Wellbeing Counsellor - engagement

Cheltenham Secondary College is well reflected in the statement: "Tradition and excellence in a caring, disciplined environment."  

Founded in 1959, Cheltenham Secondary College is a single campus, Year 7 to 12 coeducational college of approximately 900 students. The College motto is 'Health and Learning'. The College is committed to providing comprehensive, relevant and challenging programs that enable all students to work towards achieving their potential and to be responsible and contributing citizens to their community, Australia and the World.  We provide balanced and relevant education in an encouraging and nurturing way.  

VALUES AND ENVIRONMENT

The College's values are Personal Best, Sense of Community, Respect and Responsibility. These values guide us in everything we do from personal growth and responsibility, inclusion and social justice, lifelong learning (to learn, to know, to be and to live together), experiential learning and eLearning.

How do we define or display these values?

-          Development of personal excellence and willingness to participate is encouraged and acknowledged. 

-          By maintaining traditional values linked to the dress code/uniform, strong discipline and a supportive welfare structure.

-          As a unified environment, we advocate honesty, loyalty, courtesy, consideration for all, tolerance and respect for one another.  

-          By fostering a sense of pride in self and a willingness to excel, which in turn encourages team spirit.

LOCATION AND ZONE

The College is bordered by a residential area, a light industrial zone and a large shopping complex (Westfield Southland), with both Monash University and Holmesglen TAFE Moorabbin Campus in close proximity. The College is well serviced by public transport, including bus services and the Cheltenham, Southland and Moorabbin railway stations.

Many enrolments are from outside the College's designated zone. During the last few years, student enrolments have stabilised at around 900. Enrolments also include a cohort of overseas fee-paying students, thus adding further to the multicultural nature of the College. Enrolments of boys exceed enrolments of girls at most year levels. The Student Family Occupation Index is reducing slightly.  

STAFF

Cheltenham Secondary College has a dedicated staff who are committed to the best outcomes for students, who support the ethos of the College and are approachable and receptive. There is low turnover of staff.

CURRICULUM PATHWAYS

Students are grouped horizontally in year levels and managed in three sub-schools: Junior (years 7 and 8), Middle (years 9 and 10) and Senior (years 11 and 12) Schools. The College also runs VCE VM program.  The Year 12 pass rate is very high and the vast majority of students go on to tertiary study.

The College provides a common and comprehensive program of cross and cocurricular activities to all students across all year levels.  Each sub-school is led by a Director and four Coordinators.

As students move through the school, the opportunities available to sub-school curriculums are:

                Middle School

                Years 9 and 10:

-          Students are provided with the common core curriculum, but are also able to choose elective subjects in their chosen areas, leading to their final choices of a Senior School program that provides them with academic, vocational and traineeship post-secondary needs.

Year 10:

-          Students undertake work placement.

-          Some students take up apprenticeships, traineeships or transfer to a senior campus college after year 10.

-          Students are able to participate in Vocational Education and Training (VETis), in University Enhancement programs.

Senior School

Year 11:

-          Year 11 students undertake work placement.

Years 11 and 12:

-          Students have the option to continue their academic pathway through the VCE and VCE VM programs.

-          Students are able to participate in Vocational Education and Training (VETis), in University Enhancement programs.

-          A significant number of students study a Language other than English (LOTE) outside normal school hours with external providers.

Additional Student Opportunities

-          An extensive cocurricular activities program exists which allows students to develop their talents outside of the classroom.

-          The College takes a very high profile in inter-school competitions (especially sport and debating), has an extensive instrumental music program, a Year 12 Leaders program, a Student Representative Council, Form Captains and an invaluable peer support program.  

-          The Avenues, a sister school interstate exchange program which expands the opportunities for students and focuses on competitive and cooperative programs in sport, culture and the arts.  

Cheltenham Secondary College Community

-          Parents and Friends: The College welcomes and actively encourages parent participation in their children's schooling through the College Council and its range of subcommittees and the Parents and Friends Association.

-          Local Council, Sporting Groups and other key broader community groups: City of Kingston, Kingston and Districts Netball Association, the Local Learning and Employment Network (LLEN), various Rotary Clubs, RSL and welfare organisations.  

SC1 Demonstrated high level counselling experience to support adolescent wellbeing.

SC2 Demonstrated high level oral and written communication skills.

SC3 Demonstrated experience supporting students to create an environment which promotes physical, emotional, social and intellectual wellbeing for all. 

SC4 Demonstrated experience identifying and analysing students wellbeing issues.

SC5 Demonstrated experience working effectively as part of a team.

No attendance required during holiday periods

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 employee¿s position or involves supervision of students individually or in small groups, in controlled circumstances, where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.

• Respond to school crisis situations as required
• Provide in-school support and counselling to young people who are identified as being at risk of not remaining in the school system. 
• Identify, develop and implement flexible social skills programs to suit the individual client needs, addressing such issues as school retention, negative peer pressure, conflict resolution, anger management, personal and social development and relationship issues including grief and loss
• Provide strategies to enhance and promote skills to improve relationships between family members, educators and young people.
• Identify needs unique to staff, students, parents and the education community to ensure ongoing, long term sustainable relationships with external networks and welfare providers. 
• Provide advice and support to college staff members with regards to students health and wellbeing

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

Applicants are asked to provide the contact details (Mobile Number, Work Phone, Home Phone and email addresses) of three referees. The current Principal should be one of your referees if you are currently in a school.

The successful applicant will be able to negotiate time fraction and days of work.