Work Type: Fixed-term - Part-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Classroom Teacher
Occupation: Health and allied health
Location: Melbourne - Southern suburbs
Reference: 1499744
The Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System highlighted that primary schools provide opportunities to identify children with mental health and wellbeing challenges, who can then be referred to treatment, care and support.
The Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative is being expanded to every government and low-fee non-government primary school in Victoria. Scaling up across the state from 2023, by 2026 every primary school will be able to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader to implement a whole-school approach to wellbeing.
DE piloted the Mental Health in Primary Schools -initiative in Victorian schools between 2020 and 2022 in partnership with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. Evaluation of this pilot program showed that 95 per cent of Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders consider the Mental Health in Primary Schools model improved their school¿s capacity to support students¿ mental health and wellbeing needs.
Participating schools receive funding to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader, a qualified teacher, to work across the school to implement a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing for students, based on a broad knowledge of the needs of the school community.
The role of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader is to:
The role provides a proactive focus for the promotion and prevention of mental health and wellbeing through assessment and implementation of context-relevant programs, approaches and initiatives based on a broad and extensive knowledge of the needs of the school.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader role is not a clinical role and is not designed for direct intervention. The role is seen as a key conduit in creating referral pathways once a teacher or other staff member identifies a concern in the classroom.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders are provided training in mental health literacy, supporting emerging needs, and building school capacity and receive ongoing support and professional development through structured and regular Learning Communities. Training is developed and facilitated by the Faculty of Education at University of Melbourne, supported by Murdoch Children¿s Research Institute.
Operating in collaboration with their school leadership and wellbeing teams where relevant, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader will:
Applicants should be currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach.
A qualification in student wellbeing or mental health is desirable but not required
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
Please ensure that your application includes:
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.
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:
Details of qualification requirements as updated from time to time can be found at Recruitment in Schools.
Mount View Primary School, established in 1965, is situated in the suburb of Glen Waverley. The projected 2025 enrolment is 920 students. This figure includes 28 students enrolled in the school¿s Deaf Facility.
The school is proud of the diverse cultural representation which reflects the characteristics of the local community. A school neighbourhood boundary was introduced in 2011, and the school population mainly comprises students living locally. Students are grouped into forty-one single year level classes across the school.
School facilities feature a diverse range of classroom arrangements, including two original Light Timber Construction blocks (1965), a Visual Arts complex (c1975), a full-size Gymnasium (2003), a Performing Arts Centre (c2005), Senior Learning Centre (2012) and a range of contemporary portable classrooms.
Outdoor facilities include three fully equipped playgrounds, a fully sheltered outdoor basketball court, a large synthetic sports field and a school owned, shared use, community oval.
Staffing
The 2025 School Structure comprises:
Values
Mount View Primary School has adopted the public sector values which are set out in the Code of Conduct for Victorian Public Sector Employees. They are:
The Department and the Mount View Primary School Values underpin how we interact with colleagues, learners and families, members of the community, suppliers and government.