• Casual

Are you looking for meaningful work grounded in respect, compassion and cultural safety?

Guthrie House is seeking casual Recovery Support Workers to support women and children living in our residential alcohol and other drug recovery service. Casual shifts are primarily evenings and weekends, with some public-holiday work available.

This is a practical, relationship-based role for someone who can connect respectfully with women, recognise their strengths and provide consistent support while maintaining professional boundaries and safety.

Guthrie House does not employ men. Being a woman or non-binary person is a genuine occupational qualification for this role under section 31 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW). We welcome applications from women and non-binary people.

About Guthrie House

Guthrie House is a specialist women’s alcohol and other drug recovery service located on Gadigal Land in Enmore. We support women whose lives may also be affected by trauma, mental health challenges, homelessness, pregnancy and parenting, and contact with the criminal legal system.

Our work is grounded in dignity, cultural safety, compassion, accountability and the belief that every woman has strengths and the capacity to create change.

About the role

Recovery Support Workers help maintain a safe, respectful and supportive residential environment, particularly outside standard business hours.

Working within established policies, safety plans and individual case plans, you will provide practical and relational support while encouraging recovery, independence and respectful shared living. You will work independently during rostered shifts while remaining connected to a multidisciplinary team and established on-call support.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing trauma-informed, recovery-focused support to women experiencing distress or other challenges.
• Responding calmly to emotional distress, substance-use concerns and mental health needs using de-escalation strategies and established procedures.
• Supporting recovery routines, daily living skills, structured programs and informal activities.
• Providing practical and emotional support to pregnant women and mothers with infants.
• Providing short-term supervision of children when required so mothers can participate in onsite appointments, groups or restorative breaks.
• Promoting safety, dignity, healthy boundaries and respectful relationships within a shared residential environment.
• Maintaining accurate, timely and strengths-based case notes and incident documentation.
• Escalating significant risks or situations outside established frameworks in accordance with Guthrie House procedures.
• Contributing to a culturally safe, inclusive and discrimination-free environment.

About you

You will bring compassion and warmth to the role without losing sight of boundaries, accountability or safety. You can respond to challenging situations without judgement, communicate clearly and work respectfully with women from diverse backgrounds and life experiences.

You will need:

• Qualifications in social work, community services or a related field; or to be undertaking relevant studies with at least one completed placement.
• The ability to work in a trauma-informed, recovery-oriented and strengths-based way.
• An understanding of the impacts of colonisation and intergenerational trauma, together with a genuine commitment to culturally safe practice.
• Experience responding to distress or challenging situations using de-escalation strategies and established safety procedures.
• The capacity to support women who are pregnant or parenting in a respectful and non-judgemental way.
• Strong communication, documentation and professional-boundary skills.
• The ability to work independently and contribute effectively to a multidisciplinary team.
• Availability for flexible casual shifts, including evenings, weekends and public holidays.
• A current NSW Driver Licence.
• A current First Aid Certificate, or willingness to obtain one within three months.

Experience supporting women affected by alcohol and other drug use or the criminal legal system will be highly regarded.

For First Nations applicants, cultural knowledge, lived experience or community leadership may be considered in place of formal qualifications.

Why join Guthrie House?

You will join a skilled and values-driven team doing work that has a direct and practical impact on the lives of women and children. You will be supported through supervision, team collaboration, professional development and clear practice frameworks.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

Next Steps

To submit your application please click 'Apply Now' by the closing date.

A position description is attached.