• Full-time (1.0 FTE), 12-month traineeship program.
• Based at Lower Plenty
• $65,119.65 per annum, plus super
• 17.5% annual leave loading and generous salary packaging options
• Progressive Workplace Flexibility options that enable genuine work life balance

Our Values Are: Honesty Trust Respect Concern Love

About Odyssey House Victoria:

Odyssey House Victoria (OHV) is a place of hope and positive change for individuals working towards breaking their pattern of addiction. At Odyssey House we believe that every person should have the opportunity to change and grow. Our diverse teams work with individuals, families, and communities to reduce alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, improve mental health, and reconnect people to their family and the community. OHV is a dynamic and fast-growing organisation committed to excellence in service provision and innovation in responding to alcohol and other drugs use problems.

About Lower Plenty – Therapeutic Community:

The Therapeutic Community program offers a holistic treatment experience for those seeking help for problematic drug or alcohol use. To enhance individual motivation for change, the Therapeutic Community combines meaningful work and recreational activities, with therapeutic group work and skills development, in a physically and psychologically safe environment.

About this opportunity:

This 12-month traineeship program will provide you with the opportunity to work with experienced OHV staff to build your practice in a supportive, supervised environment.

This program will expose you to all aspects of the Therapeutic Community and gain understanding of the work undertaken.

You will be supported to coordinate and support the effective communication between staff and residents, ensuring that daily schedules are adhered to, and information is disseminated in a timely manner for enhanced treatment outcomes for the residents.

Key areas of focus:

• Resident Management
• Duty Management
• Service Operations
• Professional Development
• Administration

Duties include but are not limited to

• Foster a relationship with the Resident House Coordinator (Coordinator) and provide support, direction, and feedback in their job function as required.
• In collaboration with the Coordinator, institute regular room checks to ensure cleanliness and monitor maintenance needs.
• With support assume responsibility for the daily functioning of the TC ensuring appropriate communication and feedback is provided from both staff and residents.
• Ensure appropriate handover between duty staff at the end of each shift.
• Respond to events within the facility in a timely manner liaising with staff and disseminating information as relevant.
• Participate in treatment activities, action meetings and special activities as required.
• Monitor volume and facilitation of communiqués (problem solving groups) providing updates as required.

• Coordinate the gathering and dissemination of information within the TC by producing daily weekly and yearly schedules of all events that sit outside the usual weekly schedule.
• Participate in the development, maintenance, and monitoring of schedules, and other relevant tools to effectively manage the activities of the TC.

• Participate actively in Traineeship professional development activities, including:

• Alcohol and Other Drugs Skill Set (Odyssey Institute 4 units of Competency
• First aid/ Suicide Prevention
• Maintain up to date progress notes, case files and data entry

A week in the role:

If you were here last week, you would have:

• Supported senior residents running the daily schedule.
• Supported senior residents to understand community as method processes.
• Acted as a liaison between staff and residents to enable the smooth running of the community.
• Dispensed medication.

Key Selection Criteria:

We are looking for an eager individual to undertake this traineeship and ready to learn, grow and be challenged all whilst sharing their thoughts and ideas.

To be successful in this role, you must have:

• Have a genuine interest in AOD work.
• Be a strong verbal and written communicator, with the ability to quickly develop strong relationships with colleagues and a variety of different stakeholders.
• Resilient and willing to work through a conflict situation with a professional and sensitive approach.
• Comfortable actively engaging in reflective practice.
• Able to convey empathy and concern and collaborate effectively with people from a range of different backgrounds in a respectful and compassionate manner.
• Comfortable with engaging clients in dialogue and developing a therapeutic relationship.
• Commitment to developing my practice by observing and learning from others.
• Believe in the value of teamwork and the importance of supporting others to enhance service delivery.
• Take initiative, am organised can work independently, and adapt to changing organisational needs.

For a copy of the position description which outlines the full key selection criteria, please click HERE.

*Appendix A (AOD Competencies)

OHV requires staff in client-facing positions to have the following competencies (or their equivalent). Where people do not already have these competencies, OHV will invest in the staff’s professional development by providing them through our registered training organisation (RTO).

The competencies required in the first 12 months of employment are:

• CHCAOD001 – Work in an alcohol and other drugs context
• CHCAOD004 – Assess needs of clients with alcohol and other drugs issues
• CHCAOD006 – Provide interventions for people with alcohol and other drugs issues
• CHCAOD009 – Develop and review individual alcohol and other drugs treatment plans

What we can give YOU!

In return we are committed to offering you an inclusive and transparent workplace culture where our people can develop to be their very best by:

• Ongoing learning and development opportunities to upskill your clinical and leadership expertise.
• Providing work that is meaningful and challenging, with career development opportunities through project and secondment opportunities and succession planning.
• Providing career pathways across diverse OHV programs.
• Access to 24/7 counselling through our Employee Assistance Provider (EAP).
• Generous leave options such as 48/52 Purchase Leave, Study Leave etc.
• Flexible working arrangements (arrangements will vary based on role requirements).

In addition to the above, staff will also be provided monthly Clinical Supervision sessions for professional development and personal wellbeing.

Application information

Please apply directly via our careers website (applications via external recruitment websites or via email will not be considered).

Applications should be addressed to Olivia Nichols and include your CV and a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria.

If you have any questions relating to the position, please contact Olivia Kozar Team Leader – Operations - LP on, [email protected], using the subject line: AOD Trainee - Therapeutic Community - Lower Plenty enquiry via EthicalJobs, or 0478 496 906.

We will be assessing applications on a rolling basis and suitable candidates will be shortlisted immediately. This role will close once a suitable candidate has been selected which may be prior to the application deadline, so please don’t wait to apply!

Our commitment to diversity

At OHV we value diversity and believe that a range of backgrounds brings a variety of ideas, perspectives and experiences that will enhance our effectiveness. We promote a workplace that actively seeks to include, welcome and value unique contributions by encouraging people with disability, Aboriginal Australians, LGBTQIA, young people and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to apply for this position.

Safety screening

OHV is committed to child safety and is a child safe organisation. All OHV employees must undergo Police Records and Working with Children Checks. Any person issued with a negative notice on their Working with Children Check will not be eligible for employment with us.

Mandatory COVID vaccinations

In line with OHV's Mandatory Vaccination Policy, all Odyssey House Victoria staff are required to hold Fully Vaccinated (Boosted) status, having also received the Booster Vaccination. Evidence of this minimum of three (3) COVID-19 vaccinations will be requested during the onboarding process and offers will be rescinded where such evidence cannot be provided.

All Odyssey House Victoria sites are smoke free for all employees.