Level 1 - Recruitment and baseline knowledge   


SVPP and SVP work requires a unique set of attitudes, skills and knowledge. Passion and a desire to make positive change in communities is a valuable pre-requisite. Tertiary-level academic courses don’t always cover sexual violence as a topic in its own right, and there’s currently no specific formal qualification showing competence to work in the field of sexual violence. This makes identifying and recruiting competent people problematic. Comprehensive recruitment and introductory training programmes will equip staff with the basic capabilities to work safely. Depending on who they’re working with, agencies must comply with all legal requirements (e.g. the Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014[1]).

Capabilities that assist agencies to develop and review their recruitment strategy are:


[1] http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2014/0040/latest/whole.html


Treaty-Based relationships with Tangata Whenua

The recruitment and selection process allows prospective workers/volunteers to demonstrate their:

  • knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its implication for the service

  • commitment to developing better practice in treaty-based relationships

  • awareness of the ongoing impacts of colonisation


Specialist knowledge about the dynamics, impact and prevention of sexual violence

The recruitment and selection process allows prospective workers/volunteers to demonstrate their:

  • understanding of some of the social determinants of sexual violence (e.g. how gendered norms influence sexual scripts)

  • belief that sexual violence is preventable

  • beliefs that people who are harmful to others should be held to account

  • appreciation that victimised people are not to blame


Empowering and collaborative practices

The recruitment and selection process allows prospective workers/volunteers to demonstrate their:

  • understanding of participatory and collaborative facilitation and learning methods, and their value

  • facilitation and/or teaching skills appropriate for engaging the target audience of the SVPP or SVP activities (e.g. with children, youth, people with disabilities) in culturally appropriate ways

  • ability to respond and adapt to the needs of activity participants


The welfare and wellbeing of participants is paramount

The recruitment and selection process allows prospective workers/volunteers to demonstrate their:

  • ability to hold emotionally difficult conversations


Culturally informed and inclusive practices

The recruitment and selection process allows prospective workers/volunteers to demonstrate their:

  • awareness of their own culture and how this informs the way they work

  • awareness of cultural appropriateness and cultural responsiveness in diverse situations


Sustainable practices and ongoing professional-personal development

The recruitment and selection process allows prospective workers/volunteers to demonstrate their:

  • willingness to receive supervision and engage in ongoing professional development