Role
Under the direction of the Wellbeing Leader, the Youth Worker will be an active member of the school wellbeing team, working collaboratively to provide a range of wellbeing programs for students across all year levels, including 1-1 support and case management, specific group interventions, organising and facilitating celebration/awareness days and running lunchtime activities.
The Youth Worker will hold a caseload of referred students with a particular focus on students who are disengaged and struggling to attend school. A non-attending or disengaged student can often be extremely vulnerable with a diverse range of needs that span beyond the physical school environment.
Working within the college wellbeing protocols, the Youth worker will deliver both brief counselling support and effective case management. The promotion of students' social, emotional and behavioural development is a core purpose of this role, as is implementing and evaluating support strategies to minimise disengagement from school and foster resilience. The Youth Worker will demonstrate an ability to plan thoughtful 1-1 sessions and engage students in conversations about their wellbeing and goal setting, using a variety of strategies and techniques.
The Youth Worker will support the Wellbeing Team to develop and deliver a range of dynamic and engaging group programs and lunchtime activities that support and reinforce self-esteem and confidence in students, increase engagement with school, their teachers, their peers and build partnerships between the school and wider community agencies and support services.
Responsibilities
As the Youth Worker, the successful candidate applicant will:
1. Work collaboratively with the Wellbeing Leader – who will also be your direct line manager – and the College Wellbeing team, to ensure that student needs are met with appropriate intervention Participating in team meetings with regards to referral discussions and sharing best practice. Receive and act on referrals for assistance from Wellbeing Leader
2. Be adept at brief counselling support for students and case management Developing meaningful case plans and goal setting with students Effective crisis management, when needed Keep relevant, professional and up-to-date case notes on identified students in order to monitor progress and develop robust support plans Advocate for students were appropriate and facilitate further external referrals – acting as a conduit between the young person and the services they wish/need to access Following College Wellbeing protocol and procedure
3. Liaise with families, carers and workers regarding the students wellbeing needs, involving: Phone contact Parent meetings Attending care team meetings and other professional networks to support the student
4. Develop and implement targeted group interventions (including therapeutic) to identified students
5. Promote and facilitate pro-social activities and services, both within the school and in partnership with wider community agencies and support services, including: Lunchtime activities Celebration days/events Information sessions Assembly presentations
6. Establish good relationships with students, acting as a role model and responding to the needs of young people
7. Support teachers to understand and respond to student wellbeing needs
8. Perform other duties appropriate to the classification, at the Principals discretion
Responsibilities
9. Providing advice and professional learning to others, including teachers and other school wellbeing staff, to build the capacity of schools to improve students’ wellbeing, learning and developmental outcomes.
10. Delivering professional support services in a school, including mental health prevention and promotion activities and early intervention activities (including short-term counselling) for students with a range of mental health needs, applying sound theoretical knowledge and practical expertise.
11. Planning and implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for students with complex needs including collaborating with families, other professionals and agencies when appropriate to effectlively manage risk.
12. Working collaboratively with the school to enhance mental health prevention and promotion across the school by contributing to policies and operational practices that will guide the work of others, including other school wellbeing staff and teachers.
13. Liaising with other department areas (including secondary school nurses and Student Support Services staff) and external service providers where necessary to provide appropriate support to students.
14. Maintaining professional competence and continued professional development, including attending professional development activities throughout the year.
15. Meeting relevant policies and legislative requirements in relation to student health information, privacy and consent.
Please note: Continued professional development is a registration requirement under the National Law, which governs the operations of the National Boards and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Who May Apply
Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.
EEO AND OHS Commitment
The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms – gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see ).
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants can contact Brett West, Yamatji man, in the Koorie Outcomes Division to talk about the recruitment process, the Department and supports for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in the Department. Mobile: 0477 726 801 or email on:
Child Safe Standards
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the Department’s exemplar available at:
DE Values
The Department’s employees commit to upholding DE’s Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. DE’s Values complement each school’s own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the DE values is available at:
Other Information
Please ensure that your application includes:
16. a resume including relevant experience as well as personal details (name, address and contact numbers, business, and home)
17. a section addressing the selection criteria and the requirements for application under the Who May Apply section
18. names and contact numbers (telephone and email if possible) of two referees
Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action
Conditions of Employment
19. All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
20. Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
21. A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
22. Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at
Location Profile
Lyndhurst Secondary College is situated just north of Cranbourne in the south-western corner of the City of Casey – one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia. Our college has an enrolment of 789 students in 2023 and is projected to rise further. Over recent years the cultural mix of the College has changed with our student population now coming from many cultural backgrounds.
The Lyndhurst Secondary College community is committed to providing a safe, challenging and stimulating learning environment which champions individual differences, excellence, and integrity to develop open-minded citizens capable of contributing confidently and responsibly to an ever-changing world. We aim to be a progressive learning community whereby we are, ‘Empowering students for learning and life’. Our core values are excellence, commitment, integrity, and respect, with an overarching belief in high expectations for all.
To meet the individual needs of our students, staff work together to collaboratively design learning. We also offer a range of flexible learning options and support programs. We also have a wide range of co-curricular programs. We believe in getting to know our students well and we use a variety of pathways and support options as just one of the ways to engage and learn more about the young people with whom we work. We understand the importance of student voice and agency in relation to school connectedness. As result, there are extensive leadership opportunities available to students across a range of areas within the College community. We also support our young people with an extensive and highly skilled Wellbeing Team, as well as connecting with a variety of community-based groups.
Presently the major focus for staff is to develop classroom pedagogy through a range of evidence-based teaching and learning strategies, to further improve outcomes for students. The objective is to teach to each student’s point of need, regardless of where they on the learning continuum.
The current College Leadership Team profile currently consists of the Principal, four Assistant Principals, three Sub-School Leaders (aligned to Junior School 7&8, Middle School 9&10 and Senior School 11&12), three Learning Specialists (Curriculum & Pedagogy, Literacy, Numeracy) one Student Voice and Agency Leader, one Vocational and Applied Learning Leader, one Wellbeing and Inclusion Leader and the College Business Manager.