• Type: Full Time
• Location: Randwick, NSW
• Remuneration: Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (Level 5) + full salary packaging options available

About Us:

Originally named the Wayside Foundation, The Ted Noffs Foundation was established in 1970 by the great Australian humanitarian, Reverend Ted Noffs, and renamed in 1992 to honour his life’s work.

Our services are focused on helping young people with drug, crime and mental health issues and have achieved significant success. Today, we run services across NSW, ACT and QLD with over 150 staff and nearly 300 volunteers committed to helping disadvantaged young Australians.

The Program:

This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a dynamic team of youth workers. The Adolescent and Family Counsellor for Youth Homeless Services (YHS) at Noffs works within a multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive support for young people facing homelessness. YHS focuses on early intervention, crisis, and post-crisis assistance, helping youth maintain stable housing while addressing complex needs, including support for those transitioning from Out of Home Care. The role encompasses thorough client assessment to formulate effective treatment plans, offering individual counselling and brief family interventions as needed.

Responsibilities and duties:

• Provide individual counselling, and family counselling if needed, referring to other parties as required.
• Conduct a thorough assessment of each young person and, in collaboration with them;
• Provide ongoing support for clients to assist them to meet the goals as outlined in their Life Management Plan.
• Keep young persons engaged with Noffs services by actively maintaining contact with them by checking in with them regularly via phone, text or other means..
• Work closely with the residential team for day-to-day implementation of the agreed care plan for each client.
• Ensure young people have proper representation and access to all the services they require or come into contact with.
• Arrange community networking for the young person to encourage positive interactions in a safe and supportive environment.
• Liaise effectively with referrers, service providers, key stakeholders and/or family and carers to ensure the best service for our young people.
• Maintain accurate records, statistics and reports.

Essential Selection Criteria

• Relevant tertiary qualifications e.g. psychology, counselling, social work.
• Experience and demonstrated ability to work with young people between the ages of 12-25 yo.
• Experience in conducting clinical assessments, developing treatment plans, providing effective and compassionate individual counselling, delivering appropriate clinical interventions, and communicating clearly within multidisciplinary team.
• Knowledge of and commitment to a Therapeutic Community model.
• Ability to work effectively both as a team member and as a practitioner with minimal supervision.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong personal and interpersonal boundaries.
• Commitment to the principles of harm minimisation and to the aims of the Ted Noffs Foundation.
• Must have a current and valid Working with Children Check and Driver’s Licence.

Desirable Selection Criteria

• Experience in the drug and alcohol sector.
• Registration or eligible for membership with AHPRA or other professional association.
• Minimum 2 years direct counselling experience.
• Understanding of harm minimisation principles.
• Knowledge of drug and alcohol use and its impact on clients.

Ted Noffs Foundation is committed to equal employment opportunity and embraces diversity and inclusion within its workforce. As such, people from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. This includes, but is not limited to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, People with Disability, Women and People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds.

For further information, contact us at [email protected] using the subject line: Adolescent and Family Counsellor - Youth Homelessness enquiry via EthicalJobs.