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Ability to implement a range of small group and whole-school mental health prevention and promotion activities aimed at improving student mental health and wellbeing, including the delivery of capability building and awareness raising activities for staff and/or students on key mental health and wellbeing issues affecting the school’s student population.
- Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies aimed at enhancing mental health and wellbeing prevention, promotion and early intervention.
- Demonstrated experience in assessing, conceptualising and analysing wellbeing issues, and providing evidence-based direct counselling support to clients with a range of mental health needs.
- Demonstrated experience in coordinating supports for young people with complex needs including referrals to a range of specialist services as appropriate.
- Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.
- Clear understanding of legislative requirements regarding privacy of health information.
The Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) initiative was announced by the Minister for Education in late 2018 to expand mental health and wellbeing support in government schools. The initiative provides for a suitably qualified mental health professional in all government secondary school campuses and specialist school (with secondary-aged enrolments) settings.
Operating in collaboration with the relevant Department of Education Regional Mental Health Branch, this role has the following functions:
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Enhancing mental health prevention and promotion activities in the school by contributing to whole-school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to address matters relating to student mental health and wellbeing, and helping to develop and deliver appropriate programs and strategies in the school according to specified school priorities
- Providing early intervention services (including short-term counselling) for individual students and groups identified as at-risk and/or experiencing or demonstrating mild to moderate mental health concerns; and
- Coordinating supports for students with complex needs both within and external to the school, including proactively working with regions, local mental health service providers and other health professionals to engage further support as required.
Education support class level 1 range 4
The successful applicant will be an experienced professional who will carry out their duties and responsibilities, relative to their professional discipline, with a high level of autonomy and with minimal reliance on professional supervision. The successful applicant will be responsible for the development and implementation of professional support programs within an educational environment, including guidance to other professional staff.
As an education support class position, this role supports the educational services being provided to students, but will not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic).
For more information on the responsibilities of an Education Support class level 1 range 4 employee, please visit the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/industrial-agreements/resources
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Providing advice and professional learning to others, including teachers and other school wellbeing staff, to build the capacity of schools to improve students wellbeing, learning and developmental outcomes.
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Delivering professional support services in a school, including mental health prevention and promotion activities and early intervention activities (including short-term counselling) for students with a range of mental health needs, applying sound theoretical knowledge and practical expertise.
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Planning and implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for students with complex needs including collaborating with families, other professionals and agencies when appropriate to effectively manage risk.
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Working collaboratively with the school to enhance mental health prevention and promotion across the school by contributing to policies and operational practices that will guide the work of others, including other school wellbeing staff and teachers.
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Liaising with other department areas (including secondary school nurses and Student Support Services staff) and external service providers where necessary to provide appropriate support to students.
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Maintaining professional competence and continued professional development, including attending professional development activities throughout the year.
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Meeting relevant policies and legislative requirements in relation to student health information, privacy and consent.
Please note: Continued professional development is a registration requirement under the National Law, which governs the operations of the National Boards and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Required
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Applicants must be qualified as a psychologist, social worker, mental health nurse, occupational therapist or counsellor of a prescribed class. Specifically:
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For Psychologists, applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA
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For Mental Health Nurses, applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA and hold a postgraduate qualification in mental health
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For Social Workers, applicants must be eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers
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For Occupational Therapists applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA
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For Counsellors applicants must have completed a Bachelor or Master of Counselling and be a practising member of either the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)
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Demonstrated direct counselling experience
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A current Working With Children Check.
Desirable
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For Psychology applicants, specialisation in educational and/or developmental psychology.
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For Mental Health Nurse applicants, holding a Mental Health Nurse Credential and membership with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses.
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For Social Work applicants, membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers and an Accredited Social Worker Trade Mark.
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For Occupational Therapy applicants, a Better Access to Mental Health Endorsement.
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For Counselling applicants, Level 3-4 registration (ACA) or a Registered Clinical Counsellor endorsement (PACFA).
The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, 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 safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via
[email protected]
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.
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
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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
Please ensure that your application includes:
- A resume including relevant experience as well as personal details (name, address and contact numbers, business and home)
- A section addressing the selection criteria and the requirements for application under the Who May Apply section
- Names and contact numbers (telephone and email if possible) of two referees who are able to attest to the claims made in your application.
Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action.
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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
Sunshine College operates as a two site multi-campus school in North and West Sunshine with responsibility for serving the educational needs of around 1000 young people, employing approximately 140 staff. We are currently entering an exciting renewal phase in our teaching and learning practices and physical structure, including the opening of new facilities.
The Sunshine community is wonderfully diverse, with a strong sense of pride and identity.
Our college reflects this diversity with a wide range of teaching & learning programs across both campuses. Our successful mainstream programs being augmented by the curriculum delivered at Harvester Technical College, located adjacent to the North Campus of Sunshine College. The Harvester Technical College through its teaching staff provides innovative best practice approaches in vocational education based around applied learning. We have developed strong links with major industries and business partners, in guiding the curriculum development and in building relationships to support outcomes for students. Teachers at the HTC operate in a team environment, integrating curriculum around learning projects for a dynamic year 10-12 student cohort.
Teachers across both of the 7-12 campuses of Sunshine College are expected to be creative of new and innovative approaches to teaching and learning, with an understanding that students learn best through discovery, research & development processes and especially when this learning is linked to applied situations.
Our student¿s average growth rate in NAPLAN Reading and Numeracy from Year 7 to Year 9 is at or better than state averages.
A major and exciting challenge for us is to become one of the leading schools in Victoria on how literacy issues are positively addressed. Students in Years 7 to 11 are involved in the SunLit program, receiving structured literacy lessons throughout the week.
Maths staff are regular presenters at the Mathematics Association of Victoria Annual Conference and were acknowledged for their work in Numeracy in winning the Lindsay Thompson Award for Excellence in Education.
Each year our students achieve high ATAR scores and have won Premier¿s Awards and the VCE Achiever of the Year Award placing them among the top elite students in Victoria. The duxes of the school over the last years are studying Commerce, Law, Medicine, Engineering and Education. Our outcomes for students graduating from the HTC into apprenticeships, work or further study are exceptional.
The College supports the broader community in a number of ways through community curriculum initiatives, largely coordinated in our Connect and Pathways courses run at Years 7 to 10.
We are committed to maximising learning outcomes and life opportunities for our students by providing high quality learning experiences which will empower them to continue to learn, adapt to changing circumstances, and create opportunities for themselves, while valuing self, others, and their environment.
Our core school values focus on GROWTH, LEARNING, WELLBEING and RELATIONSHIPS. These values guide our philosophy in how we educate and support our students and nurtures our belief that all students can learn.
Staff work in supportive Focus Groups, at times they team teach and are committed to continual personal and professional growth, and accept new educational challenges as a natural part of their professional lives.
Staff at Sunshine College have worked together to develop what we call a ¿core plus¿ instructional model that allows for domain specific innovation and creativity but is underpinned across all domains by five core instructional practice principles:
Learning Intention articulated and reflected on
Readiness for Learning determined
Activities that Target Individual Success delivered
Quality Feedback provided
Reflection undertaken
We believe that our teaching staff are by far the most valuable resource of the school. We know that it is our teachers who ultimately make the difference for students, and we support them accordingly.
The Victorian Auditor-General¿s Office tabled a report in the Victorian Parliament titled ¿The Effectiveness of Student Wellbeing Programs and Services.¿ Sunshine College was chosen to talk to representatives of the VAGO about our successful well-being approaches and programs.
Our performance and development culture is based around the collaborative work of staff in professional learning teams where curriculum is collegiately designed and consistently delivered across classrooms and campuses and where self-reflection is critical to enhancing the craft of teaching.
Sunshine College promotes the safety, participation and empowerment of all children, including those with a disability. Our culture is based on Collaboration, Aspiration and Inclusion. Our College is culturally safe for indigenous children and for those from culturally and linguistically diverse background. We encourage applications from indigenous peoples and from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
If this is a school, you would like to be part of I would encourage you to formally apply for the position.
Applicants will need to hold valid tertiary qualifications and be able to meet Victorian Institute of Teacher registration requirements.
Please note Sunshine College reserves the right to contact colleagues other than those listed as referees.
