Community-Based Geriatric Nurse Mentor (PNG 42237)
Closing Date: 19 June 2026
Category: Healthcare & Medical
Kia ora, Gude and warm Pacific greetings,
Te Whāinga | Our Purpose is
Te Hono Tangata - Te Huringa Ora.
Ka hono a Te Tūao Tāwāhi i ngā tūao pūkenga ki ngā whakahaere me ngā hapori i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me tua atu, hei tautoko i ngā wawata kua tautuhia ā-rohe, ā, kia tutuki ai te panoni toitū.
Connecting People – Transforming Lives.
Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.
Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role
This is your opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer to share your experience, skills and knowledge to serve and build capacity in Papua New Guinea. Work alongside our local partner organisation to plan and create a brighter future for all.
We are looking for an experienced Geriatric Nurse or someone with the right level of transferrable skills, who understands and shares the spirit of volunteering, with a keen interest in building capability in the Pacific (while embracing a new cultural experience).
The length of this assignment in the Papua New Guinea will be six months.
VSA will support you by funding and organizing your flights, visas, insurances, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while you are on assignment.
Ngā tino Pūkenga/Wheako – Essential skills/experiences for the role
If you are interested in this opportunity, below are some of the key skills and experiences that we’re looking for.
Important note: Due to our VSA funding requirements, our volunteers must be a NZ citizen or NZ Permanent Resident to progress further in our recruitment process.
Our Partner Organisation – East New Britain Provincial Health Authority
The East New Britain Provincial Health Authority (ENBPHA) was established as a unified healthcare entity for the province and is responsible for the provision of publicly funded healthcare. It plays a crucial role in protecting, promoting, and improving the health and well-being of the population. The Authority has the mandate to ensure the availability of specialist doctors in hospitals and rural health facilities, establish and monitor provincial health standards, and provide guidance on healthcare issues.
The Authority's responsibilities also include disease prevention and control, healthcare planning and policy, data collection and analysis, healthcare quality improvement, and health promotion and education.
The Assignment – Community Based Geriatric Nurse Mentor
At present, specialised geriatric care services are limited or non-existent in many parts of the country, particularly in rural and remote areas. Strengthening the capacity of frontline health workers and communities to deliver appropriate, respectful and effective care for older people, especially in community settings, is essential. The Geriatric Nurse Mentor will play a pivotal role in building this capacity.
This role is designed to support and enhance community-based care for older persons through mentorship, clinical guidance, capacity building, and community engagement. The focus will be on improving the quality of geriatric care provided by community health workers, nurses, volunteers, and caregivers. The assignment emphasises the development of practical, low-resource interventions that honour local cultural traditions while laying the groundwork for sustainable, community-centred geriatric healthcare in East New Britain.
The Country – Papua New Guinea
Most people living in Papua New Guinea (PNG) are Melanesian, but some are Micronesian or Polynesian. PNG has over 800 known languages although there are three official languages: Tok Pisin, English, and Hiri Motu. Numerous indigenous languages are still used by people from a society that ranges from traditional village-based life to modern urban living.
Underlying the Papua New Guinean culture is the wantok system. Wantok, or ‘one talk’, refers to the people who speak your language or your extended family/clan; a Papua New Guinean’s primary loyalty will be to their wantok.
The country is predominately Christian, with indigenous faith and spirituality still important to many locals.
The people of Papua New Guinea are famously warm and hospitable and the isolated mountain ranges are often home to unique fauna and flora found nowhere else in the world.
Me pēhea te tuku tono| How to apply:
Apply for this opportunity through our website.
For more information or if you have any questions on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.
To review the full assignment description please copy and paste the below link into your browser:
Apply Now!
For a copy of the Assignment Description, please click the apply button which will direct you to the VSA website. You will be able to download a copy from the advertisement.
Te Whāinga | Our Purpose is
Te Hono Tangata - Te Huringa Ora.
Ka hono a Te Tūao Tāwāhi i ngā tūao pūkenga ki ngā whakahaere me ngā hapori i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me tua atu, hei tautoko i ngā wawata kua tautuhia ā-rohe, ā, kia tutuki ai te panoni toitū.
Connecting People – Transforming Lives.
Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.
Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role
This is your opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer to share your experience, skills and knowledge to serve and build capacity in Papua New Guinea. Work alongside our local partner organisation to plan and create a brighter future for all.
We are looking for an experienced Geriatric Nurse or someone with the right level of transferrable skills, who understands and shares the spirit of volunteering, with a keen interest in building capability in the Pacific (while embracing a new cultural experience).
The length of this assignment in the Papua New Guinea will be six months.
VSA will support you by funding and organizing your flights, visas, insurances, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while you are on assignment.
Ngā tino Pūkenga/Wheako – Essential skills/experiences for the role
If you are interested in this opportunity, below are some of the key skills and experiences that we’re looking for.
- Registered Nurse
- Minimum 3 years of clinical nursing experience, in aged care, community health, or chronic disease management.
- Proven experience in mentoring others
- Ability and preparedness to work effectively in a multicultural and resource-limited setting.
- Cultural sensitivity and ability to adapt to diverse cultural contexts
Important note: Due to our VSA funding requirements, our volunteers must be a NZ citizen or NZ Permanent Resident to progress further in our recruitment process.
Our Partner Organisation – East New Britain Provincial Health Authority
The East New Britain Provincial Health Authority (ENBPHA) was established as a unified healthcare entity for the province and is responsible for the provision of publicly funded healthcare. It plays a crucial role in protecting, promoting, and improving the health and well-being of the population. The Authority has the mandate to ensure the availability of specialist doctors in hospitals and rural health facilities, establish and monitor provincial health standards, and provide guidance on healthcare issues.
The Authority's responsibilities also include disease prevention and control, healthcare planning and policy, data collection and analysis, healthcare quality improvement, and health promotion and education.
The Assignment – Community Based Geriatric Nurse Mentor
At present, specialised geriatric care services are limited or non-existent in many parts of the country, particularly in rural and remote areas. Strengthening the capacity of frontline health workers and communities to deliver appropriate, respectful and effective care for older people, especially in community settings, is essential. The Geriatric Nurse Mentor will play a pivotal role in building this capacity.
This role is designed to support and enhance community-based care for older persons through mentorship, clinical guidance, capacity building, and community engagement. The focus will be on improving the quality of geriatric care provided by community health workers, nurses, volunteers, and caregivers. The assignment emphasises the development of practical, low-resource interventions that honour local cultural traditions while laying the groundwork for sustainable, community-centred geriatric healthcare in East New Britain.
The Country – Papua New Guinea
Most people living in Papua New Guinea (PNG) are Melanesian, but some are Micronesian or Polynesian. PNG has over 800 known languages although there are three official languages: Tok Pisin, English, and Hiri Motu. Numerous indigenous languages are still used by people from a society that ranges from traditional village-based life to modern urban living.
Underlying the Papua New Guinean culture is the wantok system. Wantok, or ‘one talk’, refers to the people who speak your language or your extended family/clan; a Papua New Guinean’s primary loyalty will be to their wantok.
The country is predominately Christian, with indigenous faith and spirituality still important to many locals.
The people of Papua New Guinea are famously warm and hospitable and the isolated mountain ranges are often home to unique fauna and flora found nowhere else in the world.
Me pēhea te tuku tono| How to apply:
Apply for this opportunity through our website.
For more information or if you have any questions on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.
To review the full assignment description please copy and paste the below link into your browser:
Apply Now!
For a copy of the Assignment Description, please click the apply button which will direct you to the VSA website. You will be able to download a copy from the advertisement.
We are looking for a volunteer with:
- Community focused role making a day to day impact
- Flights, Accommodation and Travel Allowances provided
- Mentor a new generation of Aged Care Professionals
VSA covers flights, accommodation, insurance and some expenses. A living allowance is also provided.
Does volunteering with one of the largest and most experienced agency in international development interest you?