Program Manager – Crisis Support

The Program Manager – Crisis Support is an exciting leadership role overseeing and supporting four streams of crisis response. The Crisis Response Program (CRP), the Crisis Youth and Family (CYF) program, the Darebin Assertive Community Outreach (DACO) program and Catchment Youth Refuge.   The  crisis response teams are typically based at the Northcote office, however have been temporarily relocated to our Broadmeadows office, Catchment (Youth and Family) and Holmes Street, Northcote (DACO) until suitable accommodation in Darebin is secured.  Service delivery is across the North East Melbourne Area (DFFH) catchment. Facilitative leadership is important in maintaining effective service delivery, meeting funding targets, ensuring practice conforms with specified service standards and a culture of continuous improvement exists within the Crisis  Programs. The Program Manager will proactively lead team members through change management. Whilst the Program Manager role is primarily a leadership role it may occasionally include case management.

The Crisis Response Program is a short-term program funded by DFFH that offers team case management to support people experiencing homelessness and/or housing crisis. Consumers requiring longer-term case management will be referred to the appropriate case management program.

The Youth and Family program is funded as a Family Reconciliation Mediation Program (FRMP), funded through the Youth Homelessness Action Plan (YHAP) for young people aged 16 – 25 years experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

DACO is an assertive outreach program funded by the City of Darebin to bridge the gap between rough sleepers and the service system and operates exclusively within Darebin LGA.

Catchment Youth Refuge provides safe and secure short-term crisis accommodation and holistic team case management to homeless single young people, including young parents and (their children) aged 16-25 years old. Workers at the refuge support young people to address issues that may have led to their homelessness and prevented them from sustaining longer-term housing.

The local Access Point provides the primary source of referrals. The work of the Crisis Program builds upon the responses already provided by Access Points as part of the Opening Doors Framework. The Crisis Program Manager plays a key role in managing the relationship with the Access Point to maximise outcomes for consumers. This includes the publishing of support vacancies and acceptance of referrals.

The Program’s work is reported using a computer data base reporting and case management tool, Specialist Homelessness Information Platform (SHIP) specifically developed for Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) as well as the Service Record System (SRS) in the case of DACO. The Program Manager is responsible for monthly submission of data to the Australian Institute of Health, Welfare (AIHW), Darebin Council, DFFH and internal reporting requirements .

The work of the Local Area Support Network (LASN) is important in both improving responses to homeless people. It is expected that the Program Manager would be actively involved in various working groups progressing initiatives identified by the LASN as they arise.

The Program Manager- Crisis Support is required at all times to follow Merri Outreach Support Service policies and procedures and ensure that Crisis Program team members do likewise. The Program should work in a manner that is consistent with the Agency’s mission and vision. The Program Manager will oversee work practice which is informed by program guidelines and service standards set out by the funding body. They will be expected to adhere to the highest professional and ethical standards in performing their duties and responsibilities. The Program Manager – Crisis reports directly to the General Manager – MOSS Operations.