Wesley LifeForce

• Part-time 12-month contract role, 4 days per week (maternity leave cover)
• Flexible with location of position, will need to work across Greater Sydney and Wollongong
• Generous salary packaging benefits

About us

Wesley Mission is a high profile, multi-faceted Christian organisation making a real difference in the community. We work with the most disadvantaged in our community by providing over 200 services ranging from aged care, homeless services, child and family care, counselling, employment, training and education, and health services.

Our Vision is “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”

About the program

Wesley’s Mental Health and Resilience Program aims to support and enhance the emotional and mental wellbeing of older adults, recognising that older adults often experience significant barriers to accessing mental health support despite being a vulnerable population. The program works to reduce stigma and provides clinical interventions such as individual face-to-face counselling and therapeutic group work to reduce psychological suffering and distress.

About the role

The Lead Clinician of the Mental Health and Resilience Program is a crucial role of the Wesley Suicide Preventions Services Branch. The role provides accessible and targeted individual and group counselling support to older persons, both residing in Aged Care Retirement Villages and accessing Wesley School for Seniors. The Lead Clinician provides support with the coordination and delivery of programs which enhance the wellbeing of older persons, promote resilience and address factors which contribute to social isolation and suicide. The role oversees and line-manages a team of Mental Health Clinicians delivering similar interventions across other Wesley Mission Retirement Villages and programs.

Due to recent growth, the program has expanded its scope and provides wrap-around clinical support to a range of Wesley Mission services, inclusive of individuals accessing employment, education and other housing support services. As Lead Clinician, you will not only lead best practise, but aid in generating new partnerships and growth of Wesley Mission’s mental health and suicide prevention services.

Essential criteria

• 4-year degree in Psychology with full registration under the national registration scheme regulated by the Psychology Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency or Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with full Australian AASW registration (AMHSW)
• Demonstrated skills or experience in line managing staff and mental health programs
• Demonstrated experience managing programs to budget, inclusive of achieving financial and commercial targets
• Knowledge and advanced skills in counselling practices and methods
• Demonstrated ability to manage conflicting priorities within a high-stress environment
• Knowledge of mental health and intervention options as it relates to people experiencing mental illness
• Ability to work collaboratively, cooperatively and effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Well-developed interpersonal skills to effectively develop and maintain positive relationships, networks and therapeutic relationships with families and older people
• Demonstrated ability to seek supervision and assistance when negotiating complex and unprecedented tasks
• Demonstrated experience in program development including working with vulnerable people
• Firm understanding of WH&S
• Experience delivering mental health training
• Experience working within a complex case management environment
• Experience working within family or community services
• Significant experience working in disadvantaged communities
• Current Australian driver’s licence
• High-level office computer skills, including the use of Microsoft Office.

Desirable criteria

• Previous experience working with older people within an aged care setting
• Knowledge and experience working in suicide prevention.

Wesley Mission is a Christian organisation requiring all staff to affirm its values. We are committed to providing an environment in which children can feel safe and valued.

The suitable applicant will be subject to the relevant pre-employment checks for appointment to positions within Wesley Mission. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.

For further information please contact James Bell on 1800 100 024.