Social Worker / Youth Worker

Western Heights College is in the exciting formative years of establishing a new and vibrant culture with the guidance of a new Principal and leadership team. It is a government co-educational single campus secondary college located in the heart of the Hamlyn Heights, Herne Hill and the Geelong West region just a short drive from the Geelong city centre, the Geelong Ring Road and nearby rural towns. In 2015, the stage 2 school total rebuild was complete enabling the school to realise its vision of state of the art modern buildings which connect learning, to our community and reflects our leading-edge work in curriculum design and delivery for our community. The school is currently in the final design phase of building its new onsite School Gymnasium with completion due by the end of 2025/2026.

The college¿s purpose is to empower students to strive for success and excellence in their educational journey with a focus on learning growth, high expectations, holistic well-being, creativity and innovation. Global learning and thinking is a priority for the College with the school inclusive of cultural diversity, offering EAL and Chinese mandarin as its language. The college has sister schools in China and South Korea.

Leadership, interpersonal development and student voice and agency with their learning are a focus for the school with its offerings of exceptional dance, music, theatre studies, technology, STEM and art programs on offer. The college has recently re-invigorated its camps and study opportunities to include local, interstate and international experiences to places like Mount Buller, the Kokoda Track, Central Australia, China, Singapore, a USA Basketball Tour, a European and Fiji Soccer Program Tour, New Zealand Netball Tour and a AFL ¿grow the Game¿ Immersion Tour to Darwin. The College is also involved regularly in the School for Student Leadership Opportunities.

All students belong to learning communities with developmental personal learning goals and pathways plans, supported by a daily mentoring program. Years 7 and 8 students are supported in their learning communities by a teacher team focused on building key skills, knowledge and understanding. An innovative personalised program for Year 9 and 10 students includes access to VCE, School Based Apprenticeships (SBA¿s) and Vocational Education Training (VET) studies. Years 11 and 12 students choose from a wide range of studies, combining academic, vocational and applied learning programs and certificates. Western Heights College has an active and fully engaged College Council, establishing strong links with the local community, including partnerships with the City of Greater Geelong, Vines Road Community Hub, the Geelong Regional Library, Vines Road Senior Citizens and the Geelong Ford Museum of Motoring and Industry co-located on the new site. The school currently has a growing enrolment of 1000+ students.

It is an exciting time to be involved Western Heights College community.

More information is accessible from the college website:  www.whc.vic.edu.au

SC 1 Experience in the coordination and delivery of positive, proactive, and preventative programs or groups to promote positive health and wellbeing.

SC 2  Experience in the delivery of professional therapeutic interventions for students in response to an identified need.

SC 3 Demonstrated ability to provide professional leadership, collaboration with, and guidance for a team of wellbeing professionals.

SC 4 Demonstrated understanding of common approaches, policies, and research relating to student mental health, wellbeing, and engagement.

SC 5 Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work collaboratively and network with the wide range of people within the education and wider community.

Range 3 is distinguished by the introduction of management responsibility and accountability for the delivery of professional support services. The role will usually impact beyond the work area or professional field. It seeks to gain cooperation of other staff members or members of the school community to achieve specific objectives, such as in school administration, operations or educational programs.

Direction on targets and goals is provided but the position will have some degree of latitude in determining how they are achieved. This latitude will generally be limited by standard procedures and school policy.  Deviation from standard procedures and school policy will require guidance and direction from senior management.

The provision of business management responsibilities becomes a feature at range 3.  Management of staff to achieve the expected outcomes is a key responsibility.  Staff management issues will be resolved with minimal reference to senior management, although guidance will be required in more complex cases.  Senior management will be provided with timely reports and advice, although this will generally be confined to matters relating to the immediate work area, service provision or educational program and is unlikely to impact substantially on whole of school operations.

This is the minimum range for positions that carry a mandatory qualification requirement of not less than four years.  Professional student support positions become a feature at range 3 (e.g. therapists, psychologists) where standard professional services are delivered.  Professional support and guidance will be close at hand and deviation from standard procedures and school policy will require guidance and direction from senior management.

An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students, but must not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor.  Supervision of students cannot be required except where it is an integral part of the employees position or involves supervision of students individually or in small groups, in controlled circumstances, where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.

Collaborate and work alongside dynamic `Engagement and Wellbeing¿ team aligned with the `WHC Being model¿. Be an active  member of the SWPB team. Actively be a member of the TGP community and other links. Be a s student advocate to support attendance and engagement.

Coordinate and mange the EAW meeting

• Create Agenda and minutes
• Monitor referrals daily
• Set up and maintain WHC Being case note system
• Support referrals and parent carer consent to TGP/Meli

Support and develop:

• Pre- professional placements and programs, liaise with key contacts with universities and allied health
• Staff PL on Mandatory reporting
• Work with SSS team on staff training opportunities
• Support attendance team and working with Navigator
• EAW PL co-ordinator for the team `social stencil¿¿. 

Programs

• Health and wellbeing day
• Man Cave
• Life changer
• Vic Pol
• GYE Key contact
• Year level education and programs / work with Secondary nurse and Lawyers in schools program
• Develop/ Co-create and implement evidence-based programs to supports students skill set based on data and goals.
• Mange and implement lunch time programs and games to engage all students
• Lead SRC with staff and students
• DET initiative implementation
• RRRR

Preventions

• Coordinate prevention and programs with the team
• Coordinate and support Inclusion and engagement work
• Be an active member of the transitions team for year 6 into 7
• Work with external agencies

Promotions

• Newsletter
• Socials
• Parent/carer engagement
• Support and mentor pre-professionals

Collect and collate EAW data sets

• Referral term reports
• Co-ordinate and activate team feedback on critical incidents using the evaluation process
• Produce termly EAW reports to present at PCO

Case management

• Case load in working with students 1.1 counselling
• Creating and implementing group work in relations to:
• Zones of regulation
• Peer relationships
• Group work linked in with engagement

Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.

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

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx