At Uniting Communities, people are at the heart of all we do. We work alongside Australians as they strive for a bright future, guided by our purpose to build compassionate communities and great lives. Through our values of courage, growth, respect, teamwork and accountability, we strive to find innovative and improved ways to meet our customers’ needs and strengthen our community.

About the role

Jo’s provide a home for young people who are unable to live with their families due to past neglect, abuse or relinquishment. We aim to create more than just an accommodation facility, but rather a truly loving environment for young people where staff nurture and support them to heal from their past trauma, and gain meaningful connection to community as they enter adulthood.

At Jo’s the team understands that young people who are placed in care, following child protection intervention, often require comprehensive, holistic and interagency support due to the complex behaviours they are struggling to navigate. We understand the crucial need for staff to be supported to enable this high quality of care, and as such the Therapeutic Service Model governs targeted interventions that foster growth and change, with a high focus on authentic engagement and positive team relationships.

Jo’s also ensure that birth families, where appropriate, are included in care of young people. Birth families play a vital role in a young person’s life, and staff support families with scaffolding to enable safe, healthy and meaningful relationships to form, following child protection intervention.

As the Therapeutic Specialist-Senior Practitioner you will be responsible for coaching, guiding, supporting and training youth workers in their therapeutic practice with young people, as well as families where appropriate. Alongside staff you will conduct assessments, develop therapeutic case plans and cultivate therapeutic strategies and practices. You will also design and lead training, reflective practice and clinical supervision for all staff. Direct support to clients may be required, but the role is largely focused on supporting youth workers with ensuring the therapeutic environment is developed and maintained, so that young people are transformed away from their past traumas, and are thriving. Advocacy with stakeholders, such a child protection, disability, health and wellbeing services will also be essential to the role. Involving youth workers in this advocacy where possible is encouraged.

Ensuring a residential service for children and young people and operating within therapeutic model, often relies on front line staff having the knowledge, skills and confidence to deliver the necessary support to clients. Your role as a Therapeutic Specialist-Senior Practitioner is pivotal for enabling this. Your ability to flourish in an environment, in which you coach and train staff, whilst ensuring decentralisation of knowledge is essential.

Skills and Experience

• Bachelor Degree in relevant field, such as Psychology or Social Work
• Experience in coaching, management or leadership
• Experience in designing and facilitating training
• Experience working within the child protection sector
• Experience working with young people with complex trauma
• Experience working with young people with a disability
• Understanding of trauma informed service delivery
• Full Drivers Licence.

About the Remuneration

The Salary range will be dependent on experience and/or qualifications. We provide generous salary packaging benefits that enable you to increase and maximise your take home salary. In addition, other available benefits include; paid maternity leave, early intervention Physio Program, and discounted private health insurance. Check out our benefits at www.unitingcommunities.org

As an organisation, we are committed to protecting children, young people and vulnerable adults. All staff are required to work within our code of conduct and undergo relevant pre-employment checks.

A position description is attached.