Senior Practitioner – Counsellor Advocate

• A full time (or part time, 0.8-0.9 EFT), ongoing position
• Based in our new Werribee office, with onsite parking
• Salary of $117,371 (FTE) + super + leave loading + salary packaging

Rebuilding Shattered Lives – Supporting people of refugee background to recover from torture and other traumatic events

Your impact
As a Senior Practitioner Counsellor Advocate, you will undertake a senior role within Mental Health and Wellbeing, providing leadership and professional support to Counsellor Advocates (CAs) within the Child Youth and Family team. The Senior Practitioner will provide secondary consultation, development and training. The role includes group work coordination, with the development, implementation and delivery of group work programs which are aligned to the Foundation House trauma recovery framework.

The Senior Practitioner will deliver safe, effective, connected, and person-centred assessment, counselling and advocacy services to clients of Foundation House who are survivors of torture or other traumatic events, with a particular focus on those clients identified as having complex needs. These programs will use a family-centred approach and developmentally appropriate, psychosocial therapeutic interventions informed by Rebuilding Shattered Lives: Integrated Trauma Recovery for People of Refugee Background (2nd edition). Group programs will be accessible, trauma-informed, culturally appropriate, and safe to meet the complex needs of refugee background survivors of torture and other traumatic events.

The role
A key focus of the Senior Practitioner will be delivering services (individual and/or group based), predominantly to families fleeing recent conflicts.

Key responsibilities include:

• Provide leadership and support to Counsellor Advocates and the regional leadership team in the delivery of effective, safe, connected and person-centred client services to meet the complex needs of clients and families
• Conduct comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments with children, adults, young people and their families to develop clear formulations and therapeutic goals.
• Provide developmentally appropriate trauma-informed and trauma-focused counselling and therapeutic interventions for children, adults, young people and their families using a range of evidence-based modalities.
• Work alongside Group Work Coordinators to implement referral systems, group evaluations and group work processes.
• Identify critical issues that are affecting group participants’ sense of wellbeing, mental health and safety, and develop strategies for responding to those issues. This will include making referrals both internally and externally and undertaking advocacy with relevant health, community, education, legal services and government agencies.

The role is available as a full time (or part-time option of 0.8-0.9 EFT) position and is based in our Werribee office.

What you’ll need to successfully apply
To be successful, you will need to positively respond to the below selection criteria:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in psychology, social work, counselling, or other related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience and expertise to undertake comprehensive psychosocial assessments and risk assessments with children, young people and their families.
• In depth understanding of child development and relevant theories for working with children, young people and their families.
• Demonstrated expertise in trauma-informed practice and providing trauma-focused counselling interventions with children and young people using a range of evidence-based modalities in a culturally appropriate and safe way.
• Good understanding of how to negotiate and advocate with multiple service systems in Victoria to support the needs of refugee and asylum seeker children, young people, and families.
• Ability to work in a cross-cultural context including working with interpreters.

In return
You’ll be rewarded with:

• an attractive remuneration package of $117,371 (pro rata to 0.8-0.9 EFT if part-time) plus superannuation and annual leave loading
• salary packaging benefits of up to $18,550 and novated car leasing options
• a role with true purpose to make a difference in people’s lives
• a welcoming, highly diverse and supportive team environment
• access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for staff and family members.

About Foundation House
We are:

• a state-wide agency offering services throughout Victoria. We currently have approximately 250 staff across our six offices in Brunswick, Dallas, Dandenong, Ringwood, Sunshine and Werribee, and we also provide services in partnership with other agencies in regional and rural Victoria
• values driven and committed to improving the life outcomes refugee background survivors
• an inclusive and equal opportunity employer
• a Child Safe organisation committed to promoting and protecting the interests and safety of children. We also actively play a part in combating family violence, as reflected in our organisational policies, protocols and staff development.

How to apply
Please upload your CV and a cover letter (maximum one to two pages) outlining why you are suitable for this role and how you meet the selection criteria as described above.

Refer to the position description on our website for detailed information about the role and for more information about our hiring process.

Applications are due to close October the 7th. Please note, applications may be considered as they are received, and job ads may close early.

For enquiries, please contact Justin Curreen-Harris from our HR Team via jobs@foundationhouse.org.au or by phone on 03 9389 8985.

Appointment to the position is subject to a satisfactory National Police Check, Working with Children Check and Reference Check process. If you have lived for a continuous period of 12 months or more in another country within the last 10 years, an International Police Check from that country will also be required. The successful applicant must be able to demonstrate proof of the Right to Work in Australia.