• Psychologist (Part-time 0.6, 0.8 or full-time)

INTRODUCTION

The River Nile School (RNS) is an independent senior-secondary school delivering Applied Learning curriculum to re-engage refugee school-aged women who may have had disrupted schooling, are newly arrived in Australia or find a flexible learning environment most suitable to their learning.

All students who attend RNS have English as an Additional Language (EAL), so developing student levels of language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) is a central focus of our teachers. RNS offers students the VCE Vocational Major (VM) and the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) with an integrated program with projects negotiated with and developed by students. It provides a high-challenge, high-support learning environment with a strengths-based approach.

RNS offers small class sizes, and teachers work collaboratively to achieve the best possible outcomes for each student with personalised learning, wellbeing, and support programs. RNS adopts a holistic model for supporting the unique educational needs of each student, so developing solid student-teacher relationships is essential. Our students come from backgrounds where they may have experienced significant trauma, so we adopt a trauma informed (healing) approach to our teaching.

Based in North Melbourne, 2024 will be our eighth year as a school. RNS grew out of the River Nile Learning Centre (RNLC), established in 2006 to assist the African refugee community. We’ve grown substantially since then, and our student cohort comprises young women from many regions. As a growing school filling a unique gap in the education sector, we are striving to build strong foundations to empower young migrant women to gain the language, life and work skills to thrive.

RNS has ~110 students and a 30-person team, including 12+ registered teachers and 10 allied professionals with social/youth work, multicultural engagement and refugee health expertise. Our team brings different and overlapping strengths, skills and experiences to enable us to respond holistically to students’ educational needs in a respectful and productive learning environment.

For further information, view: rivernileschool.vic.edu.au and RNS YouTube Clip.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The River Nile School is seeking a psychologist to work with the young women who attend the school. The psychologist will complete diagnostic assessments, support the school in their NCCD process, have a case load of clients and support staff in responding to the needs of our young women, inside and outside of the classroom. The role is advertised as a full time position, however it is possible to arrange a part time position pending the needs and preferences of the candidate.

Your Mindset:

• You believe every young person deserves a thriving future.
• You understand trauma and its impact on young people.
• You have an understanding and passion for working with young women from refugee backgrounds.
• You understand the nuances of working with people who speak English as a second language.
• You respect and value the perspectives of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) young people and are interested to work with those with complex needs to help them achieve their potential.
• You are comfortable working in a flexible, evolving, changing work environment, staying focused on outcomes, and adapting your approach as needed.
• You are collaborative, valuing, and respecting relationships within and across our entire team and with our external partners.
• You take initiative, solve problems, and have a high attention to detail.

Responsibilities:

• Complete cognitive, social-emotional, and educational assessments; provide feedback and guidance to River Nile School staff.
• Works closely with the River Nile School leadership and staff to identify and schedule students needing assessments.
• Increase River Nile School staff knowledge of the impacts of trauma on development and increase therapeutic practices via consultation, reflective practice, and psychoeducation.
• Carry a case load of clients who are at various stages of the episode of care, such as assessment, treatment, and closure. Therapeutic work can range from short to long term and might include individual, family, dyadic and/or systems interventions.
• Support the school in diagnosing and documenting their NCCD process.
• Support school leadership in creating school wide systems and processes by adding psychological perspective and expertise.
• Act as a conduit between the school and best psychological practices, information and relevant reports and information
• Other duties as needed or directed by the school principal or leadership team

Key Selection Criteria:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the administration and interpretation of restricted psychological tests, namely the Wechsler tests, BASC and Vineland.
• Demonstrated ability to provide secondary consultation, reflective practice, psychoeducation and advice to stakeholders and other professionals with ability to impart knowledge and capacity build.
• Demonstrated ability to provide direct service in the clinical assessment and treatment of children, young people and families; and to comply with service delivery towards output and outcomes requirement (please refer to expectations under assessment and treatment).
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Experience in working with children, young people, families and carers with an understanding and knowledge of the complexities of the service system as well as child development, trauma theory, attachment theory and systemic work.
• Highly developed communication skills, including the ability to work collaboratively and liaise with all levels of River Nile School staff, other professionals and key stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including timely and accurate written reports and able to clearly articulate and engage with a range of audiences – children, families and caregivers, and professionals.
• Cultural awareness and willingness to learn regarding Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities.
• Demonstrated commitment to a learning culture and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the principles of equity, diversity and occupational health and safety.
• Ability to work calmly and consistently under pressure with capacity to manage competing priorities, monitor own stress levels and practice self-care.
• Understanding of the impacts of trauma on learning, with some knowledge of trauma-informed practice.
• Track record of building engaging relationships with students from marginalised, refugee or CALD backgrounds, to be able to meet them at their point of need, develop and deliver their goals and set them up holistically for success.

Qualifications, Experience and Credentials:

• A tertiary qualification in psychology.
• Current AHPRA, Psychology Board of Australia, registration.
• Experience conducting trauma and developmentally informed clinical work with children and young people.
• 100-point Proof of Identity required

Employment Conditions

• Competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience; access to tax effective salary packaging; training and development opportunities; supervision and an employee assistance program. RNS strives for its staff salaries to be competitive with the Victorian Government Schools Agreement (VGSA) scales commensurate with experience.
• Appointment of the successful applicant will be subject to:
  • Reference checks
  • A satisfactory Pre-Employment Disclosure Declaration
• The successful applicant must complete DET Mandatory Reporting / Child Safety training within the first month of work. A DET link to on-line training for non-government schools will be provided.

If the applicant has evidence of completing this training at another school within the last 12 months, that can be provided on commenced and then refreshed at the appropriate annual time.

A 6-month probationary period will apply. Induction and professional support and development programs will be provided.

Enquiries to the RNS Business Office – Tel: (03) 9329 8425 or Mob: 0493 397 036.