About Canteen

As part of a newly formed Child and Youth Cancer Alliance, Camp Quality and Canteen are working together to provide holistic support for 0–25-year-olds with cancer and their families.

Our first priority is to ensure that families impacted by cancer can easily access the multi-faceted support they need. Simultaneously, we want to make it easier for hospitals to ensure their patients are well supported beyond treatment.

Camp Quality and Canteen – as the founding members of the Child and Youth Cancer Alliance - have secured Australian Government funding to develop an online hub where parents can access all the practical and emotional support services their family needs.

The Child and Youth Cancer Alliance Digital Service (CYCADS) program will see the consolidation of the Alliance (Canteen and Camp Quality) services into a single, easy-access support hub for children, young people, and families. Two key roles, Cancer Navigators and Counsellors will ensure families are supported to navigate the maze of cancer services as well as provide essential mental health support.

The Role

The Online Support team’s primary focus is to provide digital therapeutic interventions to young people aged 12-25 and parents of children aged 0-25 utilising evidence-based interventions and to moderate and develop two online communities; Canteen Connect and Parenting Through Cancer.

The Online Counsellor is a specialist social worker, psychologist or counsellor who specialises in the delivery of brief interventions via digital counselling (telephone, video and webchat) for young people and parents. The Online Counsellor play's an integral part in ensuring our online communities are safe, inclusive online spaces that facilitate connection and access to information and support.

Service Hours: The Online Support Platform is a 6-day service over extended hours. This role will have structured hours linked to cover the hours of operation. Flexibility to work part-time 30 hours per week across shifts from Monday to Saturday is necessary.

Selection Criteria

• Hold or be eligible to obtain accreditation, membership or licensing from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority (AHPRA), the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), The Australian Counselling Association (ACA), The Psychotherapy and Counselling federation of Australia (PACFA), Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA), The Australian Psychology Society (APS) or equivalent national registering body
• Minimum 2 years experience in the clinical setting and/or counselling service using a number of evidence based interventions (CBT, IPT, ACT, Narrative)
• Experience working with families including demonstrated knowledge of parenting, child development, family inclusive interventions, communication and conflict resolution.
• Demonstrated knowledge of grief, loss and bereavement, end of life planning and the impact of chronic illness on children and families.
• Experience administering assessments with individuals and couples and the ability to coordinate their care
• Experience in conducting risk assessments and developing safety plans
• Knowledge of child protection legislation and mandatory reporting
• Experience in the delivery of therapeutic and psycho-educational groups
• Demonstrated experience, confidence using and ability to learn web-based technology for the purposes of digital counselling and delivery of Online Health Communities

Employment Details

Location: Melbourne/ work from home

Job type: Fixed Term 20 months, Part Time (30 hours p/w)

Do not delay in applying as we will be reviewing applications periodically during this period.

Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted and must be prepared if successful to undergo a National Police Check and Working with Children Check. As an Allied Health organisation, Canteen employees are required to have received two doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine. These requirements are essential to gain employment with Canteen and your vaccination status will be discussed as part of the recruitment and selection process.