Hundreds want to work on Pitcairn Island

"Massive" numbers of social workers are lining up to work on Pitcairn Island, drawn by the challenge of its unusual community life.

Auckland-based sexual offender programme Safe is looking for two-person teams of social workers to stay on the isolated Pacific island for three-month stints.

Project manager Diane Jefferson said the response to nationwide advertising has been in the hundreds, but the breadth of experience looked for would limit the number of suitable candidates.

She said many might have been drawn by last May's high profile court cases, where six Pitcairn Island men were convicted of child abuse and rape charges.

"It's more to do with it being such an unusual job for a social worker," she said.

"It's an absolutely fascinating and unique situation, and a social work challenge that you couldn't find anywhere else in the world."

She said the social workers would be involved in community development and education programmes.

"We're educating the community about care and protection matters to ensure that children and other vulnerable members are kept safe."

As well as a daily fee, the agency pays for travel, accommodation and food while on the island.

Safe have been working on Pitcairn for the last 18 months, contracted by the British Government.

- NZPA