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: 1529446
Hamlyn Views School is a Special Developmental School for students Foundation to Year 12 located in Hamlyn Heights, Geelong. It opened in 2018 and as a Public Private Partnership School will be maintained to a standard for 25 years. All students have a diagnosed moderate to severe intellectual disability, some with associated conditions, including a significant percentage on the autism spectrum.
Our vision is to be an outstanding provider of inclusive education that promotes individuality, fosters innovation and sets high expectations for all whilst our school values align with our School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support expectations - Learning, Safety and Respect. Our motto Facing the Future depicts our desire to create effective partnerships with all community members to support improved learning, wellbeing and post-school pathways for our students. Our School Strategic Plan 2020-2024 guides whole school improvement, assisted by the implementation of Data Wise collaborative data inquiry by educators in Professional Learning Communities. We will undertake a School Review in term 2, 2024.
We want our students to have the best learning opportunities, support and care to ensure they reach their full potential and become valued, contributing members of their community. To achieve this our curriculum, assessment and pedagogical approaches are based on the latest evidence-informed research.
A multi-disciplinary team of Allied Health and Wellbeing professionals are employed to provide the necessary expertise and support that promotes student access to the curriculum and the successful attainment of the Individual Education Plan goals.
Through our commitment to Respectful Relationships, Safe Schools and zero tolerance for any form of child abuse, racism or discrimination, we aim to build a culture of respect for diversity, gender equality and safety.
We are seeking a highly motivated and capable NDIS Navigator keen to be part of our professional and collaborative learning community, committed to excellence and equity for all, and eager to be part of the exciting educational journey of a growing school.
SC 1 Demonstrated highly developed interpersonal skills and communication skills.
SC 2 Demonstrated capability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships between people with disability and their parents and carers, other organisations or agencies and the wider community.
SC 3 Demonstrated understanding of issues facing students with disability and their parents/carers.
SC4 Experience in building the capacity of others to navigate complex systems.
SC 5 Demonstrated knowledge of the operations of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and operations of specialist schools.
Children and young people with disability can require a greater degree of parental or family involvement in their education and care than their peers without disability. Parents and carers of children with disability play several supporting roles, including as advocates and as people who can provide valuable insight into their child's specific needs for services such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the broader health and community services system.
The Victorian Government is introducing new NDIS Navigators from 2023 in government specialist schools to provide support to parents and carers to help them navigate and understand the NDIS, enabling them to get the most out of the supports available. They will also provide support to schools, parents and carers to better understand the interface between the education system and the NDIS.
The NDIS Navigator will carry out the following with a high level of autonomy (within broad guidelines), professional leadership and minimal day-to-day direction:
· provide support and advice for parents and carers to build their capacity to understand, advocate for and access appropriate NDIS funded support services available to their children
· develop and maintain relationships with parents, carers, school staff and local services to enable productive working relationships between schools, parents, carers and the NDIS
· support collaborative practices between NDIS funded services and the school including by providing appropriate information, documentation and/or logistical support for approved NDIS-funded therapist on-site visits. (School to edit/amend if they do not allow NDIS therapists to delivery therapy on school site)
· working collaboratively across their school, the NDIS Navigator will support families and carers to resolve issues experienced with the NDIS through appropriate channels.
The NDIS Navigator will not:
· contact the National Disability Insurance Agency or NDIS funded agencies on behalf of families or carers except in limited circumstances, following consultation with the principal
· act as an advocate for families, carers and students in matters that are the responsibility of the school.
The NDIS Navigator role is not a teaching role or a clinical role and is not designed for direct intervention, individual student case management or crisis management. The role will not implement or perform supports and adjustments in schools.
In some circumstances the NDIS Navigator may need to consult with the principal to prioritise families that have more complex needs that require additional support.
Relevant experience in the NDIS, disability, youth or education sectors is desirable but not essential.
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
· Applicants should keep a copy of the position description as it cannot be accessed once the job has closed.
· Candidates are advised that the key selection criteria must be addressed. Visit https://www.careers.vic.gov.au/how-to-apply for guidelines and tips for applying for government positions and addressing key selection criteria.
· All staff employed by the department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
· Successful applicants are subject to a satisfactory criminal record check prior to employment. New department employees are required to meet the cost of the criminal record check.
· If appointed from outside the department, successful applicants will be required to complete a pre-employment health declaration.
· Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.