Youth Worker / Behaviour Specialist

Western Port Secondary College is a dynamic learning community located in a beautiful rural setting on the Mornington Peninsula. It is a smaller sized secondary school with approximately 700 students.  The College has recently undergone a $11.6M major refurbishment which has included a new Senior Hub, Yr 7 Hub and dedicated Wellbeing wing.

The College ethos is based upon the commitment of staff, students and parents working cooperatively to provide the best possible curriculum in a safe and welcoming environment. The College¿s Core Values are Community, Achievement, Respect, Engagement (CARE), which are embedded into programs and practices within the College community. Our College places a great emphasis on pastoral care and a very positive approach to student wellbeing. We believe the best environment for students to learn is one that is safe, inclusive, respectful, caring and purposeful, and one where personalised and individual learning programs can be achieved. Each and every student is known and has a place in our school.

The current strategic plan focusses on our core business of Teaching and Learning and Accountability. We have initiated a 21st Century Education approach which ensures our students complete their schooling and leave equipped with the skills and knowledge to be successful in their futures and careers. We have implemented a number of changes so all students are accurately mapped on the Victorian Continuum in all learning areas, and then explicitly taught at the level they are at in order to progress along the continuum. This growth is then measured, recorded and reported on. We have developed similar measures for our senior VCE and VM programs. We have shifted from solely relying on Teacher Judgments for assessment and instead using a range of tools to more accurately and independently measure and map students learning growth and academic outcomes. Teachers continue to work hard developing differentiated curriculum and associated assessment.

The College was selected as a Department of Education STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Catalyst school and our specially trained staff are delivering a core STEM program including digital technologies, coding and robotics to Year 7 and 8 students, elective program to year 9 and 10 and a cluster initiative project with students in Grade 5 and 6 from feeder primary schools.

The College is a partner school with the Mitchell Institute on the `Entrepreneurial Learning in Schools¿ project. The College is recognised for its excellence in pathway provision and is an Alumni member of Beacon, supporting young people in exposure to further education, training and employment.

The College is a Monash University SAM school and provides a program promoting and facilitating tertiary pathways. The VCAL and VET completion rates are now at or close to the state average, with these improving each year over the last 4 years and our retention at school is close to the state mean.

The College has implemented the Southern Youth Commitment policy and is involved in the Youth Partnerships Frankston Mornington Peninsula demonstration site. Through this involvement with the `Wrap Around Care¿ model, the school has been involved in implementing a number of projects and policies across the College that support vulnerable youth and keep young people retained and engaged in educational pathways. The College is working to reinstate its 5 Star Sustainability Accreditation, receiving numerous environmental awards over the last few years. This supports the work of the student led Environmental Action Group.

The school maintains a strong music and performing arts program and regularly holds concerts and productions.

SC1 Demonstrated capacity and experience to provide support to students and parents individually and in group settings

SC2 Experience in the delivery of student and family wellbeing services in a Secondary setting

SC3 Demonstrated knowledge of current best-practice interventions for students with support needs.

SC4 Capacity to work as part of a collaborative multidisciplinary professional team and contribute significantly to the achievements of the team

SC5 Demonstrated capacity to liaise with a range of organisations related to student and family support.

SC6 Demonstrated a wide range of interpersonal and communication skills.

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.

The Youth Worker / Behaviour Specialist is a unique role in the school that will help support the school’s implementation of the Berry Street Model of Education. The preferred applicant will need skills and experience in creating positive relationships with young people to help them implement individualised strategies to manage their behaviour in learning environments. They will also work assisting specific students who qualify for Disability Inclusion funding with behaviour support.

Responsibilities include:

• Assist in the management and implementation of the Berry Street Education Model through the implementation of Ready to Learn Plans for all students
• Assist students individually with wellbeing needs who are using their Ready to Learn Plans to re-engage in learning.
• Professionally develop the Inclusion team to assist students who qualify for Tier 1,2,3 Severe Behaviour Disorder funding.
• Work with students and families to develop strategies to assist students who are identified as having a Severe Behaviour Disorder through the Disability Inclusion Profiling system.
• Assist and advise the wellbeing team in aspects of student wellbeing and behaviour.
• Assist in the liaison and communication link between the College and its community especially in matters of wellbeing, discipline, and adolescent health issues.
• Provide support to parents on issues related to wellbeing and behaviour support
• Other duties as specified by the principal team

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

The Department of Education and Training 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).

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants can contact Brett West, Yamatji man, in the Koorie Outcomes Division to talk about the recruitment process, the Department and supports for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in the Department. Mobile: 0477 726 *** or email on: **********@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 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

Preferred qualifications/experience: Bachelors’ degree or a high level of experience in education/ youth work or disability behaviour support.

• 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