Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Leading Teacher - Range 3
Occupation: Health and allied health
Location: Melbourne - Western suburbs
Reference: 1511300
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.
The Department of Education has been piloting the Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative in Victorian schools since 2020 in partnership with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. Evaluation of this pilot initiative has shown that 95 per cent of Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders consider the Mental Health in Primary Schools model has 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, staff and families 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 team where relevant, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader will:
Teachers currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach and/or have demonstrated experience in the curriculum area(s) specified for the position.
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
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.
Point Cook P-9 College continues to embed the vision of `creating tomorrow today¿. Our Mission is to provide opportunities for all members to work collaboratively to access a seamless, personalised, and innovative education. We aim to build a safe and supportive learning environment wherein all members are motivated and challenged to pursue interests and pathways to achieve their full potential. We encourage connections with the community to promote connected, curious, and tolerant global citizens. Point Cook Primary School was established in 1923 and is unique in that it was situated on Commonwealth land within an active RAAF base. The school was initially developed to provide education for the children of RAAF families living on the base but also accepted enrolments from local Werribee South residents.
Point Cook P-9 College was re-located in 2010 to its current site in Point Cook. The College was built under the Private Public Partnership model and has many unique features including state of the art teaching and learning spaces designed in collaboration with Dr Julia Atkin. Our state of the art facility provides the very best in contemporary educational design and promotes active student-centred learning through the creation of adaptable, functional spaces. Our buildings consist of general learning and teaching areas, a Learning Resource Centre/Library, full size indoor gymnasium/basketball court, performing arts/music room, spaces for food technology, design, arts, STEM/technology centre, its very own wetlands, an environmental science room, a Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden and a community space managed by the YMCA. The College is in partnership with the YMCA for the provision of childcare facilities. Under the PPP model, the College has been financed, designed and constructed by the private sector to high contractual standards over 25 years, allowing Principals and teachers to focus on student learning, rather than asset management.
Programs offered at the College cater for students in Prep to Year 9. The College specialist programs include: Visual Arts, Performing Arts, LOTE (Indonesian and Japanese), Food Technology, Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden, Health and Physical Education, inter-school sport carnivals, ICT, and a Year 8/9 elective program. The College also has an ongoing commitment to Environmental Sustainability Education, Studies of Asia and building international connections and partnerships. The College operates under two Sub Schools - Prep to Year 4 and Years 5-9. Both Sub Schools are led and guided by a Sub School Principal and leadership teams.
Point Cook P-9 College is proud to offer a learning environment that is reflective of 21st century design and is committed to providing our students with innovative teaching approaches. Our staff are caring, passionate people who are committed to providing the best education for all our students. Our aim is to ensure we cater for not only the students academic success but also their wellbeing.
Teams of educators work together to plan and teach a comprehensive curriculum and to provide rich learning environments for all students. Our programs are supported by contemporary resources and the latest research on teaching and learning. Our College provides access to an education that is seamless from Prep right through to Year 9.
The curriculum and teaching strategies encourage our students to have high expectations of themselves. The curriculum at our College is developed using an inquiry approach, where students are encouraged to take an active role in investigating and responding to areas of personal interest. All staff provide explicit teaching of new concepts. The Victorian Curriculum forms a basis for teacher planning and curriculum implementation. A range of extra-curricular opportunities are offered to students, from languages, clubs and sporting activities. The Student Leadership program at Point Cook P-9 College provides students from all year levels with leadership training and skill developments, and there are many opportunities to experience positions of responsibility. Our students relish the opportunity to make decisions, take on responsibility and have an input into the direction of the College. Our specialised engagement programs in Years 7-9 have continued to gain momentum. In 2021 we implemented our first The High Achievers Program (HAP) for year 7s. This program has continued to grow and is very popular within the colleges community. In 2022 the college implemented its first Athletic Development Program (ADP). In 2025 the college implemented our first Creative Arts Program (CAP) for a Year 7 class. We will continue to grow this program into future year levels. We have found the behaviour and engagement levels of students has increased significantly due to these types of programs.
The wellbeing of our students and staff is of the utmost importance to us. The high calibre Wellbeing team, consists of a Wellbeing Assistant Principal, Inclusion Leader, Wellbeing Leader, Mental Health Practitioner, Social Workers, ES- Integration aides. Department of Education staff also provide support and guidance for our students, staff and families and work alongside our Wellbeing team. The College has been designed as a Community Hub and encourages community use and additional community facilities and programs, through a partnership with the YMCA and Community Hubs Australia. The relationships between the staff, students, parents and the community is a fundamental strength of our College. Parent involvement and participation is actively encouraged and greatly valued. The College has well established local and international networks and partnerships with other schools, early childhood and further education settings, community organisations, business and industry to support student outcomes and strengthen student pathways.