Casual Residential Centre Assistant

Department: Open Prisons; Sydney; On-site; AUD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) is hiring casual residential support staff to provide high-quality assistance to residents in a Residential Centre in NSW. The role emphasizes safety, respect, and delivering program aims through day-to-day mentoring and case management support.

You will maintain confidential records, assist residents with independent living skills, travel to appointments, respond to incidents, and participate in a flexible shift pattern.

Qualifications

• Current First Aid Certificate or willingness to obtain one within the first three months of employment.
• Current driver’s licence and preparedness to drive a vehicle in the course of performing the role.
• Demonstrated computer literacy and the ability to maintain accurate records.
• Experience in social welfare or community services is desirable.
• Experience working with women is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Provide mentoring and day-to-day support to residents to encourage participation in the program, promote positive behaviours, and build practical living skills for independent living.
• Support residents to develop pro-social behaviours in interactions with staff, external service providers and other residents.
• Assist residents to engage with external agencies, programs and services that support their development and independence.
• Transport residents to appointments, programs and other external venues as required.
• Maintain resident records in a confidential and professional manner.
• Respond to critical incidents and situations affecting safety, health and wellbeing, ensuring duty of care obligations are met.
• Undertake general upkeep and presentation duties within the centre.
• Maintain a positive, professional and empathetic approach when supporting residents with complex needs.
• Work within a sensitive and accountable environment, exercising sound judgement.

Skills

First Aid

Driver's license

Computer literacy

Job description

Employment type

Casual – includes shift work (with 8-hour shifts)

Salary

$39.33 per hour plus penalties and shift allowances

Your role

Provide high-quality support and assistance to residents within a Residential Centre, helping to create a safe, respectful and supportive environment while contributing to the effective delivery of the program’s aims and objectives.

What you’ll do

• Support individual case management as required and maintain accurate, enter timely case notes, including records of significant interactions with residents.
• Provide mentoring and day-to-day support to residents to encourage participation in the program, promote positive behaviours, and build the practical living skills needed for independent living in the community.
• Support residents to develop and demonstrate pro-social behaviours in their interactions with staff, external service providers and other residents, to strengthen their readiness for independent community living.
• Assist residents to engage with external agencies, programs and services that support their personal development and independence.
• Transport residents to and from appointments, programs and other external venues, as required, to support positive program outcomes.
• Maintain resident records in a confidential and professional manner
• Respond to critical incidents and situations affecting the safety, health and wellbeing of residents, ensuring duty of care obligations are met and the safety of staff, residents and the broader community is maintained.
• Undertake general upkeep and presentation duties within the centre.
• Maintain a positive, professional and empathetic approach when supporting residents with a broad range of complex and individual needs.
• Work effectively within a sensitive and highly accountable environment, exercising sound judgement and remaining mindful of the potential impact of decisions and actions.

What we’re looking for

• Current First Aid Certificate or willingness to obtain one within the first three months of employment (Appropriate training will be provided by CSNSW, if necessary).
• Current driver’s licence and preparedness to drive a vehicle in the course of performing the role.

Experience Required

• Demonstrated experience relevant to the role, with the ability to meet the key accountabilities and focus capabilities outlined in the role description.
• Experience in social welfare, community services or a related field is desirable.
• Experience working with women is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated computer literacy, including the ability to maintain accurate records and use relevant systems.
• Proven ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Download the role description.

We focus on hiring people who share our commitment and goals of inclusion, collaboration, adaptability, courage and integrity. If you meet the essential requirements and the role resonates with you, please apply – you do not need to meet every desired requirement for us to want to talk to you.

What We Offer

We offer a variety of benefits, including:

• A challenging and rewarding career
• Flexible, autonomous work environment
• Competitive pay and conditions
• Training and development opportunities to build and maintain capabilities
• Health & Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programs.

We do work that really matters

Working for the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) and Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) provides lots of opportunities to make a real difference. We collaborate with other agencies and community partners, to improve lives and realise the potential of children, adults, families and communities. We're focused on breaking, rather than managing, disadvantage. It’s work that really matters.

Applications close

Sunday, 11 October 2026 at 11:59pm AEST.

For more information about the role or what it’s like to work for DCJ, please contact the hiring manager Alissa Beddy on ************@correctiveservices.nsw.gov.au

If you’ve got a question about applying or would benefit from an adjustment in the recruitment process to help you perform at your best (including an alternate method submission of the application), please contact Kaushik Gounder on ***************@dcj.nsw.gov.au

Inclusion and Diversity lies at the heart of how we recruit

We continue to hire great people with a wide variety of skills, experience and backgrounds. This includes people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people identifying as LGBTIQ+, culturally and linguistically diverse people, carers and other diversity groups.

Other Information

A talent pool may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles and is valid for a period of up to 18 months.

Thank you for your interest in this role. We look forward to receiving your application.

The Welcome Experience

Thinking about moving to regional NSW? Get free, personalised support with housing, schools, jobs, and settling in. Learn more: www.nsw.gov.au/welcomeexperience

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