Work Type: Fixed-term - Part-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Education Support - Level 1, Range 3
Occupation: Education and training
Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs
Reference: 1523730
Experience working with school communities, families and community organisations involving individuals of culturally and linguistic diverse backgrounds.
Excellent stakeholder management and relationship building skills including the ability to partner with and broker support from local community organisations
Ability to build strong working relationships with parents and local community organisations to identify best practice and areas for improvement to support student and parent engagement.
Excellent time management and organisational skills
The School Community Liaison Officer will be required to support school communities to focus on increasing school engagement, strengthening partnerships with families and community and facilitating activities to increase retention and school completion.
The School Community Liaison Officer will be expected to work in collaboration with School Community Liaison Officers appointed to other schools across the North West, South West and South East Victorian regions through membership of an established community of practice. The School Community Liaison Officers will be supported by a centrally based program officer and provide regular reports to support the implementation, evaluation and ongoing monitoring of the project. There is an expectation that this role will require travel to other sites of delivery and to the DET Central Office in Melbourne CBD.
Provide support to school communities they are working with to establish and maintain communication between young people, families and the local community
Work directly with groups of young people or individuals, planning interventions to ensure young people are connected to an education
Work directly with young people to provide platforms for student voice, facilitate leadership opportunities and facilitate activities that aligns with their needs
Facilitate information sessions for parents to support an increased understanding of the education system and platforms and increase engagement with parent teacher nights, information days and school celebrations
Facilitate professional learning for school staff on cultural responsiveness and safety coordinate workshops and forums for the school and local community
Facilitate access to homework clubs and afterschool programs, to offer support and mentoring outside of the school
Support school leaders with the rollout of the cultural competency framework and other activities aimed at strengthening inclusivity for diverse communities
Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfil the specific requirements of the position.
This role is identified as available for African heritage applicants only. Confirmation of your African heritage may be requested.
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
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- It is desirable that the successful applicant has a relevant tertiary qualification in community development, education, social work or equivalent
- All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
- Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
- A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
- Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx
The successful candidate will be required to work some hours during the school holidays. Regular work hours will be 9:00am to 5:00pm on weekdays. This may be negotiated as appropriate.
The successful candidate will be eligible to claim time in lieu (TIL) where they are required to work in excess of their normal hours of duty.
Background
As part of the Victorian African Communities Action Plan, education is identified as a key focus area and funding is available to employ School Community Liaison Officers in school communities with high populations of African young people to improve their connection to education and provide tailored support.
The School Community Liaison Officer at Collingwood College will support your school comunity and a cluster of neighbouring schools with high populations of African young people to increase school engagemen, strengthen partnerships with families and community and facilitate activities to increase retention and school completion.
This role will be one of eight School Community Liaison Officers appointed to school communities with high populations of African young people across the State and supported by a Senior Program Officer appointed by the Department of Education Training (DET) and operating from the DET central office in Melbourne.
Location
The School Community Liaison Officer will be located at Collingwood College and will work in partnership with two ¿ three neighbouring schools that have high populations of African young people.
At Collingwood College, we inspire young people to be well-balanced, strong and creative individuals who make a positive difference to our community. We provide a rich and diverse curriculum. The College is committed to continuous improvement to maximise outcomes for all students. Collingwood College believes in providing diversity within the Victorian government schools system and our range of programs promote a sense of choice and inclusion for students.
Our point of difference is our strength, and we are proud of our history of innovation and inclusiveness. Collingwood College is a government P-12 school established in 1882 and is located in the inner-city suburb of Collingwood, close to Melbourne¿s CBD. In 2025 the school had an enrolment of around 634 students with this number reduced in part due to the COVID pandemic and a decline in the international student population. The school has moved from high socioeconomic disadvantage to the mid-range of the School Family Occupation Education (SFOE) Index and was 0.4405 in 2025. The school draws students from many different suburbs in and around Melbourne. Collingwood College remains a culturally diverse school with 25% of the student cohort having a language background other than English and 2% of our student cohort being Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander. The projected numbers of international students enrolled has increased and in 2025 Collingwood College held 91 international students coming from a range of countries, including Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Thailand, Indonesia and Korea.
Collingwood College offers innovative and progressive teaching approaches at all levels. The main campus is arranged into two sub schools, Primary and Secondary. Each sub-school is organised to create the most appropriate setting and approach for children at the different stages of their development. The college has a defined philosophy of education and has three main streams of learning, including a P-6 inquiry based mainstream learning approach, a secondary MYP IB mainstream program based on the Victorian Curriculum and a specialist P-9 Steiner Program. The College structures the Year 10-12 program to more intentionally prepare students for the VCE/VM/VPC pathways from Year 10. The second campus to Collingwood College, The Collingwood Alternative School (CAS) enrols students from 14 years old and operates through a re-engagement approach.
The curriculum is designed to provide students with appropriate challenges and educational opportunities and build their self-esteem. The program specifically focuses on numeracy and literacy development, the learning of social and behavioural skills, work/training readiness and the provision of the VM and VET options for senior students.
In 2026, the College (excluding CAS) had a full-time equivalent (FTE) teaching staff of 4 Principal Class, 3 Leading Teachers, 3 Learning Specialist, 119 teaching staff, and an Education Support Staff (ES) FTE of 36 Collingwood College offers a range of cocurricular programs, including the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden, Instrumental Music, Visual and performing arts and outdoor education.
There are integrated programs to support all students, including: extension, intervention, integration and English as an Additional Language (EAL) program. The College¿s English Language Centre (ELC) re-opened again in 2022. The College¿s Main Campus features exemplary learning, athletic, and arts facilities. It is home to a well-equipped theatre, a dance studio, modernised science and technology sections, and a premier sports centre with three gymnasiums. The college's grounds are thoughtfully designed with various play and relaxation areas, complete with shaded seating, manicured gardens, and designated outdoor learning spaces. Collingwood College is committed to the philosophy that all students are capable of learning and achieving excellence. Collingwood College takes great pride in its strong ties and collaborative relationships with the surrounding local community