Coordinator – Restorative Practice in Schools Project

About the role

We are seeking a motivated, organised, and proactive individual to project coordinate and implement restorative practices within a small number of identified Hume/ Merri-bek schools. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of restorative justice principles, an understanding of the education system and a passion for fostering positive, inclusive school environments. This role requires experience working in educational settings, a demonstrated ability to facilitate restorative processes, experience coaching and mentoring staff and facilitating practice reflection groups and ability to build strong, supportive relationships with students, staff, and families.  

Competitive remuneration, plus salary packaging benefit, is offered together with ongoing professional and career development as well as opportunities for personal growth.

What Jesuit Social Services can offer you:

• An organisation that lives its values, through its day to day work
• A welcoming and supportive relational environment
• A comprehensive Induction and Orientation program
• Ongoing training and development related to your role
• Employee assistance program
• A competitive salary plus salary packaging benefits
• Generous leave

About you

This role will suit a candidate with the following skills and experience:

1. Experience in project coordination and managing the day-to-day operations of a service.
2. Experience facilitating restorative practice processes and supporting others to develop skills in restorative practice.
3. Experience in and/or understanding of the education system.
4. Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills including:

• Ability to promote programs and engage with individuals and groups effectively 
• Ability to assess and respond to challenges
• Ability to identify underlying issues and work with conflict

5. Understanding of the issues that may affect vulnerable or marginalised individuals, families and communities; including young people who are at risk or have disengaged from education 
6. Ability to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and understanding of the role that culture plays as a protective factor. 
7. Excellent administration skills with the ability to identify themes and patterns across programs and practice. 
8. Excellent time management skills – specifically the ability to handle a variety of tasks with competing priorities, and within specific timelines.

About the program

Building on Jesuit Social Services experience delivering the Navigator Program and Youth Justice Group Conference Program, the Restorative Practice in Schools Project seeks to facilitate systemic change that stems the flow of young people into the justice system through early intervention in the education setting. This will be done by engaging school staff at selected schools and supporting them to develop skills in restorative practice through training, mentoring, coaching and setting up communities of practice. Disengagement from school is a known driver for justice-system involvement and restorative practice has demonstrated success at decreasing disengagement from school and other justice-related matters, including intervention orders and conflict among young people that leads to violence in schools and the community.