Case Worker - Crisis Support Programs - Yagoona

Rspca; Sydney; On-site; AUD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

RSPCA NSW is seeking an experienced Case Worker to join our Crisis Support Programs team on a 12-month full-time contract. You will support clients and their pets across aged care, domestic violence, homelessness, emergency boarding and pet emergency treatment programs, ensuring crises are managed with compassion and professionalism.

The role requires weekend on-call availability, risk assessments, strong case management skills, and the ability to coordinate with human welfare agencies while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences or community welfare required.
• Current unrestricted driver’s license required.
• Experience with vulnerable individuals/families in aged care, DV, homelessness, mental health, or disability.
• Case management experience essential.
• Comprehensive needs assessment experience.
• Ability to handle emotionally charged situations with decisive strategies.
• Ability to exercise discretionary authority and implement solutions.

Responsibilities

• Review cases referred by Intake Officer.
• Evaluate requirements and determine access to services.
• Conduct risk assessment of transport jobs involving RSPCA staff/volunteers.
• Maintain positive client relationships and develop external agency links.
• Ensure and maintain communication with all required parties relating to client and animal wellbeing.
• Liaise with external agencies regarding delivery of services to new clients.
• Provide comprehensive record keeping of all interactions with clients or animals.
• Update client and/or animal information on platforms (e.g., Ezyvet, Salesforce, AnimalOs).
• Assist with in home and transportation jobs where required.
• Assist on roster system with weekend on-call emergencies.
• Maintain communication with Animal Officer regarding updates and treatment plans.
• Adhere to financial policy for provision of crises services.
• Record monthly output statistics and provide insights into activity demand.
• Raise community awareness of links between human wellbeing and animal welfare.
• Deliver presentations to human welfare organisations.
• Build existing relationships to grow crisis support programs.
• Participate in training of new team members.
• Collaborate with Animal Operations across departments and model RSPCA NSW values.
• Lead with WHS obligations and promote safety throughout the team.
• Contribute to future development and expansion of Crisis Support Programs.

Skills

Organizational and Administrative

Interpersonal skills

Boundaries understanding

Human-animal bond advocate

Communication skills

Trauma-informed support

Process improvements

Computer literacy

Education

Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences or community welfare

Job description

RSPCA NSW is a non-government organisation whose mission is to prevent cruelty to animals by actively promoting their care and protection. RSPCA NSW works with local councils, state and federal governments and other interested groups, including community organisations, wildlife authorities, farmers and professional associations.

RSPCA NSW is committed to its values of:

• Integrity: Doing the right thing
• Respect: Valuing all people
• Honesty: telling the truth and being honest in actions and words
• Collaboration and Cooperation: Working cohesively towards a common goal
• Enthusiasm and commitment: Willingness to take action and achieve results
• Accountability: Being responsible, taking action and keeping commitments
• Compassion: Actively listening to fully understand and genuinely empathise with people’s realities
• Resilience: The ability to recover from setbacks, adapt well to change and persevere in the face of adversity

About the Role

Our Crisis Support Programs team is looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Case Worker to join our team reporting to the Crisis Support Programs Manager. This role is a full Time - Contract (12 months) position. The position will provide support to clients and their pets who are part of our Aged Care, Domestic Violence, Homelessness, Emergency boarding and Pet Emergency Treatment programs. The role is responsible for ensuring that a range of animal related services are delivered and also communicating with animal owners, members of the public and human welfare agencies in relation to crisis support to maintain the human-animal bond. This role requires availability for a rotating weekend on-call roster, where you will be expected to respond to urgent issues outside of regular working hours on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays with the ability to be reachable by phone and potentially required to come onsite if necessary.

Position Responsibilities

• Review cases referred by Intake Officer
• Evaluate the requirements for each enquiry and determining access to services
• Conduct Risk assessment of any transport jobs involving attendance of RSPCA staff/volunteers
• Maintaining positive client relationships and developing new relationships with external agencies
• Ensure and maintain communication with all requires parties/stakeholders (internal and external) relating to the care and wellbeing of Crisis Support Programs’ client and animal
• Liaising with external agencies regarding delivery of Programs services to new clients
• Provide comprehensive record keeping of all interactions relating to any Crisis Support Programs’ client or animal.
• Update client and/or animal information on all required platforms i.e. Ezyvet, Salesforce, AnimalOs, etc
• Assist with in home and transportation jobs where required
• Assist on a roster system with weekend on-call emergencies
• Maintain open communication with Animal Officer regarding any updates, concerns, treatment plans, etc for client under Crisis Support Programs and collaborate based on animal’s circumstances
• Adhere to financial policy for the provision of services to Crisis Support Programs clients
• Assist with recording monthly output statistics, providing insight into the activities performed within the Crisis Support Programs team and the demand for service
• Raise community awareness and understanding of the links between human wellbeing and animal welfare through community and individual educational engagement.
• Delivering presentations to human welfare organisations or similar
• Continue to build upon existing relationships/partnerships to further the growth, awareness and impact of Crisis Support Programs.
• Proactively participate in the training of new team members
• Work positively and proactively with Animal Operations to support the functions of Crisis Support Programs
• Lead and contribute to a positive and inclusive work environment by effectively communicating and working collaboratively with team members and peers across all departments, and consistently role modelling the RSPCA NSW values and associated policies
• Demonstrate personal leadership in the implementation of RSPCA NSW’s Work Health & Safety (WHS) management system, facilitate its effectiveness by ensuring adequate resources are available, and that all employees are aware of their WHS obligations, and that one’s personal behaviour model’s the organisation’s commitment to WHS
• Participate in the future development and expansion of RSPCA NSW Crisis Support Programs

Role Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, community welfare or equivalent (essential)
• Current and unrestricted drivers license (essential)

Experience

• Experience working with vulnerable individuals/families in the aged care/domestic violence/homelessness/mental health/disability sectors
• Case management experience (essential)
• Experience in comprehensive needs assessment
• Developed effective strategies and show decisiveness in dealing with emotionally charged situations, difficult and controversial issues
• Demonstrated ability and confidence in utilising discretionary authority within role
• Demonstrated ability to work through issues, weigh up alternatives and identify the most effective solutions

Skills

• Excellent organisational and administrative skills
• Strong interpersonal skills to collaborate as part of a diverse team and work autonomously
• A clear understanding of personal boundaries
• Passion for supporting human & animal bond
• Excellent communication skills, particularly in negotiation, advocacy and crisis situations
• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with client in crisis and provide appropriate trauma-informed support
• Ability to recognise opportunities for improvements and works to implement new processes and initiatives
• Strong computer literacy

Join a leading organisation and make a real difference in the lives of animals and people!