Overview
This recruitment pool will run for a period of twelve months (or insert number of months) and may be used to fill ongoing fixed term contracts and permanent opportunities.
Currently, there are permanent positions available for immediate filling at Greenough Regional Prison, Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison and West Kimberley Regional Prison. Relocation support is available to interstate, intrastate, and New Zealand applicants.
Are you a Social Worker or Psychologist interested in utilising your clinical skills in a unique work environment and working with people in custody to build resilience and promote psychological health?
Join us as a Prison Counsellor to apply your professional knowledge and skills in clinical risk and psychological assessments, counselling, and offender rehabilitation.
If you are dedicated to making a meaningful difference and possess a strong background in offender service management, we invite you to contribute to our mission to enhance public safety and support offender rehabilitation.
The Psychological Health Service is looking for counsellors to work with the general adult prison population presenting with various mental health issues.
About Justice
When you join the Department of Justice, you become part of a people-focused organisation, working to make our community a fairer and safer place to live. We offer employment opportunities across Western Australia, with opportunities to make a real difference in local communities and in the lives of those you work with.
About the role
The Psychological Health Service (PHS) sits within the Justice Health and Wellbeing Service (JHWS) directorate. This role provides a great opportunity for suitably qualified psychologists and social workers to practice in a unique and dynamic environment.
The Psychological Health Service is responsible for undertaking clinical assessment and providing intervention to individuals held on remand in prison and to prisoners:
* who are at acute risk of suicide or self-harm;
* at chronic risk of suicide or self-harm or otherwise vulnerable within the prison system;
* with mental health issues;
* or having difficulties coping, adjusting to prison, or in transition to release.
The Prison Counsellor is responsible for applying discipline-specific professional knowledge, experience, and skills to provide evidence-based clinical assessment and intervention services in response to psychological health needs of prisoners. Prison Counsellors provide consultation and participate in multi-disciplinary risk management processes and case management meetings.
If appointed, there is scope to be transferred to metropolitan prison positions where you will be provided with opportunities to live and work in metropolitan WA with professional support through clinical and line supervision, the state-wide PHS team, and as a member of the prison staff.
Salaries are competitive and you will enjoy all WA Public Sector conditions of service.
Qualifications
Successful applicants must have evidence of current registration by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority (AHPRA) or Social Work tertiary qualifications consistent with AASW requirements prior to commencement; and either:
* An accredited qualification in Psychology and registration with the Psychology Board of Australia; OR
* A tertiary qualification in Social Work and eligible for full membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers or the Society of Professional Social Workers and a minimum of two (2) years supervised practice in counselling.
Permanent positions – To be eligible for appointment to permanent positions in the Western Australian Public Sector you must be an Australian citizen or have permanent resident status in Australia.
Other requirements
* Possession of a current WA motor vehicle driver's license
* Requirement for inter-state travel from time to time
Benefits and opportunities
* Flexible working arrangements
* Career pathway opportunities
* Learning and development opportunity programs
* Eligibility for study leave
* Relocation assistance/allowance available for eligible applicants relocating from Interstate or New Zealand
* Housing assistance subsidies in specified regional locations
* Additional Annual Leave and Annual Travel Concessions in specified regional locations
* District Allowances in specified regional locations
* In-house training and monthly clinical supervision
* In-house Clinical supervision for those undertaking registrar, provisional registration and for Social Work mental health accreditation
Application process
Please review the attached Job Description Form (JDF) for requirements. Submit the following:
* A comprehensive Resume / Curriculum Vitae outlining transferable skills, experience, and key achievements
* A statement no more than two (2) pages addressing the four Role Specific Criteria contained in the JDF with examples. The criteria are:
o Experience in a Counselling Role
o Therapeutic Assessment and Intervention Skills
o Communication and Interpersonal Skills
o Knowledge and experience working with diversity in client groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) populations
* Contact details of two work-related referees
Please note: Applications without the accompanying statement will be deemed incomplete. All Role Specific Criteria will be assessed later in the recruitment process.
Open Pool Recruitment
This is an open-ended pool recruitment process with no fixed closing date. Applications are assessed quarterly, and suitable applicants are added to the pool as vacancies arise. The pool is valid for 12 months from the day after the standard claim period closes. Permanent, fixed-term, full-time and part-time appointments may be offered as vacancies arise; however, an appointment is not guaranteed.
The Department of Justice uses recruitment pools to build a talent bank for future opportunities. Applicants found suitable in this pool may be considered for subsequent vacancies for the duration of the pool.
Equity and Diversity
The Department of Justice is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We actively promote the employment of Aboriginal Australians, people with disability, youth, and other diversity groups. People with disability will be provided with reasonable adjustments in recruitment processes and in the workplace.
Applicants requiring adjustments or accessibility accommodations at any stage of the selection process can contact the hiring manager or the provided contact details in the advertisement.
Further information
For additional information about the vacancy, please contact the Acting Psychological Health Service Manager on the provided contact details for confidential discussion.
Applicants are requested to apply online by clicking the Apply for Job button. Ensure you attach the relevant documentation. Applications without the accompanying statement addressing the selection criteria will be deemed incomplete.
If you experience difficulty submitting your online application, contact RAMS Helpdesk for assistance.
Preventive notice: The Department of Justice has a smoke-free policy implemented across all prisons and related facilities.
Disclaimer: The advertisement may include links to external sites; comply with applicable privacy and security considerations.
#J-18808-Ljbffr