Corrections NZ

18/06/2026

This National Volunteer Week, we’re acknowledging the incredible people choosing to give their time to make a real difference in our prisons.

“They’re pretty unique, pretty special people,” says Volunteer Coordinator Karyn, who works with more than 50 volunteers delivering programmes at Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison. From literacy and budgeting skills to knitting, baking, music, and mentoring, these programmes give prisoners important skills and help to reduce re-offending.

“There's so much more to it than just meets the eye,” she says.

“The baking, for example, is not just about learning to bake. It’s fabulous they can learn to make a batch of biscuits or scones and put them in their kids' lunchboxes, but it's also things like being able to read a recipe. So, there's reading skills, math skills with measuring, and the science of the actual baking itself.

“There’s also learning to put their hand up and ask for help, because that’s really hard for some of these guys. If they can ask for help in something like that, there's other avenues that they can then ask for help in as well,” Karyn says.

These programmes also give prisoners’ the opportunity to give back to the community, with items made in prison donated to charity.

Many of the activities also give prisoners a way to support and maintain important connections with their families, such as through card-making or knitting beanies to keep them warm in winter.

"Some prisoners are even writing books and illustrating them for their children,” Karyn says.

All this wouldn’t be possible without our amazing volunteers. Thank you for everything you do to help support positive change 👏

15/06/2026

This week is National Volunteer Week, and at Corrections we have a range of volunteers who give their time and expertise to help people in prison gain valuable skills and spend their time constructively. This includes programmes in reading and writing, parenting and life skills, music, and health and wellbeing, as well as other rehabilitation and reintegration programmes.

One of our amazing volunteers is Robyn, who was recently named a finalist in the 2026 Volunteer Hawke’s Bay Excellence Awards. Robyn generously gives her time, skills and encouragement to the men in Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison by running knitting groups each week. Together, they have created hundreds of knitted items, many of which have been donated to local community organisations. In the past 12 months alone, Robyn has made an incredible 100 visits to site. Congratulations Robyn on being recognised as an award finalist, and thank you for your service!

09/06/2026

Re-CYCLING for the community 🚴‍♀️ Refurbished bikes are being donated to the local community after being given a new lease on life by men in Tongariro Prison. A partnership with Te Kapua Whakapipi Trust gives the men involved a chance to contribute positively to the community, while gaining hands-on experience and skills.

The refurbished bikes have made a real difference for young people in rural areas where transport can be a barrier. The bikes have encouraged them to get outside and stay active.

Some of the bikes were recovered items from Police that had been stolen and unclaimed, or bikes that were given to the local rubbish tip. Instead of letting the bikes go to waste, the partnership between the Trust and Corrections has enabled the bikes to be restored by men in the prison. So far, 25 bikes have been fixed up and given to their new homes.

02/06/2026

For Samoa Language Week, Rob and Rick shared what this year’s theme means to them.

The theme for this year is “‘E afua mai i mauga tetele manuia o le 'nu'u - From the high mountains are the blessings of the village."

01/06/2026

Our Community Corrections staff work with a range of local charities and organisations to help people give back to the community while serving their community-based sentences.

Community work is a low-tariff sentence imposed by the court, which requires people to do unpaid work in the community to pay something back for the offence that they have committed. This involves a wide range of supervised work benefiting local communities. Find out more:

What happens when a court sentences someone to community work?

14/05/2026

Meet two of our extraordinary Education Tutors, Cynthia from Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison and Ibrahim from Rimutaka Prison.

It’s Australasian National Corrections Day 2026 tomorrow and the theme this year is ‘Extraordinary Work, Extraordinary People’, so we spoke to Cynthia and Ibrahim about why their work is so extraordinary.

“I value building strong relationships based on trust and respect, and helping people grow in confidence through education,” Cynthia says.

She likes being able to use her tutoring skills and resilience to create positive change in people’s lives and make a genuine difference through education.

For Ibrahim, it was his strong sense of community and his desire to make it safer which led him to join Corrections almost 7 years ago.

“The wider mission is to reduce reoffending – this is our main objective,” says Ibrahim.

“We discuss with prisoners their education history and their ambitions – what they want to achieve for themselves and families. Most importantly we encourage them to meet their potential because it’s never too late. I currently have two people who want to go on to do a PHD.”

Education Tutors set prisoners on a learning pathway to give them skills to find employment and help them choose alternatives to crime and violence.

Thank you Ibrahim, Cynthia, and all our extraordinary staff for the extraordinary work you do!

13/05/2026

Meet Johleen, our extraordinary Parole Board Liaison Officer for Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison.

It’s Australasian National Corrections Day 2026 later this week and the theme this year is ‘Extraordinary Work, Extraordinary People’, so we asked Johleen what makes her work so extraordinary.

“No two consecutive days are ever the same,” she says.

For 9 years, she’s had the busy job of coordinating parole hearing schedules for prisoners eligible for parole, as well as checking and submitting reports, liaising with family and support people to inform them of upcoming hearings, and many other tasks related to the pre-release process.

At those hearings, the independent New Zealand Parole Board makes decisions about the managed release of long-term prisoners, with conditions to manage their risk of reoffending and help keep the public safe.

“I try my best to demonstrate a calm, professional and resilient work ethic within a very busy and often unpredictable work environment, so the ability to maintain composure in high pressure situations is vital,” Johleen says.

There is a Parole Board Liaison Officer for each prison, and even though they are spread across the country, Johleen says they all know each other.

“We are a tight knit work whānau who support each other and work collaboratively to achieve great outcomes. We are accountable for the overall coordination between our Corrections facility and the Parole Board.

“It gives me great joy to work alongside colleagues who share the same passion, commitment and goals,” she says.

Thank you Johleen and all our extraordinary staff for the extraordinary work you do!

12/05/2026

Meet Aidan, one of our extraordinary custodial staff at Waikeria Prison.

It’s Australasian National Corrections Day 2026 later this week and the theme this year is ‘Extraordinary Work, Extraordinary People’, so we asked Aidan about his journey to becoming a Principal Corrections Officer.

“Over time, working in different areas like farm instructing, Māori Focus Units, and mental health showed me how diverse the Department is and how many pathways are available,” he says.

“I chose Corrections because it offered meaningful work with real variety. The work can be challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding, especially if you’re willing to learn, adapt, and grow.”

Each area of Corrections has a role to play in safety, rehabilitation and positive outcomes, Aidan says.

“The Department supports movement and development, which means people can find where they fit best. Corrections offer a wide range of roles and opportunities, and if one area isn’t the right fit, there are plenty of others to explore.”

Working face-to-face with prisoners, Aidan is both a problem-solver and a mentor. He makes decisions that support the operational needs of the prison and the rehabilitation goals for prisoners.

“Corrections is often misunderstood from the outside, but it’s a place filled with dedicated professionals who genuinely care about making a difference – and I’m proud to be one of them,” he says.

Thank you Aidan and all our extraordinary staff for the extraordinary work you do!

11/05/2026

Today is International Nurses Day, and we want to thank the hundreds of nurses across the country who work in prisons 🩺

Every year on 12 May, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth, nurses around the world are recognised for doing extraordinary work to save and improve the lives. Around 470 nurses are employed by Corrections and deliver primary healthcare to people in prison. Providing healthcare in prisons is complex, yet our nurses consistently deliver care to a high standard.

A big thank you to all our hard working nurses👏

05/05/2026

There’s a lot more to Corrections than meets the eye.

We were at the Porirua Careers Expo today to dispel some common myths and answer questions about all the different career opportunities at Corrections. From custodial roles, to healthcare, to community-based work, to education and rehabilitation, do you see a future with Corrections?

Find out more at: https://careers.corrections.govt.nz/roles