Work Type: Ongoing - Part-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Education Support - Level 1, Range 4
Occupation: Health and allied health
Location: Melbourne - Northern suburbs
Reference: 1507261
“Our job is not to prepare students for something, it is our job to activate our students to prepare themselves for anything.”
Adapted from AJ Juliani.
Bundoora Secondary College is a year 7-12 College in a quiet residential area of Bundoora, a northern suburb of Melbourne. We are an innovative, caring school and take great pride in knowing every member of our community (both staff and students) as individuals and as learners.
The school is set on a well-developed, picturesque site adjacent to Gresswell Forest. The spacious grounds include a variety of playing fields and as our school farm continues to develop, a range of animal paddocks, productive gardens and indigenous flora plots. Our school is accessible by foot, bike or car and is well serviced by our school buses and public transport. Our school enjoys a strong partnership with our neighbours including Melbourne Polytechnic, Latrobe University and RMIT Bundoora Campus as well as other universities further afield. BSC is a Child Safe school and expects all employees to be cognisant of the expectations upon them to contribute positively to our child safe environment.
BSC is currently experiencing a period of strong growth as we implement our new curriculum program with a vertical structure of subject offerings across the traditional 8 – 11 years called our PACE21 (Passion and Choice, Empowerment 21st century skills) program. This program, recently redesigned to include many integrated, enquiry based units, empowers students to choose the pace of their own learning journey. Our core purpose is to provide a broad and challenging education that is future focused and will develop students' 21st century skills, abilities and knowledge for further education, training, work and community participation. In order to do this we require staff who are flexible and generalist in their philosophy and thinking.
Students at BSC are not bound by the traditional year level classes. The school is broken into three cohorts - a common Entry year (the traditional year 7), PACE21 (traditionally years 8-11) and Graduation year (traditionally year 12). Our broad pathways focus and the vertical structure supports students’ choice and provides flexibility across our learning program ensuring that all students can engage in their learning at their point of interest and be challenged at their point of need.
Rigour remains a core value so high expectations of students will continue and progress will be routinely reported against the BSC Great Student (21st century skills) matrix and the Victorian Curriculum skills continuum to ensure that all students will achieve success. We are very much aware that ongoing feedback to students will support them in developing a growth mindset and promote learning so that each student can reach the next level.
We are a diverse and inclusive community. We live by our school values - Respect, Responsibility, Resilience, Relationships and Rigour (the 5 R’s). At BSC, students have an authentic voice into the everyday decision making at the school. We provide a variety of opportunities for student voice such as a Student Leadership Council, student lead tours, public speaking at assemblies and membership of College Council with voting rights.
Learning takes place in well-equipped air-conditioned courtyard style buildings, which contain specialist areas including a Library Resource Centre and student social space, the ECA Centre which contains a gymnasium, weight training facility and drama studio, the Arts and Technology areas including food, wood and media, art and craft, ceramics, painting and drawing and music laboratories. Science rooms are fully equipped for practical experiments and activities with two 3D printers and an emphasis on robotics. Each class room is provisioned with an interactive whiteboard and our 1:1 digital technologies program is enhanced by the schools provision of PCs and MACs.
To enhance the student’s learning experience, traditional co-curricular programs such as sport, drama and music performances, instrumental music, excursions, camps, art exhibitions and displays and student leadership have been incorporated into the mainstream curriculum to ensure that all students can pursue their passions.
Strong emphasis is placed on catering for the individual learning style of each student. Achievements are recognised and celebrated. BSC promotes an environment that encourages students to investigate, understand and actively design and participate in their learning through a variety of teaching and learning strategies.
Parents are welcome and encouraged to participate in all College activities and to work with teachers in developing positive educational outcomes for their children. While formal reporting to parents takes place twice a year, the College emphasises the continual monitoring and communication of student progress to students and parents.
We actively involve our community in the development of our educational programs, policies and the provision of a supportive and caring environment. This is reflected in our house teams and our wellbeing structures that exist to assist students and parents. The implementation of the Student Empowerment Guidelines results in an environment where students from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds exhibit co-operation and acceptance towards each other.
We have established positive links with our neighbouring primary schools as a means of easing the transition of students into the College, as well as providing continuity in their educational programs.
Bundoora Secondary College – BSC – where students experience education by student choice.
Selection Criteria
APPLICANTS MUST HOLD SUITABLE QUALIFICATIONS LISTED UNDER "WHO MAY APPLY".
1. Demonstrated experience in assessing, conceptualising and analysing wellbeing issues, and providing evidence-based direct counselling for a range of mental health issues.
2. Demonstrated experience in planning and implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for clients with complex needs.
3. Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies relating to mental health and wellbeing.
4. Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.
5. Ability to provide leadership and professional learning that informs and influences the work of others involved in the engagement and wellbeing of children and young people.
6. Clear understanding of legislative requirements regarding privacy of health information.
Role
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.
Operating in collaboration with the Department of Education and Training's Area-based multi-disciplinary teams, this role will have the following functions:
¿ provide direct counselling support and other early intervention services for individual students and groups identified as at-risk and/or experiencing or demonstrating mild to moderate mental health needs,
¿ coordinate supports for students with critical needs both within and external to the school, including proactively working with regions and other health professionals to engage further support as required; and
¿ enhance promotion and prevention activities in the school by contributing to whole school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to manage student health and wellbeing, and helping to embed mental health promotion and prevention programs and strategies in the school.
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:
https: //www.education.vic.gov.au/h rweb/Documents/VGSA-2017. pdf
Responsibilities
1. Deliver professional support service/s in a school/s, including the direct counselling for students with a range of mental health issues, applying sound theoretical knowledge and practical expertise.
2. Plan and implement evidence-based intervention strategies for students with complex needs including collaborating with families, other professionals and agencies when appropriate, and manage the associated risks.
3. Work collaboratively with the school to contribute to policies and operational practices that will guide the work of others, including other school wellbeing staff and teachers.
4. Provide leadership and professional learning to others, such as teachers and other school wellbeing staff, to build the capacity of schools to improve students' learning and developmental outcomes.
5. Liaise with other Department areas (including secondary school nurses and Student Support Services staff) and external service providers where necessary to provide support to students.
6. Maintain professional competence and continued professional learning, including attending professional development activities throughout the year.
7. Meet relevant policies and legislative requirements in relation to student health information privacy.
Please note: Continued professional learning is a registration requirement under the National Law, which governs the operations of the National Boards and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Who May Apply
Applicants must hold a Bachelor qualification or specialist/postgraduate qualification where applicable in:
¿ Social Work
¿ Occupational Therapy
¿ Nursing with a Mental Health specialisation
¿ Psychology.
Applicants must hold full registration with the requisite professional body where applicable.
Social Work applicants must be eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate direct counselling experience.
Applicants must have a current Working with Children Check Card.
It is desirable that:
Social Work applicants hold membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers and an Accredited Social Worker Trade Mark.
Mental Health Nurse applicants hold a Mental Health Nurse Credential and membership with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses.
Occupational Therapist applicants hold a Better Access to Mental Health endorsement.
Psychology applicants have specialisation in education and/or developmental psychology.
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.