• Generous Salary Packaging
• 5 weeks Annual leave

• Fixed term until March 2026
• Part-time (60.8 Hours per fortnight)
• Remuneration SCHCADS level 6 dependent on qualifications and experience + 11.5 % Employer superannuation

About us

Youth Support + Advocacy Service (YSAS) is one of Australia’s largest and most comprehensive, youth specific community service organisation that enables young people experiencing serious disadvantage to access the resources and support they require to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.

YSAS is a Child Safe organisation. We actively promote the safety and wellbeing of young people, and are committed to protecting young people from harm or abuse who come into contact with and/or access our service. Applicants must undergo rigorous screening and recruitment processes, including providing evidence of current WWCC and National Police Check.

About the position

The KEYS program is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in partnership with Anglicare to provide a specialist Youth Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service to young people involved in the child protection system and living in the KEYS residential therapeutic houses.

The KEYS worker will provide support and advice to staff in out of home care residential facilities; adolescent community placement and secure welfare services through specialist secondary consultation to Child Protection case planning processes; AOD education; appropriate AOD assessment, referral and linkages. Servicing the North & West Metropolitan Region, KEYS worker will be based in Sunshine and have access to YSAS Epping office and be a member of the multi-disciplinary YSAS Western team.

YSAS in conjunction with Anglicare will be delivering AOD Support Service for young people aged 12 - 17 years who experience complex emotional and behavioural difficulties and are currently in, or are likely to be placed in, residential care. The KEYS units are a transitional model, with placement duration ranging from 6 – 18 months.

With services involved taking a new approach to working with highly vulnerable young people, who will receive a range of support, treatment and other therapeutic interventions and be actively assisted and supported to transition into a form of home-based care, or move directly to independent living.

There are two KEYS units, one in St Albans and one in Reservoir. Each unit will work with four young people at any given time, The Senior KEYS AOD Worker will work in collaboration with multiple stakeholders and in the best interest of safety and care planning for the young people in the KEYS OOHC houses.

Some of your key selection criteria will be

1. Demonstrated ability and experience in working with disadvantaged and marginalised young people with complex needs who are involved in the statutory child protection system.
2. Ability to practice and educate others in a range of AOD interventions.
3. Demonstrated understanding of care planning and case management approaches.
4. Understanding of the principles of harm minimisation and approaches to the treatment of AOD issues including relapse prevention.
5. Demonstrated knowledge of the legislative and operating environment of the Child Protection and Youth Justice systems.
6. Demonstrated experience and skills in developing and maintaining close working relationships with other individuals and services (including statutory bodies) involved with the target group.

For full details of the position, please visit our website ysas.org.au.

A position description is attached.

Please Note:

1. Service delivery aspects of the role may be modified in order to comply with Victorian Government COVID-19 guidelines.
2. As part of our Employment screening process you will be required to undertake a National Criminal History check and have a current Working with Children Check.
3. You must have Australian work rights to apply for this position

Further Enquiries

For a confidential discussion about the position, please contact Emma Hutchinson, Community Manager, on 0417 380 307 regarding the Senior Practitioner position (Recruitment Ref. Number – 018_2025).

• YSAS is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome applications from all sectors of the community.
• YSAS has a zero tolerance for child abuse and is committed to the provision of a child-safe organisation.