Social Worker / Councillor in Geelong

Department of Education Victoria – Saint Albans VIC

21h ago , from Department of Education & Training Victoria

Victoria University Secondary College is a multi campus school, comprising of a Junior Campus located in Deer Park, a Senior Campus with a Trade Training Centre located in Cairnlea and a Flexible Learning Option iCAN centre located in St Albans. Our college has approximately 1500 students from years 7 to 12 and services the residential area of Cairnlea, Deer Park, St Albans and environs in the western suburbs of Melbourne. Our college provides a broad range of personal, academic and practical experiences for our students who come form diverse cultural and social backgrounds. Victoria University Secondary College challenges students to, Create the Future by adhering to our school values of Aspiring to Achieve, Strengthening the Community and Respecting Themselves and Others.

Victoria University Secondary College is a Professional Learning Community (PLC) school. PLC schools approach to learning, is to share ideas, enhance teaching practices and create an environment where all students can reach their full potential.

Victoria University Secondary College empowers members of our learning community to develop control over their own thinking and actions. Our college encourages our members to develop self belief and confidence to persevere with their learning challenges. Victoria University Secondary College focusses on reflective thinking and collaboration. This college focus encourages our students to become independent learners, work collaboratively and share ideas and resources while respecting and recognising individual contributions our accelerated students in programs such as AVID (Advance via Individual Determination), Deep Learning and SEAL, Music and we are also a rugby academy school.

Victoria University Secondary College is a supportive teaching and learning environment where student needs and backgrounds are reflected in the learning and design of the school. Our strategic intention is to maximise opportunities for all our students by developing their talents and challenging them to have high aspirations, so they can achieve their potential and become logical, self-aware, collaborative and inquisitive students. Importantly, Victoria University Secondary College seek to develop students skills and competencies so they are well prepared for their future study and future workplace.

Selection Criteria

• SC1 - Well-developed counselling/therapeutic and case management skills when working with secondary aged students, including those presenting with complex mental health issues, chronic disengagement and school non-attendance
• SC2 - Experience of working in an education setting and demonstrated ability to build successful relationships with students and implement proactive wellbeing programs across all year levels
• SC3 - Demonstrated ability to provide information, advice and support to Year level coordinators, families and external professionals who are supporting/working with students experiencing difficulties with their social and emotional wellbeing
• SC4 - A demonstrated ability to be sensitive and responsive to the needs of young people and their families, with well-developed skills in engaging families in the development of case plans for their child
• SC5 - Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, with the proven ability to work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team
• SC6 - Demonstrate a commitment to professional learning and growth relating to your role and in line with the school’s vision.

Role

No Attendance during School Vacation periods is required.

Under the direction of the Student Wellbeing Manager, the Social Worker will be an active member of the school wellbeing team, to provide a range of wellbeing programs for students across all year levels, including 1-1 support and case management, specific group interventions, organising and facilitating celebration days/ events and running lunchtime activities.

The Social Worker will hold a caseload of referred studentswith a particular focus on students who are disengaged and struggling to attend school.A non-attending or disengaged student can often be extremely vulnerable with a diverse range of needs that span beyond the physical school environment. There are many aspects that are outside of the student's control that can underpin their chronic inability to engage, including but not limited to trauma, family violence, mental health, cultural and socio-economic factors. The impact of remote learning has only exacerbated the issues some students face when engaging with school, presenting a new layer of complexity whilst also having an impact on a cohort of students previously unaffected by school non-attendance and disengagement.

Working within the college wellbeing protocols, the Social Worker will deliver both brief counselling support and effective case management. The promotion of students' social, emotional and behavioural development is a core purpose of this role, as is implementing and evaluating support strategies to minimise disengagement from school and foster resilience. The Social Worker will demonstrate an ability to plan thoughtful 1-1 sessions and engage students in conversations about their wellbeing and goal setting, using a variety of strategies and techniques.

The SocialWorker will support the Student Wellbeing Manager to develop and deliver a range of dynamic and engaging group programs and lunchtime activities that support and reinforce self-esteem and confidence in students, increase engagement with school, their teachers, their peers and build partnerships between the school and wider community agencies and support services.

Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with the Student Wellbeing Manager who will also be your direct line manager and the College Wellbeing team, to ensure that student needs are met with appropriate intervention in a timely manner.
  • Participating in all team meetings with regards to referral discussions and sharing best practice.
  • Receive and act on referrals for assistance from teaching staff through weekly Student Wellbeing Meetings
• Be adept at brief counselling support for students and case management
  • Developing meaningful case plans and goal setting with students
  • Effective crisis management, when needed
  • Strong liaison with Student Wellbeing Manager, Middle/Senior Years Coordinators/ Principal Class and other key team members regarding cases
  • Keep relevant, professional and up-to-date case notes on identified students in order to monitor progress and develop robust support plans
  • Advocate for students where appropriate and facilitate further external referrals acting as a conduit between the young person and the services they wish/need to access
  • Following DET & College Wellbeing protocol and procedure
• Liaise with families, carers and workers regarding the students wellbeing needs, involving:
  • Phone contact
  • Parent meetings
  • Attending care team meetings and other professional networks to support the student
• Develop and implement targeted group interventions (including therapeutic) to identified students
• Promote and facilitate pro-social activities and services, both within the school and in partnership with wider community agencies and support services, including:
  • Lunchtime activities
  • Celebration days/events
  • Information sessions
  • Assembly presentations
• Establish good relationships with students, acting as a role model and responding to the needs of each individual child with empathy and consistency
• Support teachers to understand and respond to student wellbeing needs
• Attend school excursions and camps as required
• Perform other duties appropriate to the classification, at the Principals discretion

Who May Apply

Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department.The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces.It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (seeWorkplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via*******@education.vic.gov.au

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

Child Safe Standards

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

DE Values

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees,including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview

Other Information

Please ensure that your application includes:

• a resume including relevant experience as well as personal details (name, address and contact numbers, business and home)
• a section addressing the selection criteria and the requirements for application under the Who May Apply section
• names and contact numbers (telephone and email if possible) of two referees

Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action.

This position is based at the iCAN Campus

A Working With Children's Check is essential

As Victoria University Secondary College is a Multi Campus, travel between campuses may be required.

Bachelor or Masters degree in Social Work OR Counselling

Please provide copies of Qualifications & Academic Transcripts

Conditions of Employment

All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.

• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• Probationary period of 3 months will apply during the first 12 months of employment
• Induction and support programs provided.

Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

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