Counsellor Advocate

The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre; Horsham; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

5 weeks annual leave

Paid parental leave

Salary packaging

Health and Wellbeing initiatives

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Social initiatives

Positive workplace culture

Job summary

The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre in Horsham seeks a dedicated counsellor to provide specialised therapy for individuals affected by sexual assault and family violence. You will handle intake, run group programs, and support children and youth with complex needs.

You will work within a supportive, multidisciplinary team, with supervision and ongoing professional development to enhance trauma-informed care across our community.

Qualifications

• Degree or above qualification in social work, psychology, family therapy or similar discipline.
• Minimum two years relevant therapeutic experience post qualification.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialised counselling to children, young people and adults who have experienced sexual assault or family violence.
• Provide intake response, therapeutic services in group programs and intervention for children/young people with harmful sexual behaviours.
• Work under a Team Leader with regular clinical supervision and peer support.

Skills

Trauma therapy

Trauma-informed approach

Risk assessment

Collaboration with partners

Autonomy

Harmful sexual behaviours

HSB therapy

Gendered context

Engagement skills

Therapy with youth HSB

Education

Social work/psychology/family therapy degree

Job description

The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre – Horsham VIC

About the Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre

We are a client-centred organisation, supporting the community throughout Barwon, Wimmera, and the South West regions, offering a range of specialist support services to people impacted by sexual and family violence, encompassing 24 hour crisis care, specialist response services, early intervention programs, Victims Assistance Program, Community Legal Services, trauma recovery programs, professional training and primary prevention initiatives.

About The Role

This position provides 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 also includes the provision of intake response, therapeutic services in group programs and intervention to children and young people who engage in problematic or harmful sexualised behaviours.

The position reports to a Team Leader, is supported by a team of highly skilled and qualified practitioners and receives regular clinical supervision and valuable peer and organisational support.

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:

• Flexible working arrangements
• 5 weeks annual leave and access to purchased leave for full and part time employees
• Paid parental leave
• Salary packaging
• Health and Wellbeing initiatives
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Social initiatives
• Positive workplace culture

The SAFV Centre acknowledges and respects the First Nations ownership of the land where we work.

About You

With degree qualifications in degree or above qualification in social work, psychology, family therapy or similar discipline.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 adynamic, 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.

The successful candidate will be required to maintain a current Working with Children's Check and National Police Check at their own expense.

Key Selection Criteria

Essential Qualifications and Experience

Your application must address the following:

• Degree or above qualification in social work, psychology, family therapy or similar discipline.
• 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/carers.
• 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.
• Experience working therapeutically with young people who engage in sexualised behaviours (HSB) in the setting of trauma informed practices

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 ongoing dependent on funding.

Hours of work

• The position is full time.
• Location of the position is at the Horsham office.
• Work is generally available during business hours (9.00am to 5.06pm, Monday to Friday), however may vary week to week.
• 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 Counsellor Advocate Grade 2 year 1-5 plus superannuation. Salary will be commensurate with experience and skills.

Industrial Instrument

The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre Enterprise Agreement 2023.

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 theSuperannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992.

Probationary Period

6 months with a review conducted during this time.