Senior Youth Worker - Residential Youth Justice Programs

Taldumande Youth Services is expanding and we are seeking a skilled and dynamic Senior Youth Worker to join our highly regarded Residential Youth Justice team. 

New and exciting full time position for an experienced Youth Worker to provide quality youthwork, including the planning and facilitation of group and individual recreation activities, and casework support services to children and young people in our Residential Youth Justice diversionary placements. 

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

Applications close - Monday, 26 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, outdoor recreation and other experiential learning activities, all with the aim of reducing offending behaviours.

Your role:

Working closely with the Residential Youth Justice Programs Coordinator and Case Worker you will ensure the provision of intensive front-line services involving a range of quality internally and externally sourced supports to children and young people in our Residential Youth Justice placements. You will plan and facilitate group and individual recreation activities, and implement youthwork and casework support practices which aim to strengthen the child or young person.

What you'll do:

• Assist the Coordinator with the day-to-day management of Residential Youth Justice refuges.
• Develop relationships, engage, and work effectively with children and young people with complex needs and offending behaviours.
• Plan and facilitate group and individual recreation activities for the children and young people placed within our two Residential Youth Justice refuges.
• Plan and implement recreational programs for school holiday periods and weekends.
• 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.
• Consult regularly with your team and connect children and young people to services appropriate to their individual case plan.
• 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 children and young people re-offending, 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.

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:

• Minimum Certificate IV in Youthwork.
• Minimum 2 years experience working with at risk children and young people.
• Strong passion for outdoor activities.
• Strong 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 prioritise level of need and response for young clients within the two Youth Justice residential sites.

Desirables:

• Certificate IV in Outdoor Recreation.
• Strong understanding of the issues surrounding children and young people in contact with the Youth Justice system. 
• 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 - **************@taldumande.org.au 

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 include a cover letter addressing the selection criteria along with your resume.

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