Coordinator – Residential Youth Justice Programs

Taldumande Youth Services is expanding and we are seeking a skilled and dynamic Coordinator to lead our highly regarded Residential Justice teams. 

Full time 38 hour week inclusive, working across two sites, one situated in the Parramatta Region, the other in the Northern Sydney Region.

New and exciting full time hybrid position available to oversee the provision and quality of casework and youthwork for children and young people in our Residential Youth Justice diversionary placements.

Applications close - Monday, 18 March 2024

Taldumande Youth Services is a lead charity committed to supporting vulnerable and at-risk children, young people, and their families from all across Sydney. We offer a range of highly successful homelessness, family, and Youth Justice diversionary programs.

Our Youth Justice diversionary programs provide 28 day crisis accommodation to children and young people aged 12 – 17 referred through our partnership with Youth Justice.  These children and young people would otherwise be inappropriately incarcerated due to their homelessness. 

The aim of our residential Justice Programs is to work towards securing ongoing safe accommodation for the child or young person which may mean restoring the child or young person to family or carer when safe to do so, referrals to other accommodation services, or at times the child or young person may remain within Taldumande’s longer-term youth accommodation programs.  Alongside accommodation, we provide a range of services to the child or young person such as intensive case management and holistic interventions, support to parents/carers (when appropriate), legal advocacy, referrals and transport to drug and alcohol supports, mental health and vocational services, support with re-engagement to education with a focus on reducing offending behaviours.

Supervise the Residential Justice Case Worker and Youth Worker teams and ensure the provision of intensive front-line services involving a range of quality internally and externally sourced supports to children and young people in contact with the Youth Justice system, and their families.

• Ensure that case management and recreation activities target appropriate areas of need/risk to the child or young person re-offending. This includes overseeing case planning, regular case plan reviews, organising and facilitating case conferences and delivering offence focused intervention programs to children and young people, and their families/carers when appropriate.
• Provide regular professional supervision sessions to the Residential Justice Programs Case Workers and Youth Workers and ensure direct care staff are working within the TYS Policy and Procedures framework.
• Work collaboratively with Youth Justice staff such as Bail Accommodation and Support Service (BASS) Coordinators, Youth Justice Caseworkers, Youth Officers and Psychologists, along with a range of government and non-government stakeholders to connect children and young people to services appropriate to their individual case plan and monitor the progress of the child/young person.
• Work closely with courts, police, detention centres and legal professionals providing clear and concise advice, briefings, reports, and other formal written communication for internal and external stakeholders.
• Work as part of a multi-disciplined stakeholder team that aims to reduce re-offending of young people, enhance their functioning, support preservation with family, and reintegrate into community.
• Work to influence change in the overrepresentation of Aboriginal young people in the justice system.
• Build strong relationships with partner agencies to support and strengthen families and cultural connections.
• Ensure appropriate addressing of cultural issues in the case plan for children and young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
• Use cultural knowledge to help inform and shape service delivery.
• Maintain and supervise the Residential Program Rosters in accordance with Taldumande policy, SCHADS award and employment legislation. 
• Ensure time sheets and rosters are completed on time and up to date.
• Ensure TYS properties are maintained to a high-level standard and in line with the Property Asset Standards of NSW Housing.
• Participate in the recruitment and appraisal of direct care staff.

Benefits:

• Training, development and succession planning opportunities
• Salary packaging benefits - increase your take-home pay and benefits through salary packaging, a meals and entertainment card, and discount program. (Refer to www.accesspay.com.au to find out more about how this benefit works)
• 5 weeks annual leave (after first year of employment)
• 17.5% leave loading
• Flexible leave arrangements to recognise NAIDOC Week and Sorry Day

Essential Requirements:

• Tertiary qualifications in Social Work, Psychology or related degree.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in leading and supporting a team working in youth residential services.
• Strong understanding of the issues surrounding children and young people in contact with the Youth Justice system. 
• High level competency in communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Demonstrated experience in conflict resolution.
• Current driver’s licence and insured vehicle.
• Working with Children Check (to be provided prior to appointment).
• Police Clearance Check (to be provided prior to appointment).
• Ability to be flexible with weekday hours from time to time.
• Ability to manage sometimes unpredictable events, and to prioritise level of need and response for client loads within the two justice residential sites.

Desirables:

• Experience working with family systems in crisis.
• Experience working in youth programs aimed at reducing recidivism.
• Experience with Brief Solution Focused Therapy/strengths-based approaches.

For a Job Description please contact Administration on 02 9460 3***. 

For more information about Taldumande Youth Services please visit our website: www.taldumande.org.au

Taldumande Youth Services is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes applications from people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

To apply for this position, please send a letter addressing the selection criteria along with your resume to **************@taldumande.org.au

Taldumande Youth Services is a non-smoking workplace. The position is subject to employment screening and requirements under Child Protection legislation.