Thank you for your interest in the position of Young Carer Needs Assessment and Planning Officer (YCNAPO) with Carers WA.

This is a full-time permanent position. The position attracts a competitive salary package of circa $75,000 p.a, plus superannuation, salary packaging, 5 weeks annual leave with 17.5% leave loading and two wellness days per annum.

The package is dependent upon qualifications and experience.

About Carers WA

Carers WA is a values driven organisation and is the peak body in Western Australia representing the needs and interests of carers in Western Australia and is part of a national network of Carers Associations. Carers provide unpaid care and support to family members and friends who have disability, mental illness, a chronic condition, terminal illness, an alcohol, or other drug issue or who are frail aged.

Carers WA will support you and provide you with:

• In-house monthly individual Clinical Supervision.
• Training and development opportunities pertinent to your role.
• Role security and work/life balance.
• Career progression opportunities.
• A competitive salary, including salary packaging and added leave.
• A friendly, supportive, and collaborative workplace environment.

About this role

This is a newly revised position in Carers WA with an outreach facing role; joining a small yet expanding young carer team supporting young carers aged 8 – 25yrs in the Perth metro area. Although this role is predominately metro focused, some additional, telephone advice and information is provided (as needed) to young carers and their families living in regional and remote parts of the state.

The YCNAPO’s primary function is to liaise with young carers and their families to undertake a structured Youth Needs Assessment & Planning session involving a Carer Star assessment. This process assists in determining a young carers’ social, emotional, physical and psychological wellbeing needs, in the context of their caring role and the ability to thrive in their home, education, work life and social settings. Every young carer is an individual as is their caring role and their family dynamic.

This role, and the Young Carer team, work from a strengths-based perspective empowering young carers to make decisions about their current and future needs, maximising their potential to maintain and improve on their own personal wellbeing in the context of their current and future aspirations.

Periodically the role may be involved in the development of other parts of Carers WA business as well as submissions to government to seek funding for enhanced or new services for carers.

Selection Criteria

1. Previous professional experience working with vulnerable and disadvantaged children, youth and families.
2. Experience in providing advisory, assessment and/or planning processes.
3. A broad understanding of the mental health, support service and education systems within WA and knowledge of relevant child, youth and family legislation.
4. Demonstrated capacity to develop and maintain effective relationships with a range of internal / external stakeholders.
5. Ability to advocate on behalf of the young carer (often under 18yrs) adhering to Rights of the Child and National Principles of Child Safe Organisations and work from a trauma informed and strengths-based practice model.
6. Well-developed problem solving, negotiation and boundary setting skills.
7. Ability to travel within Perth Metro to meet young carers and family in their safe space of community (library, café, park), school /education facility, work or home (safe home visiting policies must be adhered too).
8. A relevant tertiary (degree) qualification in a related field preferably Social Work, or Community Mental Health, Youth Work or similar with a minimum of 3 years professionally paid experience in a related field.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview.

Applications must include a covering letter addressing the selection criteria, a Curriculum Vitae and contact details of two professional referees. Applications can be submitted online by clicking Apply Now.

Applications which do not address the criteria will not be accepted.

Carers WA reserve the right to begin the recruitment process and withdraw the position prior to the closing date/time.

Carers WA supports a zero harm workplace culture to all internal and external stakeholders.

Carers WA strives for diversity, inclusion and equality of our community. We seek a workforce that is representative of the communities we work in. We encourage people of all cultures, gender, age, sexual orientation or abilities to apply.

Carers WA re a registered Carer Friendly Organisation.

To learn more about working with Carers WA, we encourage you to visit our website: www.carerswa.asn.au

Carers WA reserves the right to close off applications sooner if a suitable candidate is found before then.