Counsellor Advocate – SABTS Fixed Term

About The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre

We are a leading organisation offering a comprehensive suite of services to clients and the community across the Barwon, West Melbourne and Wimmera Regions. Providing specialist sexual assault and family violence programs and services, including 24 hour crisis care support, case management, therapeutic counselling, early intervention and professional education and training, we continue to grow and develop our offerings.

About The Role

This position provide specialised counselling to children, young people and adults who have experienced sexual assault or family violence, and to their non-offending family or friends. The role will include the provision of therapeutic services and intervention to children and young people who engage in problematic or abusive sexualised behaviours. You will assist with an intake system, conducting assessments and facilitating trauma informed counselling therapeutic group work.

Reporting to a Team Leader, you will be supported by highly skilled and qualified practitioners and receive regular clinical supervision and valuable peer support. This role is full time or part time fixed Term,

About You

With degree qualifications in psychology, family therapy or social work, you will be able to demonstrate experience in the delivery of therapeutic interventions, case management and risk assessment. With a comprehensive understanding of the issues relating to sexual assault and family violence within a gendered context, you have significant knowledge and expertise in working therapeutically with the dynamics and effects of interpersonal trauma.

You will be a values driven person, motivated to make a difference and hold the client at the centre of everything you do. You thrive working autonomously and also collaboratively within a dynamic, team environment.

If you share our vision for a community free from family violence and sexual assault and are motivated to make a difference, we would like to hear from you.  We pride ourselves on being a great place to work. You care for our clients and we care for you, including by investing in your development and wellbeing. You will have access to leading specialists and training and development that supports you in your role and in your longer term career journey. We offer a variety of career pathway options, leading salary packaging benefits and flexible working arrangements that help you manage your work and your life.

Why work for The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre?

The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre takes pride in being an employer of choice; we are passionate about the wellbeing of our team members and we celebrate diversity and inclusion in all we do. We have a high level of employee engagement and satisfaction and provide a number of complementary benefits to our staff, some of our benefits include:

• Hybrid work environment
• Generous above award Enterprise Agreement entitlements
• Flexible and part time working arrangements
• Professional development opportunities
• 10 weeks Paid parental leave
• Salary packaging
• Health and Wellbeing initiatives
• Flu vaccinations
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Social initiatives
• Positive workplace culture

The SAFV Centre acknowledges and respects the traditional Aboriginal custodians of the land.

How To Apply

To apply, please send your resume and response to the key selection criteria to sent to [email protected]. All applications must address the key selection criteria outlined in the PD. 

The successful candidate will be required to maintain a current Working With Children’s check and National Police Check.

The SAFV Centre is a registered Child Safe Organisation; committed to safeguarding children and young people.

The SAFV Centre requires that employees and students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (two doses), unless they are an Excepted Person as defined by the COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Workers) Directions. All applicants and students must therefore be able to comply with this requirement.

Key Selection Criteria

• Essential Qualifications and Experience

  Your application must address the following:

  1. Degree or above qualification in social work, psychology, family therapy or similar discipline.
  2. Minimum two years relevant therapeutic experience post qualification.
• Essential Skills and Knowledge
  • Significant knowledge and expertise in working therapeutically in relation to dynamics and effects of trauma on children and adults, including family members and friends.
  • A comprehensive understanding of the issues relating to sexual assault and family violence within a trauma informed, feminist intersectional, and systemic approach.
  • Demonstrated assessment skills, including therapeutic assessment, crisis intervention, risk assessment and safety planning.
  • Ability to work collaboratively with MDC partner organisations and across complex systems including but not limited to police, judicial, medical, educational, child protection, community services and family systems.
  • Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and to value and contribute to a positive workplace culture as a team member.
  • Have a sound understanding of harmful sexual behaviours and the factors that contribute to and maintain their occurrence, and of the impact of those behaviours on vulnerable children, family systems and the broader community.
  • Significant knowledge and expertise relevant to working therapeutically with the dynamics and effects of harmful sexual behaviours, and experience working with the impacts of interpersonal trauma on children and young people, as well as on supporting family members/carer
  • A comprehensive understanding of the issues relating to harmful sexual behaviours, sexual assault and family violence within a gendered, feminist, structural, individual, legal and medical context.
  • High level engagement skills and the ability to work effectively with both mandated and non-mandated clients.
  • Ensure work practices are ethical and comply with The SAFV Centre Policy and Procedure and the code of the professional association of which the employee may be a member.
• Other
  • Commitment to the vision, values and purposes of The SAFV Centre.
  • Commitment to continuous quality improvement and cultural equity in service delivery.
  • Current Victorian Driver’s Licence.
• Referees

  Applicants must provide the name and current contact details of 2-3 professional referees including the most recent or current supervisor.

• Period of Appointment

  This position is  fixed term for 12 months and maybe extended beyond this period depending on funding.

• Hours of Work
  • Τhe position is part time or full time (3-5 days per week).
  • Location of the position is in Geelong.
  • Hours will usually be worked during business hours of 9.00 am to 5.06 pm between Monday to Friday
  • The days are based on the needs of the service
  • Flexibility in working hours will be required from time to time as the need arises.
• Salary and Conditions

  Annual salary range is $87,140.06 – $102,553.76  plus superannuation (pro rata for part time). Salary will be commensurate with experience and skills. Higher qualifications allowance available for Masters level qualifications and above.

  Industrial Instrument: The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre Enterprise Agreement 2018.

  Salary Packaging: Provided via Maxxia.  PBI status with other expenses available to package above this cap. The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre is a Public Benevolent Institution.

  Superannuation: The employer will also make superannuation payments on your behalf in accordance with the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992.

  Probationary Period – 6 months with a review conducted during this time.

• Employee Responsibility – Mandatory prior to commencement

  Employee expense:

  • Valid Working with Children Check
  • National Police Records Check – renewed every 3 years of employment at employee expense

  The SAFV Centre complies with the Chief Health Officer directions employees and students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, unless they are an Excepted Person as defined by the COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Workers) Directions. All applicants and students must therefore be able to comply with this requirement.