• 4 days per week (0.8FTE) - Ongoing Position - SCHADS Level 6 - Based at Sunshine
• High quality AOD services supporting young people in Residential Care
• A great opportunity to make a difference where it matters 

Make a difference where it matters most

Are you passionate about supporting vulnerable young people to reduce the harms associated with alcohol and other drug use?

Anglicare Victoria is seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Senior Youth Outreach Worker to join our organisation. This is a unique role working alongside young people living in residential care who are experiencing complex substance use, mental health and life challenges.

As part of our innovative Youth Outreach program, you'll provide outreach-based AOD assessment, counselling, treatment and support while also building the capability of Residential Care teams to respond to substance use through a harm minimisation and trauma-informed lens.

This is a rare opportunity to work in a specialist role that sits at the intersection of youth work, outreach, therapeutic intervention and system capacity building.

The Role

Using Anglicare Victoria's outreach approach, you will:

• Provide AOD assessments, counselling, treatment planning and ongoing support to young people living in Residential Care.
• Engage young people with complex needs using creative, relational and evidence-based therapeutic approaches.
• Develop proactive AOD risk management and withdrawal support plans to reduce substance-related harm.
• Support young people to stabilise, reduce or cease harmful alcohol and drug use.
• Provide secondary consultation, coaching and education to Residential Care staff.
• Build partnerships with Child Protection, Youth Justice, Mental Health and other community services.
• Advocate for young people and coordinate referrals into specialist treatment and support services.
• Promote best practice harm minimisation and recovery-oriented approaches across residential settings.

About You

You are a skilled and engaging practitioner who can build trust with young people facing complex challenges.

You will bring:

• Experience providing AOD services to young people, adults and/or families.
• Strong assessment, counselling and case planning skills.
• Experience working with young people displaying challenging behaviours and complex trauma.
• Knowledge of harm minimisation, relapse prevention and recovery-oriented practice.
• Skills in motivational interviewing and client-centred engagement.
• Confidence using creative and activity-based therapeutic approaches.
• Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to work collaboratively across systems.
• A commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable young people.

Qualifications

Essential:

• Bachelor or Diploma qualification in Social Work, Psychology, Counselling, Youth Work, Community Services, Behavioural Sciences or related discipline.
• Cert IV AOD, Post Graduate AOD qualification or demonstrated Dual Diagnosis competencies.
• Current Victorian Driver Licence.

Why Join Us?

• SCHADS level 6, remuneration starts at $115,557 at full time
• Ongoing role – 4 days per week (pro rata for 30.4 hours)
• Sunshine-based position with outreach throughout Melbourne's Western Region.
• Access to Anglicare Victoria fleet vehicles.
• Salary Packaging to increase your take-home pay.
• Work for Victoria's largest provider of Out of Home Care and Family Services.
• Join a passionate team committed to achieving positive outcomes for children and young people.
• We take the Health and Wellbeing of our people seriously offering a Well Worth It! Program, Fitness Passport EIP and EAP.
• Access to discounted health insurance as well!
• A diverse and inclusive workplace for you to feel safe, acknowledged and included.
• Our people are our biggest asset, we will support you to progress your career with a dedicated L&D team.

If you're looking for a rewarding role where you can combine therapeutic AOD practice with meaningful outreach work, we'd love to hear from you.