ReachOut is an inclusive workplace, committed to providing opportunities for people from diverse and often marginalised groups. We encourage applications from people of all ages, backgrounds, and identities. This includes but is not limited to people with living experience of mental health issues and/or recovery, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people who identify as LGBTQIA+ and people with disability.

What ReachOut does

At ReachOut we are guided by a clear, simple ambition – helping young people feel better. This means that everything we do is designed to help young people feel:

• better in the moments when they most need help
• better about who they are and their place in the world.

And be:

• better able to cope with the challenges they’re facing today
• better set up and equipped to manage when life doesn’t go as planned.

Anonymous and confidential, ReachOut is a safe place where young people can openly express themselves, get a deeper understanding and perspective on what’s happening in their lives, connect with people who will provide judgement-free support, and build the resilience to manage their challenges now and in the future.

100 per cent online and designed specifically for – and with – young people, ReachOut lets young people connect on their terms at anytime from anywhere. From one-to-one support from experienced peer workers to online communities, as well as tips, stories, and resources, ReachOut offers a wide range of high quality and safe support options that allow young people to engage in the ways they want to, when they want to.

And, ReachOut Parents and ReachOut Schools provide valuable information, resources and advice to help parents, carers and educators to better understand the young people in their lives and to play an active role in their wellbeing.

About the role

ReachOut’s Parents and Carers Coaching Service is a national service funded by the Department of Social Services to improve mental health outcomes for teenagers. Recognising the critical role of parents and carers in supporting their teens, this online service provides free, strengths-based, solutions-focused coaching to parents and carers of teens aged 12-18.

We recognise parents and carers as the experts in their families and support them to identify their goals and strategies to achieve them.

The service is delivered virtually via telephone and an online platform that both coaches and parents/carers can access.

The service has been operating since 2016. This is an exciting opportunity for a Coach to join the Parents and Carers team of coaches at ReachOut.

We want to ensure the service is as accessible to parents and carers as possible, so we will be trialing different shift options in 2025. There will be a range of shifts available from 7am - 8pm AEST Monday to Friday and Saturdays 9am - 5pm. You may be required, at times, to work in these alternative shift patterns and we will agree to these shifts in consultation with you and with prior notice.

About you

As a coach, you will work under general direction as part of a multidisciplinary team to deliver educational and support services that promote strengths and evidence-based approaches to parenting, child, and family well-being via a virtual service delivery model. You will work in partnership with parents/carers to coach them to be the parent/carer they want to be and achieve effective and positive relationships with their teen, exercising judgement and applying critical knowledge where procedures are not clearly defined.

Your experience in mental health and risk management enables you to effectively manage high-risk situations following the ReachOut Duty of Care Framework, with support from the Team Leader and Senior Manager Clinical Governance. You will also have the opportunity to contribute as a subject matter expert to innovation projects within the organisation, providing specialist expertise and advice in your discipline.

We value professional development, and you will engage in ReachOut-run learning and development programs, with opportunities for mental health support skill enhancement through YMHFA and ASIST; external supervision and My Impact, RO's performance and personal development program.

Key tasks

Service Delivery:

• Utilise a proven Coaching framework and virtual service model to empower parents/carers in understanding their needs and making informed decisions independently, thereby enhancing their parenting capacity
• Implement and advocate for person-centred, strengths-based, trauma-informed, and recovery-oriented approaches in coaching sessions
• Engage actively in supervision to reflect on practice and improve service delivery
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure holistic support is provided to parents/carers, addressing various aspects of their wellbeing and family dynamics.
• Continuously evaluate and improve coaching practices based on feedback, outcomes, and emerging best practices in family support, exercising judgment and applying critical knowledge where procedures are not clearly defined.

Duty of Care and risk management:

• Ensure the organisation’s duty of care framework and supporting risk systems are well-implemented and the Coaching service remains fit for purpose
• Document client case notes and risk assessments accurately and promptly, managing risks related to child protection and mandatory reporting across various jurisdictions

Service Operations:

• Monitor user feedback for the online platform and report any bugs or issues to the technical team for resolution
• Assist in internal testing of the online platform and its features, providing expertise and feedback to improve service delivery systems
• Support the development and implementation of new features and updates to the service delivery platform, ensuring they meet user needs and organisational goals

Service development:

• Contribute as a mental health subject matter expert to innovation and development projects, providing specialist expertise in your discipline that drives service enhancements and better outcomes for parents and carers

Extent of authority:

• You are expected to set outcomes within defined constraints, provide specialist technical advice, and your freedom to act is governed by clear objectives and/or budget constraints.

Selection criteria

To be successful in the role, you need:

• Degree or equivalent in a health-related field (e.g. coaching, psychology, counselling, public health, community development, social work)
• At least 5 years’ experience working in a mental health or family support setting.
• Proven experience in counselling, family support and/or coaching and mentoring with parents
• Comprehensive knowledge and experience of mental health and family functioning and the range of risk and protective factors which impact on adolescent development
• Expertise in Coaching frameworks (e.g. GROW model, brief intervention models, solution-focused and strength-based approaches to working with families)
• In-depth understanding of effective parenting techniques and strategies, and exceptional knowledge of child/adolescent development
• High-level computer literacy and aptitude to provide services online and over the phone. Direct experience working in a virtual service will be highly regarded.
• Proficient in Duty of Care and child protection, including risk management, safety planning and reporting to statutory child protection agencies.
• A Working with Children’s Check for your home state.
• A commitment to ReachOut’s values and behaviours.