Fusion Australia's logo

Refuge Youth Caseworker

Fusion Australia
  • Type of Position: Part-time hours 3 x 9.5 hour shifts per week.

Brief Description of Program:

Fusion Youth Housing accommodates young people in housing crisis that are 15-21 years of age in Moorabbin. Young people experiencing housing crisis are accommodated for on average six weeks at a time. The program provides supported accommodation, meaning that young people are not just provided with a bed, but required to engage in various aspects of the program such as with a caseworker and working towards an agreed upon case plan, participating in a living skills program and other aspects of communal life such as respect for other residents.

The facility is staffed 24/7 with two workers on during workdays and one worker overnight and on weekends.

The refuge is comprised of six units, four single and two double beds and can cater for four males and four females at a time. There is also an overnight/emergency bed. The building was designed to foster a community feel as the program is built around an understanding of the importance of social capital.

Objective: For young people to become successful administrators of their own lives

Fusion’s Philosophy of Support:

Fusion Youth Housing and Support works from a holistic framework, understanding that homelessness is not just the absence of a roof over one’s head. It is understood that all people have a need to be part of a wider network of support and contribution in any community. This service works on a model of self-determination and empowerment where the service user decides on the level and direction of support as part of a case management process. This may include a range of issues associated with homelessness and other risk factors. From the commencement of support, the goal is to work towards the independence of the service user and to assist them in establishing networks of support and care, both professional and community based, to serve them in the future and help them make a meaningful contribution to the community.

Scope:

  • To provide support and supervision of young people whilst rostered on shift, in line with their case plans and Fusion’s policies and principles
  • To work as part of a team to ensure consistency across the whole program, including care for young people maintenance of the premises and administrative requirements
  • To assist in coordinating day-to-day operations of the Fusion Youth Refuge in order to provide a safe and secure environment to young people experiencing housing crisis
  • To provide the assistance and support needed to enable young people to address issues affecting them and access an appropriate housing outcomes

Brief Description of Role:

  • To be the key caseworker for four clients residing in the refuge, whilst also having an understanding of goals and plans for all refuge clients
  • The refuge youth caseworker also provides supervision of young people who are residing in the refuge
  • Assist the young people with living skills, including:
    • Chores
    • Engage them in positive time structuring activities
    • Assist with house hunting
    • Monitor interactions and behaviour
    • Ensuring a safe environment based on Fusion’s values and policies

Responsibilities:

  1. Work in a safe manner in line with Fusions Code of Conduct, Policy, Procedure, and applicable legislation.
  2. Demonstrate values of justice, respect, empathy, advocacy and concern for individuals.
  3. Work as part of the team to encourage and assist young people to carry out the goals in their case plan
  4. Building and fostering healthy community through positive engagement and creative time structure.
  5. Provide a secure, supportive, safe environment for residents and respond to needs as they arise
  6. Assist residents in the development of their independent living skills
  7. Advocate for and promote the service to other agencies and clients
  8. Maintain an awareness of regional service systems and other agencies to provide assistance to clients and workers
  9. To carry out all tasks to the standard required in a professional and timely manner.
  10. To maintain current industry knowledge and professional standards through participating in training, self-education and professional development both formally and informally.

Tasks:

  1. Advise referral agencies of vacancies within the refuge and post vacancies on the Resource Register
  2. Clean and prepare units for occupancy by new residents
  3. Orient and work through intake checklist with new residents
  4. Observe and monitor behaviour of residents
  5. To enter case notes into the agreed client data software tools in a timely manner
  6. Take referrals/IAP and gather information to make an assessment
  7. Make relevant entries in the daily log and update case notes for each resident in an adequate and timely manner
  8. Collect and record data required for AIHW collection and internal evaluation
  9. Collect any board money and issue receipts to residents
  10. Record expenditures from petty cash flows
  11. Attend weekly staff meetings and staff training sessions , caseworker meetings and state housing team meetings
  12. Provide relevant information to other staff at changeover of shifts and also to other caseworker for day when not in
  13. Undertake cleaning duties as per task list for shift
  14. Participate in internal and external supervision
  15. Liaise with staff from other Fusion activities and projects for appropriate connection of young people into other Fusion programs
  16. Contribute to program development within refuge operations
  17. Contribute to the creation and revision of Policy and Procedure and evaluation of the service
  18. Assist with the training and orientation of students, relief staff and volunteers and attend other training as negotiated
  19. Attend interagency meetings as negotiated and represent Fusion as a whole

In addition, the Youth Refuge Caseworker has responsibility for the following duties:

  1. Ensure effective case management is provided to all residents in the refuge, which includes being the case worker of up to four young people, assisting in addressing their issues and accessing alternative housing options
  2. Maintain client data using SHIP software
  3. Ensure client notes are entered into SHIP in a timely manner as per practise manual
  4. Ensure the day-to-day operations of the refuge, including:
    1. Shift tasks
    2. Data collection
    3. Petty cash
    4. Cleaning
    5. Log advertising of vacancies
    6. Purchasing items so the refuge can operate smoothly in liaison with housing coordinator and other caseworkers
  5. Provide on-call support to the Refuge team in line with the On-Call roster. This includes ensuring continuity of care for young people, providing support and information to staff and being able to attend the refuge in an emergency or after an incident.
  6. Participate in networks and develop relationships with relevant agencies and the community as negotiated
  7. Liaise with housing call centre regarding regular repairs and maintenance of the property
  8. Respond to the immediate needs (material aid, health, economic etc.) and identified support needs (D&A, mental health, employment and training, education, information and referral) of young people
  9. Actively liaise and reflect where appropriate with specialist support workers, family, and significant others to ensure coordinated and collaborative case management
  10. To advocate and negotiate for and with young people in relation to their rights and needs
  11. Provide informal support to youth workers
  12. Purchase items in line with budget requirements
  13. Leave handover notes of anything that needs to be followed up on Monday

Person Specifications:

  • Willingness to work within a framework of Christian values, Fusion’s Code of Conduct, mission and to participate in Fusion’s training
  • Demonstrate values of care, justice, respect, empathy and concern for individuals
  • Experience working in a team, empathy, flexibility, negotiation skills, ability to give and receive feedback and the ability to work independently
  • Understanding of the issues affecting individuals who are in crisis and homeless or at risk of homelessness. An ability to provide direct service to this client group
  • Skills in engaging young people
  • Skills in liaising with parents, schools and other service providers.
  • Ability to listen, gather information and make assessments of need.
  • Computer literate, including intermediate Microsoft Office use.
  • Ability to set and maintain appropriate boundaries.
  • Excellent time management skills.
  • Excellent communication –written and verbal

Position Requirements

  • Appropriate qualifications, such as Certificate IV in Case Management or Bachelor of Welfare/Social Work, and proven casework experience
  • Current Working with Children’s Check
  • Consent for Fusion to conduct a National Police Records Check every year
  • Agreement to work within Fusion’s Code of Conduct
  • Current driver’s licence

Successful Applicant must hold a valid Working With Children’s Check (employee) card and also successfully undergo a National Police Records Check. All enquires should be directed to Brian King at [email protected],  or 0402 297 329.

How to apply

This job ad has now expired, and applications are no longer being accepted.

Email me more jobs like this.

Daily