who we're looking for

We are looking for people who are:

• well-connected and trusted within the Ōtara community;
• skilled at building rapport and communicating effectively with a range of people in different contexts;
• curious, empathetic listeners with strong cultural competence;
• organised and proactive, with the ability to manage their own time and hit the ground running;
• able to accurately capture information and identify key insights as the project progresses; and
• confident working independently, while also being receptive to feedback.

Experience in community development is an advantage but not required.

What's in it for you

This is a unique opportunity to deepen your involvement in community-led development in Aotearoa. You'll grow your capabilities in relationship-building and facilitation, with support from experienced community development coaches. Most importantly, you'll be working towards a solution that is for and by the community.

The details

Hours: 60 hours over a seven week period
Rate: $40 per hour
Contract: Independent contractor opportunity
Term: 18 August – 2 October 2026
Location: A mix of working remotely and out in the Ōtara community

Applications close at 5pm on 5 August 2026. To apply, please fill in the form here: 

As part of your application, we ask you to submit a short video introducing yourself. In your video, please tell us:

• a little about who you are and what attracts you to this role;
• about your existing community networks in the Ōtara area;
• how you might go about working with relevant stakeholders; and 
• any relevant experience that makes you a good candidate for the role.

Any questions about the role? Get in touch with Lucy at lucy@communitythink.nz.

A FAQ document for the project can also be found below.