Why join Launch Housing

Launch Housing is an independent Melbourne based community organisation passionately committed to ending homelessness. From providing high quality housing and an innovative range of support, education and employment services, we bring solutions to homelessness under one roof for thousands at risk of, or experiencing the crisis and trauma of homelessness. With over 400 staff working across 16 locations in metropolitan Melbourne, we combine direct action with advocacy, research and innovation to drive widespread change.

Our people are the backbone of our organisation and supporting their wellbeing and professional development is critical to our ability to help our clients and the community. We value lived experience and diversity in our staff, and provide high-quality training & supervision, wellbeing days, access to an Employee Assistance Program and much much more to ensure your career with us is fulfilling.

Don’t just walk past homelessness. Join the solution.

Our permanent and fixed-term employee benefits include:

• Contributing to useful and rewarding work and giving something back to the community
• Wellbeing days, ceremonial leave, carers leave and study leave
• Flexible working arrangements
• Purchased leave
• 17.5% leave loading
• 8 weeks’ gender neutral paid parental leave after 12 months of service for both the primary and secondary carer
• Training and career growth opportunities across Launch Housing
• A portion of your income can be tax-free by salary packaging your personal expenses
• Additional tax-free salary packaging on dining and accommodation expenses
• Positive, supportive and progressive work environment

About the opportunity

The Housing Mental Health Pathways Program (HMHPP) Worker seeks to prevent people being discharged from an acute psychiatric inpatient stay into homelessness by providing a specialised housing intervention at the time of a person’s discharge from hospital. HMHPP is a partnership between Launch Housing and the acute mental health programs at either The Alfred Hospital or St Vincent’s Hospital.

The position involves engaging with people experiencing or at risk of homelessness while they are an inpatient at the psychiatric inpatient unit and working collaboratively with patients, hospital staff and community supports to develop an appropriate housing support plan alongside regular discharge planning processes. In many cases, HMHPP support will continue after a person’s discharge, until clients have secured appropriate, safe and sustainable housing and connected with any relevant ongoing support/services.

The position operates as a solo worker program but sits within a wider team and thus has access to the teams wider informal and formal support mechanisms including team meetings and specialised external group consultations.

This is a permanent full-time opportunity based in Fitzroy.

• $44.37 - $47.74 an hour
• + Superannuation
• + NFP salary packaging (tax savings)
• + Additional wellbeing leave available

What you'll be doing

• Undertaking housing-focused assessments and advocacy work with people during their admission in the acute mental health program at either The Alfred Hospital or St Vincent’s Hospital.
• Working collaboratively with clients, hospital staff, community mental health services, Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS), housing providers and other services as required to address the housing support needs of inpatients who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
• Ensuring clients are linked with appropriate housing and support following discharge from hospital.
• Assessing clients on the ward or where they are located post-discharge, to offer housing assistance and make referrals to local agencies.
• Attending clinical reviews for inpatients of the psychiatric inpatient unit as required.
• Utilising brokerage funds in line with procedures to assist clients with accessing emergency accommodation, private rental housing, securing tenancies at risk, facilitating community connectedness and well-being.
• Advocating on behalf of clients with other agencies to ensure access and delivery of services and that services are relevant, flexible and accessible to people experiencing homelessness.
• Foster effective coordination of housing outreach and support services in the program’s catchment area.
• Foster collaboration between services working with clients by becoming familiar with health and welfare services within the area.

What we're looking for (key selection criteria)

• A tertiary qualification in social work, nursing, psychology, occupational therapy or other relevant allied health discipline (highly regarded).
• An understanding of the time pressures and changing priorities of hospital discharge planning.
• Post graduate Continuous Professional Development (CPD) training (highly regarded).
• A thorough understanding of the mental health service system including clinical and non-clinical services.
• Demonstrated understanding of housing and homelessness policy, context and systems.
• Significant experience in the social welfare sector working with consumers with complex mental health needs and an understanding of social policy/consumer support frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability to build positive relationships and communicate with people of diverse backgrounds / abilities.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Well-developed organisational, task prioritisation and time management skills.
• Valid Victorian driver’s license (mandatory).
• Demonstrated commitment to the values of Launch Housing and our mission to end homelessness.

For more information, please reach out to Sarah Thangiah on [email protected] using the subject line: Housing Mental Health Pathways Program Worker enquiry via EthicalJobs.

How to Apply

To apply for this opportunity, please click on "Apply Now" button. Please submit a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria and your CV.

Launch Housing offers a wide range of career opportunities and employs a diverse range of talent. We strongly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons to apply! We acknowledge, respect and celebrate Aboriginal cultures, languages, connections to Country and heritage, customs and practices. We're committed to support Aboriginal peoples to obtain genuine and fulfilling career with us!

Launch Housing is a dog-friendly organisation, which allows dog owners to bring them in some of our sites, please contact the relevant Hiring Manager if you have any questions or concerns prior to your interview.

If you require reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know at [email protected].

A position description is attached.

Launch Housing is committed to being a child safe organisation and has zero tolerance to child abuse. Our hiring process involves rigorous screening of applicants. All of our people including students, contractors and volunteers must hold a valid Working with Children Check and satisfactory criminal history record check.

Launch Housing is an Equal Opportunity employer and supports accessible working arrangements for all. This includes people with a disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, culturally, religiously and linguistically diverse people, young people, older people, women, and people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender diverse, intersex or queer. We acknowledge Lived Experience as a unique expertise and encourage people with a Lived Experience of Homelessness to apply. All applicants must have the right to work in Australia.

Launch Housing is working to become more trauma informed and as a leading employer in the homelessness sector, it is important to let you know that you will hear stories of distress, hardship, trauma, or violence when working with us. We encourage you to reflect on how this may impact you when considering applying for the role.