MCM’s Youth Housing First for young people (Housing First Young People Leaving Care) program is an innovative five-year program focused on providing housing and support to eligible young people leaving care. It will be delivered across South-East regions of Victoria, in partnership with Quantum Support Services and Junction Support Services and compliment existing supports for young people.
Housing First is a program that will provide housing, personalised case work and tenancy support for young people leaving Residential care, other care types, or custodial settings.
This program will:
Provide housing stability that enables young people to achieve their transition goals across housing and independent living, health and wellbeing, education, employment and community connections, strengthen social, community, cultural and where appropriate, family connections
Improve health outcomes for young people and increased educational attainment and employment participation rates
Reduce the risk of homelessness and contact with the justice system.
The role of the Youth Worker, Youth Housing First is to provide Young People with flexible support that is tailored to their needs, with the level of support varying during the Young Person’s time in the program.
Ensuring the program is led by Advantaged Thinking, Sustaining Tenancies, Housing First, and Healing Informed principles allows us to respond creatively to build capacity, relationships, create space for healing, and assist Young People to strengthen community connections, sustain housing, and divert away from the experience of youth homelessness.
The role of the Youth Worker is a full-time 3-year contract.
We are looking for someone who can:
Effectively manage work with a dedicated number of young people and develop advanced goal directed case planning and crisis interventions underpinned by Advantaged Thinking to meet the needs of Young People presenting with multiple needs, including risk assessments and safety plans.
Assist Young People with multiple support needs to firstly access allocated program housing and at transition access ongoing accommodation options, particularly supported accommodation, family reconciliation, private rental, shared housing and social or transitional housing in accordance with the case plan.
Use a sustaining tenancies practice approach to assist young people to establish a new tenancy, settle well into new housing, intervene/prevent ongoing tenancy issues, manage a tenancy long term, and as required, end a tenancy on the best positive note.
Facilitate access to relevant specialist support services, including health, mental health, AOD and therapeutic interventions and where appropriate, external services in accordance with the case plan.
Maintain up to date knowledge of MCM’s programs and relevant external service providers to ensure an integrated service response to people.
Diverse and inclusive organisation
Attractive Salary Packaging benefits
Supportive learning and development environment
Culture of continuous improvement
Bachelor’s qualification in social work/community work or another related field.
Demonstrated experience providing case management and support planning for young people with complex support needs.
Understanding of mobile, street based and assertive outreach support and interventions.
Knowledge of / experience in Advantaged Thinking, Housing First, Sustaining Tenancies principles and practice.
Provide tailored and appropriate responses to people who are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
Regular travel between North Fitzroy (Primary team site) and other MCM sites across the SE region is required.
Strong planning, report-writing and stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to coordinate and follow up actions with internal and external stakeholders.
Capacity to work effectively both independently an as part of a team, demonstrate accountability and willingness to take direction. Including ability to work in an integrated way with partner agencies.
Desirable:
An extensive understanding of the homelessness service system with knowledge of patterns, trends, systemic issues and best practice principles when working with people experiencing homelessness.
Computer literacy, including proficiency in Microsoft Office and client databases.
A well-developed understanding of the Victorian Child Safe Standards
Essential Safety Screening Requirements:
Proof of Identity Check
National Police check
International Police check
Current Victorian Working with Children Check (Employee)
Current Victorian Drivers Licence
Right to work in Australia
Applications for this role will close on 12th August 2026/or Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early. Please include your current resume and cover letter.
Please review the position description to understand more about the role and responsibilities. If you have any needs throughout the recruitment process that have not already been catered for, we encourage you to contact [email protected] to let us know how we can better support you to apply.
MCM is an inclusive and equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to safety. MCM embraces differences because we know that diversity and inclusion help us to attract, recruit, engage and retain talented people.
We are a leading not-for profit-for-purpose organisation that offer a broad range of services in Disability, Homelessness, Palliative Care and Education.
MCM is committed to the safety of its clients and employees, taking a zero-tolerance approach to violence within the workplace and abuse, including child abuse and abuse of people with disability. All employees are required to comply with the Child Safe Standards.
At MCM we embrace our differences because we know that diversity helps us to innovate and make the biggest impact possible. Our DEI Strategy supports and drives an inclusive workplace culture. We embrace the learning opportunities that come with authentic commitment to equity of access for all. We particularly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates to apply.
