Enjoy the benefits of working with a growing organisation offering career development, flexibility and an attractive annual salary package (including leave loading and superannuation).

The Role:

VincentCare Victoria is seeking an appropriately-qualified person to take on the position of Brief Intervention AOD Program Counselling & Support Worker who has demonstrated experience supporting adults with alcohol and other drugs (AOD) concerns by offering high quality, therapeutic support and guidance. The key function of the Brief Intervention Worker is to provide brief interventions to those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness that are accessing the Homelessness Resource Centre as well as residents at Ozanam House crisis accommodation. The program provides clients with opportunistic engagements consisting of harm reduction education and information, counselling support, group work, peer mentoring, recreational activities, assistance with navigating the new AOD sector functions, and facilitating pathways to AOD, health, and support services. The program aims to foster client independence, and community social inclusion. In addition, the Brief Intervention (AOD) Program encompasses a small Care and Recovery Coordination (CRC) component whereby offering more intensive support (up to 15 hours) to crisis accommodation clients which may include: a comprehensive assessment, creating a client-centred Case Plan, facilitating referrals, providing therapeutic interventions, harm minimisation and relapse prevention strategies, and health and wellbeing stabilisation.

VincentCare Victoria:

VincentCare Victoria is an award winning organisation established to provide a range of accommodation and support services to people that are facing disadvantage throughout metropolitan and regional Victoria.

Our aspiration is to be the leader in providing care, hope and advocacy for those facing disadvantage. Our purpose is to create opportunities and lasting change for the most marginalised. VincentCare is well equipped to provide a continuum of services that effectively meet the needs of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Inner Melbourne Community Hub provides a range of accommodation and support services, including crisis accommodation, drug and alcohol case management, and adult outreach.

Working with VincentCare:

A key strategic priority is attracting and retaining skilled and committed employees aligned to our values. VincentCare has over three hundred dedicated, talented and enthusiastic staff working across a range of programs and services and offers a number of benefits including: 

• Career Development opportunities
• Employee Assistance Program
• Salary Packaging
• Choice of Superannuation fund
• Family friendly and flexibility
• Study leave
• The Ozanam Scholar Bursary

Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to the principles of social justice and aim to ensure every individual is treated with dignity and respect regardless of their cultural background, ability, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or religion.

Selection Criteria:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications – a principle discipline, Cert IV AOD/mental health competencies and relevant experience in AOD sector (required) 

Experience - Essential

• Knowledge and capacity to implement AOD interventions including harm minimisation framework / harm reduction strategies and counselling support to marginalised cohorts
• Knowledge of the Specialist Homelessness, Community Mental Health, Health and other treatment services relevant to the client group

Skills and Personal Attributes

• Knowledge of the Alcohol and Other Drug sector
• Demonstrated ability to effectively engage people experiencing a significant episode/s of homelessness
• Knowledge of health and other treatment services relevant to the client group
• Ability to work collaboratively within a small team and contribute to consistent, yet innovative work practises.
• A positive approach to work and a capacity to recognise and deal appropriately with challenging behaviours.
• Ability to manage critical incidents, identify and act upon immediate risk of danger to self and others in both outreach and service based capacities.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively engage people experiencing complex issues
• Ability to develop and maintain constructive, empathetic, supportive and respectful working relationships with all stakeholders
• Highly developed verbal and written communication skills

• Evidenced administrative accuracy and detail, including timely data entry
• A current Victorian Drivers Licence is required

How to apply:

Applicants must submit their CV together with a detailed response to each of the key selection criteria in the position description which is available below.

Phone enquiries may be made to Joe De Iacovo on 0459 142 551

VincentCare welcomes applications from people from diverse cultural & linguistic backgrounds including people who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex, Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander. 

All appointments within VincentCare Victoria are subject to satisfactory completion of a police check and character/performance reference checks.  Police checks will be undertaken for the selected candidate prior to any job offer being confirmed. Police checks are also undertaken on a periodic basis during the period of employment. 

All appointments are subject to disclosure of any relevant employment history of formal disciplinary action for improper or unprofessional conduct taken by current or previous employers or any other integrity body within or outside Australia.

The incumbent for this position must have and maintain a current Victorian Working with Children Check or equivalent.