Shane Hooper

Kia ora! I’m a social worker at Manu Ka Rere Youth Mental Health Services, where I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside rangatahi for the past three years. Before that, I worked in the care and protection field with Open Home Foundation and Oranga Tamariki, supporting tamaiti and whānau impacted by trauma and the challenges of navigating complex systems. My roots are in youth work, a role I held for three years before training as a social worker, this grounding still shapes how I show up in my mahi today.

I offer reflective, values-based supervision for youth workers, drawing on trauma-informed, bicultural, and relational practice. My approach supports people to stay connected to their purpose and wellbeing while navigating the messy, meaningful work with our rangatahi.

I bring experience in youth engagement, therapeutic work, risk assessment, and collaborating across systems. Above all, I care about creating safe, authentic spaces where youth workers can reflect, grow, and stay grounded in what matters most, both for themselves and the rangatahi they walk alongside.