Would you like to join the Foundation Staff of a Victorian Government Secondary School that opened in 2024, and is looking to expand in 2026?
Would you like the opportunity to do the following?
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Shape a brand-new school's culture
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Work in state-of-the-art facilities and resources
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Work in a collaborative and innovative environment
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Forge meaningful partnerships with parents, local businesses, and community organizations, creating a strong network of support for students and their education.
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Develop your leadership skills
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Play a vital role in the establishment and growth of a brand-new school
If you are, then Yarrabing Secondary College is looking for Education Support Staff to join the school.
About Us
Yarrabing Secondary College opened in Term 1 2024 and provides the growing local population with great educational opportunities close to home. It is able to enrol up to 550 students with the stage one facilities. In 2024 Yarrabing Secondary College opened to approximately 150 Year 7 students and will progressively grow by one year level thereafter. In 2026, the College has Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 students only.
Yarrabing Secondary College is located 29 kilometres west of Melbourne in the suburb of Aintree. When fully established, the school will have 1200 students enrolled from Year 7 to 12 and 130 school staff members.
Our school grounds are close to planned parklands, sporting facilities, and we are surrounded by a supportive community. Most students that will attend our school live locally and would tend to walk or ride their bike to school.
Our school will be culturally diverse with 60% of students having a language background other than English (LOTE) spoken in the family home, with the largest LOTE languages being Hindi and Punjabi. We are proud of our diversity and our inclusive school community.
We strive to provide a nurturing and challenging environment that empowers students to reach their personal best, both academically and socially.
Our Vision
Our vision is to empower our students by developing well rounded, confident, and responsible individuals who have high expectations of themselves, and who aspire to achieve success through respect, responsibility, and collaboration.
Our Mission
Our mission is to be a safe, supportive environment that emphasizes motivation and self-discipline. Using 21st century approaches, we provide students with the means to achieve their potential and we challenge our students to grow academically, socially, culturally, and emotionally. Collaboration and positive relationships will underpin all our work.
Additional information can be found at: www.yarrabingsc.vic.edu.au
The successful applicant will play an instrumental role in the development and implementation of contemporary school processes to support the learning and wellbeing of all students across the school. This position is a fantastic opportunity for the right individual to help our school be the absolute best school it can be for students, staff and the wider school community as our school continues to grow and thrive over the years ahead.
As an Education Support Staff member you will contribute to the collaborative planning, implementation and evaluation of school processes and contribute to the school culture as a results-oriented collaborative professional learning community.
Education Support Staff will work collaboratively with colleagues and leadership to improve students educational outcomes and to ensure that the school remains on a path of continuous improvement through the application of evidenced-based research.
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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
This is a part time position, 4 days per week, 8:00am to 4:06pm with a 30 minute unpaid lunch break.
Applications must include:
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A cover letter providing contact information including home address, email, and phone number.
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A CV with a summary of experience, qualifications and your Working With Children Check (WWCC) number.
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Specific Key Selection Criteria response.
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A section addressing the requirements for application under the Who May Apply section
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The names, email addresses and contact details (email and phone) for three referees.
For ease of handling by the school, all documents (cover letter, CV, and key selection criteria responses) can be saved as one pdf and uploaded to Recruitment on Line. Please also ensure that your name is included in the header of each document.
All applicants should ensure that their personal profile on Recruitment Online is up to date.
Applicants seeking further information about the school or this position, are encouraged to contact the Principal, Mr John Mitsinikos, prior to the closing date of applications on 03 7033 2444 or email
[email protected]-
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
