Work Type: Fixed-term - Part-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Education Support - Level 1, Range 4
Occupation: Health and allied health
Location: Barwon South West - Greater Geelong
Reference: 1524184
Demonstrated experience in assessing, conceptualising and analysing wellbeing issues, and providing evidence-based direct counselling for a range of mental health issues.
Demonstrated experience in planning and implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for clients with complex needs.
Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of policies and strategies relating to mental health and wellbeing.
Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.
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.
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:
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
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
Applicants must be qualified as a psychologist, social worker, mental health nurse or occupational therapist. Specifically:
For Psychologists, applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA
For Mental Health Nurses, applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA and hold a postgraduate qualification in mental health
For Social Workers, applicants must be eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers
For Occupational Therapists must hold full registration with AHPRA
Have demonstrated direct counselling experience
Have a current Working With Children Check
Desirable
For Psychology applicants, specialisation in education and/or developmental psychology.
For Mental Health Nurse applicants, hold a Mental Health Nurse Credential and membership with the Australian college of Mental Health Nurses.
For Social Work applicants, hold membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers and an Accredited Social Worker Trade Mark.
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 vacancy is to replace an employee on parental absence and is for a period of seven years or until the employee absent on leave returns to duty at the school.
Western Heights College is a government co-educational single campus secondary college located in the heart of the Hamlyn Heights, Herne Hill and the Geelong West region just a short drive from the Geelong city centre, the Geelong Ring Road and nearby rural towns. The college is located within state-of-the-art modern buildings which connect learning, to our community and reflects our leading-edge work in curriculum design and delivery for our community.
The college¿s purpose is to empower students to strive for success and excellence in their educational journey with a focus on learning growth, high expectations, holistic well-being, creativity and innovation reflected strongly in the schools 3 values courage, responsibility and inclusivity. Stage 3 planning/building has commenced for the school to complete its masterplan which will see the college state of art gymnasium constructed on-site to enable a highly specialised sports and physical activity program to grow. The college offers flexible indoor and outdoor learning spaces as well as an array of educational opportunities to empower students to strive for success and excellence in their educational learning journey.
The college has a strong focus on literacy and numeracy across the college. Global learning and thinking are a priority for the College with the school inclusive of cultural diversity, offering EAL and Chinese mandarin as it¿s language. The college has sister schools based in China.
Leadership, interpersonal development and student voice and agency in learning are a focus for the school with its offerings of exceptional dance, music, theatre studies, technology, STEM, outdoor education, and art programs on offer. The college has an exciting camps and excursions program with opportunities to include local, interstate and international experiences to places like Mount Buller, Kokoda, Central Australia, China, New Zealand, the USA and Europe. The College is also involved regularly in the School for Student Leadership Opportunities across all its campuses for Year 9 students.
All students belong to learning communities with developmental personal learning goals and pathways plans, supported by a daily mentoring program. Years 7 and 8 students are supported in their learning communities by a teacher team focused on building key skills, knowledge and understanding. An innovative personalised program for Year 9 and 10 students includes access to VCE, the Head Start Program, School Based Apprenticeships (SBA¿s) and Vocational Education Training (VET) studies. Years 11 and 12 students choose from a wide range of studies, combining academic VCE, vocational and applied learning programs and certificates (VET/VCAL). Western Heights College has an active and fully engaged College Council, establishing strong links with the local community, including partnerships with the City of Greater Geelong, Vines Road Community Hub, the Geelong Regional Library, Vines Road Senior Citizens and many local and elite sports groups co-located on site. The school has a growing enrolment of 1150 students in 2026