• Part time 0.8FTE position, contract until 30th June 2024 (extension dependent on funding)
• First Nations People, LGBTIQA+ people, people with disability, people of colour, public housing residents or people with a lived experience are encouraged to apply
• DSS is committed to child safety and strictly adheres to the Reportable Conduct Scheme for organisations. The safeguarding and wellbeing of our clients is our core focus. All staff must undergo thorough recruitment process including screening and providing evidence of current Working With Children Check and National Police Check

About the role

Drummond Street Services (DS) is working in partnership with Neami National and Uniting to establish a Mental Health and Wellbeing Service (MH&WS) in the Latrobe region. The Service is an innovative solution to deliver on the compelling vision outlined through the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. Offering a ‘no wrong door’ approach, the service will support members of the community to be connected to the right support, providing a holistic approach to care, addressing a range of social, physical, and emotional needs. The service will have a strong focus on lived experience and will support a high engagement, multi-disciplinary team model.

This role is responsible for providing high quality services to LGBTIQA+ consumers experiencing mental health crisis presenting to the Latrobe Local Mental Health & Wellbeing Service. As a qualified practitioner you will draw on your discipline skills, engage with LGBTIQA+ consumers, other practitioners, the consumer's treatment team, Lived Experience staff and family/friends/carers to provide high quality assessments and interventions aimed at improving mental health outcomes for consumers accessing the Local Mental Health & Wellbeing Service. This position will have a strong emphasis on preparing the consumer to transition home. This work will focus on clinical assessment and collaborative care planning. 

Your responsibilities

• Engage LGBTIQA+ consumers and develop trusting and professional relationships
• Provide brief and detailed assessment and collaborative care plans to consumers. The objective of Exit Planning is to minimise the risk of relapse of the consumers following leaving
• Engage consumers, using a strengths-based approach to complete a mental health status measurement and a needs assessment
• Providing support through a range of means, including the provision of outreach and centre-based activities
• Work within a holistic framework taking into account the needs of the consumers, family, carers and other members of the community in order to ensure tangible outcomes

About you 

• Demonstrated ability to provide counselling and therapeutic interventions with positive outcomes for LGBTIQA+ individuals and families
• Highly skilled and experienced counsellor / practitioner
• Demonstrated capacity to work creatively, show initiative, contribute ideas and be active in a supportive team environment in an agency working to support individual and family relationships
• Cultural and diversity humility
• Belong to LGBTIQA+ communities as well as other communities with whom DS assertively engages

Selection Criteria

All of the following must be addressed in your application to be considered.

Essential

• Tertiary qualification in Social Work, Family Therapy or Psychology and further training in relation to families work
• A minimum of three years’ experience in the family services and/or mental health sectors
• Demonstrated knowledge and application of a range of therapeutic approaches for individuals, couples, families
• Demonstrated experience with providing supportive counselling and case work that supports LGBTIQA+ families with multiple and complex needs such as mental health, family violence, AOD issues
• Demonstrated understanding of the needs, issues and sensitivities of people from diverse backgrounds including Aboriginal, LGBTIQA+ and culturally and linguistically diverse people and communities
• A valid and current Australian Driver License and access to personal vehicle

Application process

• All applications will be directed to our careers portal – LGBTIQA+ Mental Health & Wellbeing Practitioner - Latrobe Valley
• All applicants must include a resume with a cover letter addressing all the key selection criteria for the position
• Suitable applicants that apply before the closing date will be offered an interview

Please contact Sonia Hernandez, Mental Health & Wellbeing Services Program Manager, on 03 9663 6733 or [email protected] using the subject line: LGBTIQA+ Mental Health & Wellbeing Practitioner - Latrobe Valley enquiry via EthicalJobs to discuss your application.

A position description is attached.