Student Welfare Officer

 Newington Primary School is located in Newington, Ballarat, alongside Victoria Park.  The school has current enrolments of 298 students from Foundation to Year 6 and has 14 classes.

The school is an authorised International Baccalaureate World School offering the Primary Years Programme and an International accredited school through the Department of Education to enrol international students.

Our school¿s vision of Inspire, Inquire, Grow enables our school¿s goal for students to be global citizens.  Also providing for all aspects of each childs academic, social, physical and emotional development to ensure that each child becomes the best he/she can be. We aim to develop engaged, resilient students with skills and attributes for lifelong learning.

The school is structured in a number of learning units, Junior, Middle and Senior. There is a specialist unit to complement these structures. Our teachers work with parents and students with a philosophy of continuous improvement. Newington Primary School students are provided with the opportunity to engage in a range of specialist areas and extra-curricular activities such as student leadership, arts projects, physical education, environmental science, cooking, Japanese, Art as well as interschool sport competitions.

Students engage with a range of methods for demonstrating their learning including audio visual, ICT, traditional debating and public speaking, writing genres and a range of presentation software. Our modern facilities maximise students¿ enjoyment of 21st century learning. We integrate information technologies with a high computer ratio, multimedia devices and interactive whiteboards.

Newington Primary School has a strong wellbeing focus, making it a priority in the school. Throughout the school Zones of Regulation are implemented to assist in student success in emotional regulation. These are taught in correlation to the RRRRs and other wellbeing approaches taught in the school curriculum.  The school is engaged with the Federation University Provisional Psychologists as well as therapy dogs twice weekly to best meet the wellbeing needs of students.

Additional information can be found at http://www.newingtonps.vic.edu.au, or by contacting the school.

1. Demonstrated ability to undertake individual and small group support for students and families.

2. Demonstrated capacity to develop and implement programs and procedures that foster resilience.

3. Demonstrated capacity to work as part of a collaborative, multi-disciplinary professional team.

4. Well developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills.

5. Demonstrated ability to support staff in the development and implementation of strategies to enhance wellbeing.

- Working one on one with students

- Facilitating sessions for groups of students on a needs basis

- Referrals to outside agencies

- Producing programs that address the needs of students (social skills, friendship groups, etc)

- Liaising and partnering with community organisations.

- Sourcing agencies to provide programs and support for students and families

- Attending professional learning

- Supporting staff

- Consulting with professionals and specialists to best support students

Prevention:

• Programs (small groups, whole class, year levels)
• Wellbeing strategies and activities
• Provision of professional development for teachers
• Parent information and education
• Devlopment of student wellbeing policies and guidelines

Early Intervention:

• Group work with students with particular needs
• Development of innovative programs to meet needs
• Consultation with teachers or families
• Implementation of student supports
• Review of school service provision

Intervention:

• Referral to other services
• Consultation with teachers
• School policy change
• Individual crisis intervention
• Community crisis management
• Critical incident management

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

The Department values diversity and is committed to workforce diversity and equal opportunity in schools and all education workplaces. 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.

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 http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/protect/Pages/childsafestandards.aspx

The Department’s employees commit to upholding DET’s Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. DET’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 DET values is available at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/workm/Pages/Public-Sector-Values.aspx

• 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