Position Description Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Specific Worker

Transcription

1 Position Description Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Specific Worker Vision: Mission: Values: Position & location: Period: YSAS vision is for vulnerable young people to achieve optimal health and well-being through community and Government action that ensures maximum social and economic participation. YSAS Mission is to engage, support and strengthen vulnerable young people affected by drug and alcohol use, mental illness and social disconnection in order to improve their health, wellbeing and participation in the community. At YSAS our values are enacted through our commitment to social justice and human rights, acceptance, integrity and authenticity, harm reduction, empowerment, learning and evolving. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Specific Worker located at headspace Collingwood 6 Month fixed term contract, 30.4 to 45.6 hours per fortnight (0.4 to 0.6 EFT). Remuneration: This position is broad banded at SCHADS level 5 (Prorata of annual salary $61,540- $67,875 dependent on qualifications and experience) plus 9.5% Superannuation and attractive salary packaging is available Classification: SCHADS Award 5 Responsible to: Direct reports: headspace Collingwood Manager Nil 1

2 Background The headspace Collingwood model brings together key organisations experienced in the delivery of primary care, mental health, alcohol and drug services, social welfare and vocational education for young people. The headspace Collingwood consortium comprises membership from Melbourne PHN, Austin Health, Jesuit Social Services, Mind Australia, and St Vincent s Hospital (Melbourne) Ltd. This strategic alliance aims to establish a community of collaborative youth services improving access for young people aged years at risk of or experiencing issues around mental health, physical health, alcohol and other drug or vocational domains. This newly created position, supported by the Melbourne PHN, identifies the unique needs of young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds living in inner city Melbourne. The position looks to offer a service that provides a responsive, culturally sensitive approach that flexibly responds to the health needs of Indigenous young people. Position Objective: The objective of this position is to provide specific Indigenous worker who can be responsive to young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds. The Indigenous specific worker will have the capability to respond one on one, to the unique issues that young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds face, including considering intergenerational trauma, alcohol and drug issues and engagement in education or employment. The position seeks to reduce stigma, improve the health outcomes of young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds and enhance young people s engagement in community, education and employment. A component of this position will be to increase understanding of the impact of mental health issues and to providing young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds with a positive experience of help-seeking. Key responsibilities: Direct service activities and support, referral networks and pathways, and service development & promotion. 2

3 KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Direct Service Activities Provision of counselling support and information to young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds; Provide up to 4 individual sessions to young people per day; Facilitate the development of basic life skills for young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds; Facilitate a range of responses that meet the individual s assessed needs; Where indicated, support and encourage young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds to develop links with other services and/or communities; Flexibility to respond to spontaneous or drop in appointments; Capacity to work outside a structured environment for counselling i.e. outreach to local organisations or schools. Model appropriate behaviour and facilitate positive communication between young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds; Support young people to improve links with communities and other services; Promote a safe and friendly environment in order to facilitate the communication to maintain positive relationships; Provide appropriate linkages with relevant organisations and groups; As required advocate on behalf of young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds; Facilitate groups for young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds as required; Attendance at clinical case review. Other duties as may be reasonably directed by the Manager from time to time, and which are consistent with your position. 3

4 Service Development & Promotion Increase mental health literacy among young people, their friends and families and the broader community; Implement innovative group work and activities which promote early help seeking and/or facilitate engagement with headspace Collingwood; Facilitate new and innovative processes with local communities and groups to build upon community strengths and assets. Identify priority community issues and develop whole of community responses to the priority issues; Reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with help seeking for mental health, alcohol or other drug problems or other issues by advocating on behalf of young people with other workers, schools and employers as required; Other community engagement activities as negotiated. As negotiated, work within schools, with welfare teams and relevant teachers to develop and provide increased support to students. As negotiated, facilitation of weekly group work including, demonstrating well-developed group work skills and demonstrated experience in training processes. Referral Networks and Pathways Provide referral and links to a range of youth services within headspace Collingwood including primary health, drug and alcohol service, vocational and educational support; Develop and establish collaborative relationships with key stakeholders to enhance service co-ordination; Collaborate with other support services and community based activities to integrate support and provide optimal service provision. Develop collaborative partnerships with relevant stakeholders; Develop and maintain formal/informal networks in order to maintain positive relationships; Provide secondary consultation to internal and external services; Articulate headspace Collingwood and YSAS relationships based approach with relevant stakeholders; Attendance at regular stakeholder meetings as required. 4

5 Team and Culture Building Foster and facilitate a co-operative team environment which values collaboration to ensure a focus on efficient systems and needs of young people and the wider headspace Collingwood team; Participate in the ongoing planning, development and implementation of Clinical Services and integration at headspace Collingwood; Participate in community awareness and engagement activities, including clinical and non-clinical groups as directed; Participate in and promote research and evaluation projects conducted at headspace Collingwood. Participation in fortnightly supervision with delegated supervisor; Contribute to individual & team work plans including participate in yearly performance reviews. Contribute to the evaluation practices for service delivery and groups as required. Attendance of youth community network meetings as agreed. 5

6 Compliance Work within the bounds of relevant legislation/regulations (e.g. Privacy, FairWork, OHS, etc.) and relevant professional codes. Adhere to all YSAS policies and procedures including the Code of Conduct, Confidentiality Agreement, EEO policy. Ensure all work complies of the relevant legislation/ regulations,ysas policies and procedures and other relevant compliance requirements. Contribute to continuous quality improvement of the organisation. Assist in maintaining contemporary practice standards, systems and processes. Actively participate in our ongoing quality improvement activities and assist in maintaining contemporary practice standards, systems and processes. Work within the headspace framework of early intervention, destigmatisation, diversity, inclusion, and non-discrimination. Comply with all required data recording per the health records act and headspace National contractual obligations. Willingness to continue to develop own clinical knowledge, skills and understanding. Participate in continuous quality improvement activities and assist in ensuring accreditation standards are maintained. Professional conduct Demonstrated commitment to YSAS organisational values. Provide highest ethical standards at YSAS: not only to young people in the communities we serve, but to our co-workers and ourselves. Represent YSAS & headspace Collingwood in a professional manner On every occasion YSAS and headspace Collingwood is represented ethically and professionally. 6

7 Qualifications, skills and other requirements Qualified to provide Allied Psychological Services clinician Experience in youth mental health and/or community work in a mental health context Experience in working within the Indigenous community Current Victorian Driver s Licence Current working with Children Check A current First Aid (Level 2) certificate is desirable. The successful applicant will be required to undergo a National Police check. Prospective employees are advised that they must have their Employee Working With Children Check as a condition of employment. Key Selection Criteria Demonstrated experience with engaging and understanding the unique issues that young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds face. Demonstrated ability to provide information and educational activities to young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds on the issues associated with mental health. Demonstrated ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, both mainstream and Aboriginal community to provide advocacy, advice, develop appropriate referral pathways and protocols. Demonstrated understanding of treatment, care planning and case management. Demonstrated ability to develop and implement innovative solutions that are culturally sensitive. High level communication skills especially in the areas of communicating plans, negotiating agreements, resolving conflict and following up arrangements. Highly developed report writing skills, record keeping / data management, and word processing and other computer skills. Knowledge, demonstrated understanding and commitment to the principles of equity, diversity and OHS. 7