Program Worker - Schools
Posted:
23/03/2026
Closing Date:
03/04/2026
Salary:
$44.00 - $45.00
Job Type:
Contract
Location:
Lismore
Job Category:
Community Services & Development
An exciting, new opportunity has become available in Family Connect and Support for a Program Worker to join our new dedicated early childhood education program, Brighter Beginnings. FCS Brighter Beginnings is a collaborative initiative between the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) and the Department of Education (DoE). It builds on the Family Connect and Support (FCS) program to provide early, practical support to families with children aged 0–5 years. This support is delivered through FCS workers who engage with Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services such as preschools and childcare centres.
Social Futures is a voice for social change in regional Australia, helping to create connected, resilient communities. With more than 50 years’ industry experience, we are a community service leader, striving to create change through our work across homelessness and housing supports, youth and family services, sector advocacy and programs that promote genuine participation for people with disability.
Job Description
About the Role:
Brighter Beginnings is an innovative early childhood education program designed to give children the strongest possible start to learning and life. The program focuses on early intervention, school readiness, and supporting children and families who may experience vulnerability or barriers to accessing early childhood education. Through a trauma-informed, Brighter Beginnings works in partnership with families, community services, and early learning providers to build children’s social, emotional, and developmental foundations before they enter formal schooling.
The Program Worker, FCS, Brighter Beginnings, works alongside families, children and young people from a person-centred evidence-based approach that promotes self-determination. Though client led goal planning, and connecting families to culturally appropriate supports and services, the Program Worker will assist in improving the social and emotional wellbeing of children and their families.
This role is currently funded until 31 December 2028.
Desired Skills and Experience:
* Prior experience in School network highly desired
* Support customers to access services in a timely and appropriate manner, including provision of relevant information about services to customers, their families, carers and community partners
* Develop meaningful and respectful relationships and communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities
* Provide high quality person-centred supports and brief interventions to customers, their families and carers that are strengths based and culturally responsive and in line with Social Futures Practice Framework and National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing.
* Collect, and ensure integrity of, data using relevant information systems to meet commissioning and outcome-based reporting requirements
* Recommend expenditure for customers in line with brokerage guidelines
* Ensure all customer work requirements are completed in accordance with the relevant policies and procedures, including quality improvement requirements
* Comply with procedures to ensure the effective reporting of quality, safety, and risk issues and provide regular reports to ensure reporting requirements are met
* Participate in supervision activities including case reviews and case audits
* Ensure relevant mandatory reporting requirements are met in line with legislative and policy requirements
* Participate in business planning processes within the Team / Branch and provide feedback on enhancement to program services and delivery / identify opportunities for improvement
About Social Futures:
We are proud to announce that we have received recognition as an accredited Great Workplace by WRK+. Our amazing team makes our workplace special.
Social Futures is a Rainbow tick accredited organisation and an equal opportunity employer and actively recruit from key communities; including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, LGBTIQSB+, people living with a disability, people with lived experience and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Social Futures is committed to prioritising the safety and well-being of children and upholds the National Child Safe Principles. Working with Children Check and National Police Check are mandatory requirements for all staff.
Our Benefits:
* Generous Salary packaging options
* Staff Well-being Program
* Flexible working options
* Opportunity to bank additional days leave per year
* Access to ongoing Learning and Development
* Staff Recognition Program and Organisational Celebration Events
* Organisational paid Parental leave
* Access to Pool Vehicles
How to Apply:
A cover letter demonstrating how your skills, education and professional experience meet the requirements of the role as outlined in the position description, should be submitted with your application.
Applications close 3 April 2026.
For more information about Social Futures please visit our website: https://socialfutures.org.au/work-with-us/
For further information, please contact Rebecca Liska, on 0417 431 205
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