Student Wellbeing Officer (Affirmative Measures - First Nations)

Our purpose is to provide safe, culturally appropriate and affordable accommodation for First Nations people who need to be away from home to access services and economic opportunities. 

Our secondary education hostels provide a culturally safe home away from home supporting First Nations students to attend school, and achieve their education goals.  We support students to participate in out of school activities, provide tutoring and ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture is shared and celebrated.  We have seven secondary education hostels based in Sydney, Newcastle, Dubbo, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Thursday Island. 

AHL are proud to be one of the largest employers of First Nations people in the Australian Public Service. 

AHL is creating three new Student Wellbeing Officers based in Sydney, Katherine and Thursday Island.  We want our students to have the best support we can provide to ensure they remain connected to culture and have regular opportunities to share and learn more about their culture and the cultures of others.  Student wellbeing is our first priority and these new roles will support students to connect with services and participate in activities to support overall wellbeing and ensure students feel culturally safe while staying at AHL.  The Student Support Officers, under the direction of their regional Operations Team, will be responsible to initiate and maintain partnerships with local stakeholders and services to ensure students are connected to culture; and wellbeing is nurtured.  You will work closely with our hostel teams, including the Head of Boarding to organise individual and group support based on the individual needs of the students.  You will arrange activities and events at hostels to celebrate First Nations culture and engage community in hostel operations.

The key duties of the position include:

Under the direction of the Operations Management Team, the role will provide cultural and wellbeing support to First Nations secondary students residing in AHL hostels.  You will work in accordance with AHL policy, procedure, the Australian Public Service (APS) Code of Conduct and relevant APS legislation. A summary of the duties include:

• Working with the Head of Boarding (HOB) identify individual student needs and support the development of individual management plans, including connecting students to appropriate services and support.
• Provide advice and guidance to hostel teams to provide the best care and support for students in regard to cultural safety and connection. 
• Monitor and record student participation in cultural and wellbeing activities.
• Ensure all work aligns to AHL’s Secondary Education Student Handbook polices and procedures.
• Ensure AHL’s Child Protection Framework is upheld at all times and all work in aligned to the National Principles of Child Safe Organisations.
• Meet regularly with hostel teams.
• Arrange student participation in regular wellbeing and cultural activities.
• Understand and apply AHL delegations and broader APS guidelines and principles. Raise issues regarding student welfare with the HOB and work together to identify strategies for support.
• Work with the Student Transition Officer to support new students transition into the hostel.

For further information about the position and how to apply, please visit our website at Eligibility

These are Affirmative Measures – First Nations applicants only positions.

The filling of this vacancy is intended to constitute an Affirmative Measure under section 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. To be eligible to apply under the Affirmative Measures initiative, applicants must:
•    be an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person
•    identify as an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person, and 
•    be accepted by their community as being an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person.

The successful applicant will also need to:
•    Undergo a Satisfactory National Criminal History Check (prior to engagement)
•    Meet Fitness for Duty requirements (prior to engagement)
•    Hold and maintain a Working with Children Check in relevant state (prior to engagement)
•    Hold or obtain relevant qualifications.