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Form of workThis is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with the Preston High School community to create the final pieces of our new school as we commence our inaugural Year 12 cohort.
Preston High School is a co-educational secondary school that opened its doors to the first intake of Year 7s in 2019 and will grow to approximately 1,200 students by 2025.
Housed in a newly refurbished 1920s 2-storey red-brick school building alongside a new Stadium, Theatre and Arts centre, and a new 4-storey building opened this year, Preston High School is located in the heart of Preston and adjacent to the Preston Town Hall, Library, Market, High St and all Public Transport. The school's designated neighbourhood boundary encompasses parts of Preston, Thornbury, Reservoir.
The school's mission is: Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders.
The school's motto is: Lead, Explore, Inspire.
The school's values are: Excellence, Inclusion, Community.
These statements exemplify the school's commitment to the highest aspirations for our learners, staff and school. The curriculum prepares learners for a life of success and positive community engagement in the mid-21stC by providing excellent teaching and learning in foundational disciplines alongside deep engagement in meaningful and extending projects that deliver cross-disciplinary learning opportunities. The Year 7 and 8 program includes the explicit teaching of Philosophy and of Engineering/Design Thinking as two key elements for learners¿ future success. All students learn to lead, explore areas of passion and interest and undertake work that inspires them and their community.
1. Demonstrated experience in assessing, conceptualising and analysing wellbeing issues, and providing evidence-based direct counselling for a range of Mental Health issues.
2. Demonstrated experience in planning and implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for clients with complex needs.
3. Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of policies and strategies relating to Mental Health and wellbeing.
4. Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.
5. Ability to provide leadership and professional learning that informs and influences the work of others involved in the engagement and wellbeing of children and young people.
6. Clear understanding of legislative requirements regarding privacy of health information.
The Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) initiative provides for a suitably qualified Mental Health professional in all government secondary school campuses.
Operating in collaboration with the Department of Education and Training's Area-based multi-disciplinary teams, this role will have the following functions:
Provide direct counselling support and other early intervention services for individual students and groups identified as at-risk and/or experiencing or demonstrating mild to moderate Mental Health needs;
Coordinate supports for students with critical needs both within and external to the school, including proactively working with regions and other health professionals to engage further support as required; and
Enhance promotion and prevention activities in the school by contributing to whole school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to manage student health and wellbeing, and helping to embed Mental Health promotion and prevention programs and strategies in the school
Education Support Class Level 1 Range 4
The successful applicant will be an experienced professional who will carry out their duties and responsibilities, relative to their professional discipline, with a high level of autonomy and with minimal reliance on professional supervision. The successful applicant will be responsible for the development and implementation of professional support programs within an educational environment, including guidance to other professional staff.
As an education support class position, this role supports the educational services being provided to students, but will not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic).
For more information on the responsibilities of an Education support class level 1 range 4 employee, please visit: https: www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/workm/Pages/rolesTS. aspx
Responsibilities:
1. Deliver professional support service/s in a school, including the direct counselling for students with a range of Mental Health issues, applying sound theoretical knowledge and practical expertise.
2. Plan and implement evidence-based intervention strategies for students with complex needs including collaborating with families, other professionals and agencies when appropriate, and manage the associated risks.
3. Work collaboratively with the school to contribute to policies and operational practices that will guide the work of others, including other school wellbeing staff and teachers.
4. Demonstrate leadership and provide professional learning to others, such as teachers and other school wellbeing staff, to build the capacity of schools to improve students' learning and developmental outcomes.
5. Liaise with other Department areas (including secondary school nurses and Student Support Services staff) and external service providers where necessary to provide support to students.
6. Maintain professional competence and continued professional learning, including attending professional development activities throughout the year.
7. Meet relevant policies and legislative requirements in relation to student health information privacy.
Please note
¿ The relevant enterprise agreement underpinning this position is the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2017.
¿ Continued professional learning is a registration requirement under the National Law, which governs the operations of the National Boards and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA),
Required
Applicants must
¿ hold a Bachelor qualification or specialist/post graduate qualification where applicable in: Social Work
¿ Occupational Therapy
¿ Nursing with a Mental Health specialisation
¿ Psychology
¿ have demonstrated direct counselling experience.
¿ have a current Working With Children Check.
For Mental Health Nurse, Psychologist and Occupational Therapists, applicants must hold full registration with the requisite professional body.
For Social Workers, applicants must be eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers.
Desirable
¿ For Social Work applicants, hold membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers and an Accredited Social Worker Trade Mark.
¿ For Mental Health Nurse applicants, hold a Mental Health Nurse Credential and membership with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses
¿ For Occupational Therapist applicants, hold a Better Access to Mental Health endorsement.
¿ For Psychology applicants, specialisation in education and/or developmental psychology.
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.
The Department of Education 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. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via *******@education.vic.gov.au
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
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
Applications must include:
A specific response to the key selection criteria and position details. Preferably no more than one criterion per page, size 11 Arial (or equivalent) font where possible.
Please attach applications including:
1. A cover sheet providing contact information including home address, email and phone number as well as the phone number of the work address at which the applicant can be contacted.
2. A CV with a summary of experience and qualifications.
3. Specific Key Selection Criteria response
4. The names, email addresses and contact details for three referees who can provide information regarding the applicant in relation to the key selection criteria.
For ease of handling by the school, all documents (cover letter, cv and key selection criteria responses) can be saved as one pdf and uploaded to Recruitment Online. Please also ensure that your name is included in the header of each document.
All applicants should ensure that their personal profile on Recruitment Online is up to date.
