Community Liaison Officer - Pacifika

START DATE FOR THIS POSITION IS NEGOTIABLE - 

Preferred Start date: 11/03/2024

End date for this position is: 18/12/2026

Work hours for this position: 38hrs per week

Attendance hours: 8:00am - 4:06pm 

APPLY BY 04/03/2024 

to ***************@education.vic.gov.au

OR

DET Victoria  Recruitment On Line - https://www.schools.vic.gov.au/recruitment-online  -Job #1403172

School profile:

Gladstone Park is a single campus, co-educational Year 7 to 12 College of almost 1540 students that serves a large residential community in the North-western suburbs of Melbourne. We have a culturally diverse enrolment. 

The school operates using a Sub-School model with Junior School years 7 - 8; Middle School years 9 - 10 and Senior School years 11 - 12.  Currently more than 30 primary schools provide students for entry at Year 7. 

The school provides a core program in the Years 7-9.  The Year 10 blocks are aligned with the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) blocks.  Vocational Education and Training (VET) is also offered to all VCE students, including Vocational Major students.  A considerable proportion of Year 10 students undertake a VCE subject or pursue additional pathway options within the conventional curriculum program. 

The school has a Select Entry Acceleration (SEAL) Program.  Our school is part of The Academy of Accredited SEAL Schools.

Gladstone Park offers a unique Language Immersion program using the CLIL (Content Learning in Language methodology), where students are taught Mathematics, History and Geography in Italian by CLIL trained teachers.

The school provides a significant extra-curricular and enrichment program including a large instrumental program and school bands; debating; drama and musical productions and a large House competition program. 

Facilities include:  a 300 seat Performing Arts Centre with a dance studio, dedicated VCE student study centre, community library, modern administration block, one full size and one three quarter size gym, an outdoor soccer/hockey court, outdoor table-tennis tables, separate year 7 area and extensive gardens.  

A Bring Your Own Device program is in place and will see the whole school transitioning by 2026.

The College has a warm and friendly atmosphere.  Gladstone Park is a traditional school with traditional values, the key value being respect.

Role:

Reporting to the Wellbeing Team Leader and working collaboratively with other key stakeholders of Gladstone Park Secondary College. The Community Liaison Officer will be responsible for the delivery, and review of programs to increase engagement between student, families and the school. This role has a specific focus on supporting students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD), particularly Pacifika students and families. The successful applicant should speak the language and have experience of the Pacifika culture. This involves the development and facilitation of engagement strategies and programs, liaison with staff, parents and external service providers and providing individual support to students and their families with the aim of maximising educational outcomes and increasing student attendance and engagement. 

Responsibilities:

1. Support identified students to engage in education and strengthen their attendance
2. Develop, implement and evaluate strength-based intervention strategies/programs including facilitating groups and school activities to support identified students to access the school curriculum and engage in schooling.
3. Strengthen the connections between the school and different cultural groups within the College community.
4. Liaise effectively with external service providers and assist teachers, students and their families to access these services, including careers and pathways options.
5. Translation and explanation through personal contact regarding school communications and events
6. Work with wellbeing team to develop culturally sensitive programs including healthy eating and exercise
7. Assist with strengthening the connections of families to college events and other college community engagement initiatives e.g. Parent/teacher evenings and information evenings.
8. Plan and facilitate community and school-based activities, including during lunch and after school times.

Selection Criteria:

1. Demonstrated high level interpersonal and communication skills as evidenced by constructive relationships with families, staff and students.
2. A highly developed ability to design, implement and evaluate strength-based student engagement programs
3. Appropriate tertiary qualifications and /or experience in Welfare, Community Services, Youth Work or other related fields
4. Experience in working with Pacifika students and an understanding of the language and culture.

Who May Apply:

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

EEO and OHS Commitment

The Department of Education and Training is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, 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 family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department Workplaces. 

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 http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/protect/Pages/childsafestandards.aspx 

DE Values

The Department's employees commit to upholding DET's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. DET'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 DET values is available at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/workm/Pages/Public-Sector-Values.aspx 

INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS:

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for the 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.

Thank you for your interest.  If you would like any further information about the position, please contact Fiona Glenn on 9933 0500. Information about the college and college policies is available on our website at www.gladstoneparksc.vic.edu.au.

If you would like to apply for this position, please include in your application:

1.  Covering letter
2.  Current Working With Children Check - Employee category
3.  Responses to the key selection criteria.
4.  List of your qualifications

Please also provide the names, email addresses and phone numbers of three business referees and review our Child Safe Policies at http://www.gladstoneparksc.vic.edu.au/child-safe-policies/.

If successful, you will be required to sign a Staff Commitment to Child Safety statement.

The position description describes in general terms the normal duties expected to be undertaken. However, the duties described may vary or be amended from time to time without changing the level of responsibility associated with the position.

Regards,

Veronica Hoy - Principal