Counsellor/Social Worker for Palliative Care

Summary

• Work within a values driven, progressive organisation
• Competitive remuneration package with salary packaging benefits available 
• Ongoing Part-time opportunity (3 days a week, 24 hours per week - must be able to work Wednesdays and Fridays)

About the Opportunity

Allied care provide the psychosocial and holistic support for MCM’s Palliative Care Services, delivering counselling, social work, resourcing & advocacy, massage therapy, volunteer services, education and bereavement support.

Working within the Palliative Care Allied Care team, you will provide counselling, social work and psychosocial support to MCM Palliative Care clients and carers within an interdisciplinary team model, in accordance with the vision, values, policies, and procedures of Melbourne City Mission.

Support and outreach is provided face to face, in client/carer homes, MCMPC office, via telephone and telehealth and group settings.

About you

We are looking for someone who can:

• Provide appropriate assessment, and responsiveness through counselling, social work/psychosocial, support, and welfare needs of clients and carers, friends, and family, including those with complex and high-risk needs.  This may also involve appropriate referrals to internal or external stakeholders
• To provide cover for the wider Allied Care counselling team (Bereavement, Aged Care) in the provision of therapeutic counselling and social work/psychosocial support as needed.
• Initiate and participate in ongoing advance care planning and assist clients and carers to resolve issues that arise from these discussions
• Provide appropriate support, information, education and advocacy for clients and carers of diverse ages, cultures, and backgrounds 
• Contribute to promoting respectful and constructive team relationships within the interdisciplinary teams, ensuring awareness to quality loss, grief, and bereavement support for Melbourne City Mission Palliative Care clients and carers

Benefits of working with MCM include:

• Inclusive Employer by the Diversity Council of Australia
• Attractive Salary Packaging benefits
• Supportive learning and development environment
• Culture of continuous improvement

Essential:

• Tertiary qualifications in a discipline, with an emphasis on psychotherapeutic practice such as Counselling, Social Work or Psychology 
• Eligibility for membership or registration to relevant professional association
• Demonstrated experience in providing counselling, social work/psychosocial support in a Palliative Care, community health or related field, with a minimun of 2 years of counselling/therapeutic experience
• Understanding of loss and grief across the lifespan
• Demonstrated competence in providing counselling/social work support to people of varied social, cultural, and religious backgrounds
• Experience in conducting psychosocial spiritual assessments
• The ability to work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team setting
• Demonstrated competence in implementing and maintaining self-care routines including reflective practice 
• Demonstrated experience in aligning practice with professional standards
• Competence with electronic client and carer records and computer skills 
• Experience in working with people living with a life-limiting condition and their carers 
• Prior experience in providing peer or professional support and debriefing

Screening Criteria

• National Police check
• Working with Children check
• Valid Victorian Drivers license
• Right to Work in Australia

Applications for this role close: 15 April 2024, so please apply early. Please include your current resume and cover letter.

Previous applicants need not apply.

MCM reserve the right to interview prior to the closing date.
Please review the position description to understand more about the role and responsibilities. For assistance with your application please email: recruitment@mcm.org.au

About MCM

MCM is an inclusive and equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to safety. MCM embraces differences because we know that diversity and inclusion help us to attract, recruit, engage and retain talented people. 
We are a leading not-for profit-for-purpose organisation that offer a broad range of services in Early Years, Disability, Homelessness, Palliative Care and Education.

Our commitment to Safety

MCM is committed to the safety of its clients and employees, taking a zero-tolerance approach to violence within the workplace and abuse, including child abuse and abuse of people with disability. All employees are required to comply with the Child Safe Standards.

Our commitment to Diversity

At MCM, we embrace differences in gender, age, ethnicity, race, cultural background, disability, religion and sexual orientation. We know that diversity and inclusion helps us to attract, recruit, engage and retain a team of talented people.