Case Worker - After Hours Outreach Service

MA MISSION AUSTRALIA; Cairns Regional; On-site; AUD 54,000 - 77,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Not-for-profit salary packaging

Shift Penalty rates

Free external counselling

Chaplaincy support

Volunteering opportunities

Extra leave

Job summary

Mission Australia in Cairns is seeking a Case Worker for its After Hours Outreach service. You will perform street-based outreach to people experiencing homelessness, providing safety, housing access, and practical supports in a community setting.

The role requires building relationships, risk assessment, and collaboration with housing and health services. Shifts include early and late daytime hours across a 7-day roster.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting people experiencing homelessness, complex needs or significant disadvantage, with the ability to build positive and respectful relationships.
• Experience providing person-centred, strengths-based and trauma-informed support.
• Ability to assess risk, respond appropriately to immediate needs and maintain professional boundaries.
• Ability to work effectively in a community-based street outreach environment.
• Current unrestricted Driver's licence and current First Aid and CPR certification.
• Before starting work with us, you will need to undertake a national police history check, qualifications, and referee checks, and have a clearance to work with children/vulnerable people.

Responsibilities

• Provide street outreach and build positive relationships with people experiencing homelessness.
• Complete assessments, identify risks and respond to immediate safety, wellbeing and crisis needs.
• Provide practical support with emergency accommodation, identification, housing applications and pathways towards stable housing.
• Connect people with housing, Centrelink, health and other community and specialist services.
• Work collaboratively with housing providers, emergency services and other key stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate risk assessments, case notes and required client documentation.

Skills

Homelessness support

Trauma-informed care

Risk assessment

Community outreach

Driver's license

First Aid

CPR certification

National police history check

Education

Degree in Social Work / Human Services

Job description

2 x Permanent part-time positions | 30.4 hours per week Location: Bungalow, Cairns QLD 4870 Rostered shifts: 6:00am–2:00pm and 2:00pm–10:00pm across 7 days, including weekends and public holidays Salary: $47.81 per hour + Super + not-for-profit salary packaging benefits + Shift Penalty rates

Make a meaningful difference to the lives of Australians in need.

Life at Mission Australia

When you join the team at Mission Australia, you become part of a community who are determined to end homelessness and ensure people in need can thrive. United by our Christian purpose and values, we advocate for a fairer Australia to meet the growing needs of people across the country. Together we’re building hope and possibility for all. Find out more about us and our purpose.

Your opportunity

Join Mission Australia’s After Hours Outreach Service and support people experiencing homelessness across the Cairns region. As a Case Worker, you’ll spend most of your time in the community providing street-based outreach to people sleeping rough, staying in cars or experiencing an immediate housing crisis. You’ll build relationships, respond to immediate safety and wellbeing needs, and provide practical support including emergency accommodation, identification, housing applications and connections to Centrelink, health, housing and other community services. Working alongside your team and key services, you’ll help people navigate challenges and take meaningful steps towards greater safety and housing stability. The role involves regular community-based outreach, driving and working outdoors across the Cairns region. The service operates seven days a week, including weekends and public holidays, with shifts from 6:00am–2:00pm and 2:00pm–10:00pm. Candidates must be available to work both shifts across a seven-day rotating roster.

Your key responsibilities

• Provide street outreach and build positive relationships with people experiencing homelessness.
• Complete assessments, identify risks and respond to immediate safety, wellbeing and crisis needs.
• Provide practical support with emergency accommodation, identification, housing applications and pathways towards stable housing.
• Connect people with housing, Centrelink, health and other community and specialist services.
• Work collaboratively with housing providers, emergency services and other key stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate risk assessments, case notes and required client documentation.

Requirements for success

• Experience supporting people experiencing homelessness, complex needs or significant disadvantage, with the ability to build positive and respectful relationships.
• Experience providing person-centred, strengths-based and trauma-informed support.
• Ability to assess risk, respond appropriately to immediate needs and maintain professional boundaries.
• Ability to work effectively in a community-based street outreach environment.
• Relevant degree in Social Work, Human Services, Community Services or a related discipline, or equivalent experience.
• Current unrestricted Driver's licence and current First Aid and CPR certification.
• Before starting work with us, you will need to undertake a national police history check, qualifications, and referee checks, and have a clearance to work with children/vulnerable people.

Your benefits

• Rewarding work – every day you know you’re making a real difference
• Not-for-profit salary packaging, reducing your tax (details via AccessPay)
• Free external, confidential counselling and access to chaplaincy support.
• Volunteering opportunities
• Extra leave available including an additional public holiday, additional annual leave day on your work anniversary and the opportunity to purchase further annual leave.

Our culture

Our innovative and inclusive culture will ensure you feel valued at Mission Australia as you help Australians in need and develop in your career. We prioritise the safety and wellbeing of everyone, both within our team and the individuals we serve. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive working environment. We actively support and encourage people of all backgrounds; gender, age, ethnicity, race, cultural background, disability, religion, and sexual orientation to submit an application and aim to ensure that the recruitment and employee experience is as accessible and inclusive as possible. So, whoever you are, if you’re skilled and actively support our purpose and values, you would be welcome at Mission Australia.

Mission Australia is a national Christian charity motivated by a shared vision of an Australia where everyone has a safe home and can thrive. Since 1859, we’ve been standing alongside people in need across Australia, offering real hope that has lasting impact. Backed by our supporters, churches, partners, and funders, we work together for the long-term wellbeing of anyone who needs us, reflecting our values of respect, compassion, integrity, perseverance and celebration. We collaborate with people experiencing homelessness or disadvantage to tackle the root causes of their challenges through providing access to safe, affordable homes and innovative, evidence-based support services. Every day we deliver homelessness crisis and prevention services, provide social and affordable housing, assist struggling families and children, address mental health issues, fight substance dependencies, support people with disability and much more. Mission Australia believes a person’s circumstances shouldn’t define their future and that given the right support, everyone can reach their full potential. That’s why we stand together with Australians in need, until they can stand for themselves. Learn more about Mission Australia and our purpose.