Banksia Gardens Community Services is a vibrant community service charitable organisation operating in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. Our programs focus mainly on education and training, young people, early childhood, environmental sustainability and community participation and advocacy.

An exciting position is available in our Project REAL, a re-engagement program integrated in the Northern Centre for Excellence in School Engagement. Project REAL is dedicated to the re-engagement in education and learning of primary school aged children showing clear signs of disengagement, often as a result of exposure early adversity and stress.

Project REAL employs a multi-disciplinary team to work with these young people using a therapeutic framework, with the ultimate goal of re-engaging them into their school by achieving the following objectives:

• Increase the child’s sense of self-esteem and agency;
• Establish corrective relational experiences;
• Apply the latest evidence to repair neurobiological damage caused by traumatic experiences;
• Maintain and improve community connections with school and circle of friends;
• Help participants to develop constructive interests and hobbies;
• Build a body of knowledge that can help build our capacity to effectively work with severely disengaged youth.

The Project REAL Family and Student Support Worker will work collaboratively to support the lead teacher and the rest of the team in developing and delivering programming requirements for Project REAL, with a specific focus on supporting families to provide an environment conducive to positive school engagement.

We are seeking a committed, qualified and experienced community worker, with tertiary qualification in social work, psychology, youth work or other relevant tertiary qualifications, and significant experience working with highly disenfranchised children and families.

Join a passionate and dedicated team making a positive difference in our community. Attractive salary packaging, employee assistance program (EAP) and discounted health insurance available.

A full Position Description is attached below.