About us:

At Gateways, we all have one thing in common - the passion to support people with a disability and make every day better. The Gateways Support Services vision is to provide support for children and adults with a disability and their families to maximise their quality of life. We are looking for dedicated and enthusiastic individuals to join the friendly, supportive and positive team in Geelong.

What’s in it for you?

• Continuous Growth: We invest in you. With ongoing training opportunities, you'll expand your skills and knowledge, making you an even stronger advocate for positive change.
• Unified Team: Collaborate with a team that's not just supportive, but genuinely caring and passionate about the impact they create. Our accessible management is here to ensure your success.
• Holistic Impact: Your role goes beyond tasks – you'll be an active participant in enhancing the lives of those with disabilities in a residential setting.
• Flexibility: Our unique rostering system, running from Thursday to Wednesday, offers a work-life balance that suits you.

About the role:

Gateways is proud to announce it is inviting applications for passionate support workers to join our Child and Youth Services program in Geelong. We are seeking Therapeutic Residential Support Workers for an ongoing, casual opportunity to support children with a disability living in out of home care in Geelong.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide nurturing and child-centred care that promotes emotional and physical well-being.
• Offer emotional support and a safe environment for children to express their feelings and concerns.
• Establish and maintain daily routines to create a structured and predictable environment, which can be especially important for children.
• Implement behaviour management techniques and positive reinforcement strategies to address challenging behaviours.
• Organise and engage children in age-appropriate play and recreational activities that promote social and emotional development.
• Collaborate with families and guardians to support children's progress and maintain open communication regarding their well-being.
• Ensure the safety and security of children at all times, especially in activities like cooking or outdoor play.
• Mediate conflicts among children and teach them conflict resolution skills.
• Teach essential life skills such as personal hygiene, meal preparation, and responsibility for personal belongings.
• Advocate for the best interests of the children in your care, both within the residential facility and in external settings, when necessary.

Let’s talk about you! Do you have:

A passion for supporting people to live their best lives, highly developed problem-solving skills, effective communication skills, as well as a desire to join and contribute to a positive workplace culture? Then we want to hear from you!

To truly succeed in this role, we ask for:

• NDIS Worker Screening Check (or willingness to obtain one)
• Valid Australian Driver's License
• Victorian Working with Children Check (employee status)
• Current CPR & First Aid certificate
• Qualification in Disability, Community Services, Social Work or equivalent (desirable)
• To be successful for this position, applicants must be qualified to or be willing to enrolled into a Certificate IV in Child, Youth and Family Intervention (Residential and out of home care).

For more information, please email [email protected] using the subject line: Therapeutic Residential Support Worker - Geelong enquiry via EthicalJobs. Please include an updated resume and cover letter when submitting your application.

Shortlisted candidates will need to be able to attend a group interview being held November 11th 9:30am – 11:30am at our head office in North Geelong.

If successful after the group interview, candidates will be required to attend our two day induction on 26th & 27th November.

Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in Gateways leadership, governance, and culture. We have zero tolerance of child abuse. We have vigorous recruitment and screening processes for all employees and volunteers.

Gateways welcome applications from all diverse backgrounds including individuals that identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, LGBTIQ+, and individuals with disabilities or culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Please note that applications will be reviewed as they are received. We reserve the right to fill the position before the closing date.