Address
Form of workAbout the Organisation
The Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) was established in 1973 to address the specific medical needs of Victorian Aboriginal communities. 2023 marked a landmark year as VAHS proudly celebrated it’s 50-year of providing a comprehensive range of medical, dental, allied health and social services for our community.
As well as providing a variety of medical services, VAHS is committed to supporting the well-being of the community through contributions to community events and activities. VAHS is also committed to assisting research into the ongoing needs of the community.
VAHS is a child safe organisation, committed to child safety and wellbeing, and recruits’ staff in accordance with the Child Safe Standards Victoria.
About the Opportunity
The program operates within a clinical and cultural model of care that delivers mental health and wellbeing services to Aboriginal children, young people, and their families.
The Aboriginal Youth Enhanced project will involve comprehensive assessment, care coordination, and follow up treatment, through culturally safe and appropriate support services, for Aboriginal youth (aged 12-25 years) experiencing mental health concerns. This will also involve building stronger relationships with mainstream services to provide Youth and their families’ better access to acute or inpatient care when needed, and improved transition between services in order to support the young person’s recovery within the community. The position requires utilising an assertive outreach approach to build on partnerships with services in the NWMPHN Catchment area and to identify and engage with young Indigenous people who have been unable to access support.
The role of the Aboriginal Youth Engagement Officer is to provide specialist culturally safe, confidential support to complex Aboriginal Youth clients to overcome various identified mental health issues. Based on Social and Emotional Wellbeing approach, involving services offered by the Balit Djerring Youth Team that promote health, education, developing and maintaining linkages, referrals, and support internal and external to VAHS to provide client focused, measurable outcomes.
Key Selection Criteria
To be considered, you must demonstrate the following:
Cultural Understanding:
- Proven understanding of and commitment to the concepts and philosophy of Aboriginal Social and Emotional Well-being
- Knowledge of Aboriginal history, colonisation practices and the impacts of Intergenerational Trauma amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations
Clinical Skills and Knowledge:
- Demonstrated commitment to and demonstrated ability to network and collaborate with services across the local community mental health network, mainstream health services, and mental health services.
Organisational Skills:
- Good organization, time management and data collection skills
- Ability to follow organizational and occupational health and safety regulations.
Teamwork:
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a trans-disciplinary team.
- Promote and support reciprocal ways of working i.e., sharing skills and knowledge with Balit Djerring Team members in clinical and therapeutic settings.
Conditions of Employment
- A current National Police Check
- A current Victorian Working with Children Check
- A current Victorian Driver’s License
- Must have had a Covid-19 Vaccination Booster (3rd dose) prior to commencement.
How to Apply
Please forward your covering letter (addressing the key selection criteria) and resume to **********@vahs.org.au before Sunday 9pm, 17 March 2024.
