SHINE for Kids is the only national charity to provide services to support children and young people from infancy through to reaching adulthood at 18, our programs operate in secure, open custody, and transitional correctional facilities throughout NSW, ACT, VIC, WA and QLD.

SHINE for Kids programs are designed to provide positive opportunities to reduce the likelihood of children transitioning into child protection and justice systems, help avoid family fragmentation, and to reduce both juvenile and adult recidivism.

Schools can be a protective or risk factor for primary aged children with an incarcerated parent. There is a strong correlation between children with a parent in prison and child who end up in the juvenile justice system and then become incarcerated as adults. This is the cycle the RISE Education Program is trying to break.

The program aims to increase school attendance, educational outcomes, self-esteem and decrease antisocial behaviour and school suspensions.

The RISE Education Coordinator is responsible for implementing and coordinating SHINE Education Support Program (RISE) in Grafton and surrounding area. The role will be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with schools, carers, incarcerated parents, volunteer mentors and students. The Coordinator is responsible for obtaining referrals, recruiting volunteers and matching mentee and mentors. The program has a strong focus on outcomes based accountability and ensuring we measure program outcomes. This role will report remotely into a team spread out nationally, to a manager at SHINE for Kids Headquarters in Sydney, NSWcerated parent, volunteer mentors and students.

About the role

• Identifying schools in the catchment area with students affected by parental incarceration
• Developing and hold a co-design meeting with schools and relevant community organisations to foster wrap around support for children with a parent incarcerated.
• Maintaining regular communication with school teaching, leadership, and wellbeing staff to develop and implement the service in the school
• Assessing and evaluating reports provided by schools, and target areas of concern as identified by families and schools to specifically address the development of these areas
• Frequent assessment of child progress based on mentor reports and school/family feedback
• Linking student with appropriate mentor
• Developing relationships with local preschools to assist in transitioning children into Kindergarten and supporting families
• Regular check ins with schools, families and mentors to review progress and suitability of program
• Maintaining an open, warm and professional relationship with parents/carers, and share positive information about the children and their development with families
• Undertaking project evaluations and risk management assessments of the program

About you

Highly Desirable

• Minimum 2 years’ experience in case work, case management and referral skills, particularly with vulnerable families.
• An enterprising mindset with great problem solving skills: you are keen to lead the growth of the RISE programme in your community and work through barriers and obstacles to achieve your KPI’s

Desirable

• Minimum 2 years’ experience working in direct service with children in an education capacity, including mentoring, academic support and or coaching
• Minimum 1 year experience managing volunteers, program management and evaluation
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in conducting initial or brief assessments to determine the needs of children
• Demonstrate an understanding of the issues and challenges that children of prisoners face
• Demonstrate an awareness of the issues faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• The capacity to work professionally in an independent role remote from your team members
• An understanding and adherence with Work Health and Safety principles to ensure the health and safety of yourself and others at the workplace. The ability to apply risk management and prevention strategies within a complex criminal justice environment.

Your paperwork

• Diploma qualified or above with previous experience
• Experience in Education, Community Welfare, Social Work, Welfare or Social Sciences
• The capacity to receive clearance via a criminal record check.
• Current driver’s licence
• Able to obtain valid Working with Children’s Check
• Able to obtain current First Aid Certificate

If you have the skills and experience outlined please forward your resume and a cover letter addressing the above skills and experience, plus any other information that you feel is relevant to your ability to perform this role.

For recruiters: we appreciate your work, but wish to recruit for this role directly. Thank you

Previous applicants need not apply, thank you for your understanding.