Coordinator - Youth Services Darwin

Country Connect run youth programs, provide disability supports and deliver return to country programs throughout the NT. We have a focus on providing supports that improve the health of an individual through emotional and social wellbeing. This means identifying, providing, and creating opportunities for people to stay connected to family, culture and country and to build a life that they truly value. It also means helping the young people in our programs to explore their identity, to build positive relationships, confidence and to develop connection to culture, country and community. 

Our Youth Services

Country Connect’s youth program overlays an individual’s care needs, goals and stage of life with opportunities for youth to explore identity, social and emotional wellbeing.

Whilst the foundations of our programs remain consistent, the ways in which this is delivered and created for each young person is highly tailored using a trauma-informed practice approach.

Critical elements that underpin the program are consistency, healthy food, giving back to community, physical activity, inclusion of the young person in planning out their program to leverage personal passions and strengths. You will support our youth in exploring these elements, building skills, participating in activities and provides mentoring to our young people. Our aim is to surround our young people with positive connections and build their capacity for meaningful relationships and to dream big.

The role

• Oversee the Youth Services program of supports and residential care in Darwin, ensuring that we maintain a people focused approach and that our youth are supported to co-design their participation with Country Connect.
• Work with young people to identify activities that are valued by them and create those opportunities. This may include supporting people to develop and gain skills in new areas and to innovatively create the space and confidence for them to do so.
• Support the team to create environments for our clients that are less like programs and more like home and family. 
• Ensure that the homes we provide for clients are clean, hygienic and offer nutritious food. 
• Work closely with other stakeholders, elders in the community and build solid relationships with other organisations in the region.
• Undertake mandatory training as required and other personal development training by agreement with management.
• Support staff to respond to any incidents and to assist in descalating situations and behaviours of concern. Using your experience, you will provide mentoring to other staff in this under the guidance of our Youth Services operations manager. 
• You will be required to contribute to the on-call roster for out of hours support for our Youth Services team and provide a high level of direction as required. 
• Provide input into workforce planning. 

You

We place high value on life experience both within and outside of this industry. It’s really important to us that our clients can work with people who are genuinely relatable for them, and who they would actually get along with outside of a client support relationship. As such, we value diversity of backgrounds, passions, interests, and experience in our team. Our team includes people with sporting backgrounds, musicians, trades and construction workers, community workers, youth workers, health workers. 

It is essential that you have good leadership skills and can demonstrate an ability to create a cohesive and positive team culture. 

Since this is a senior role in our support team, we are looking for individuals who have an understanding of trauma informed practice and its application to youth work and can provide mentoring to others in this area. 

Critically you will have an ability to form positive and meaningful relationships, a positive can-do attitude and creativity to get things happening. Experience working or living out bush or in a remote environment or recreational interests that immerse you in the outdoors is highly regarded.

Also:

An ability to work both independently and as part of a (cross cultural) team is essential.

An NT class C manual drivers license.

Willingness to travel occasionally.

Working with Children clearance and National Police check (or willingness to obtain)

Relevant qualifications in youth work, education, social work, community services and / or mental health or equivalent is highly regarded.

In return

We offer above award rates of pay, a family friendly and social team environment with opportunities to see some of the Top End’s most beautiful areas. If you love keeping active and want to help others to live their best life then this could be a great opportunity for you.

To apply

Please forward your resume and cover letter to ***********@countryconnect.org.au