Grade 1 Mental Health Practitioner / Social Worker

Inglewood And Districts Health Service; Inglewood; On-site; AUD 43,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous salary packaging

Supportive culture

Dynamic multidisciplinary team

Professional development opportunities

On-site parking

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Inglewood & Districts Health Service invites applications from graduate or early-career Social Workers for a Mental Health Practitioner / Social Worker - Grade 1 role. Based at our single site in Victoria, the position offers structured supervision and opportunities to develop skills across acute hospital, mental health and AOD settings.

You will undertake assessments, develop recovery‑oriented care plans, provide brief interventions and work with a multidisciplinary team to support consumer

Qualifications

• Approved tertiary qualification in Social Work and eligibility for AASW.
• Willingness to develop knowledge in mental health and AOD.
• Ability to undertake psychosocial assessments and identify needs.

Responsibilities

• Undertake psychosocial, mental health and AOD assessments.
• Develop recovery‑oriented, person‑centred care plans with consumers.
• Provide evidence-informed brief interventions, counselling and psychosocial support.
• Support consumers to work toward mental health, AOD and social goals.
• Monitor progress and adapt interventions as needs change.
• Collaborate with the multidisciplinary team and external services.

Skills

psychosocial assessment

recovery‑oriented care

therapeutic relationships

effective communication

Education

Approved tertiary qualification in Social Work

Job description

Inglewood & Districts Health Service (IDHS) is situated in the Shire of Loddon and provides services to more than 5,500 residents in the communities of Bridgewater, Inglewood, Korong Vale, Newbridge, Serpentine, Tarnagulla, Wedderburn and surrounding townships. All IDHS facilities are conveniently located on one site – encompassing urgent care, acute, community and residential aged care. IDHS also offers a diverse range of services including diabetes education, community and district nursing, counselling, cardiac rehabilitation, planned activity groups, volunteer and strength training programs.

Position Title

Mental Health Practitioner / Social Worker - Grade 1

Classification

Grade 1 (Graduate/Early Career)

Salary range per hour

$37.53 + superannuation + generous salary packaging options

Employment Type

Fixed Term Contract full-time from 11th January 2027 until 10th January 2028

Award

Allied Health Professionals (Victorian Public Sector) (Single Interest Employers) Enterprise agreement 2021-2026

Role description

This role provides an exciting opportunity and great foundation for a graduate or early-career Social Worker to develop their clinical skills and confidence across acute hospital, mental health and alcohol and other drug (AOD) settings. With structured support, clinical supervision and opportunities to learn from an experienced multidisciplinary team, you will progressively develop your capability in mental health and AOD practice, as well as bed-based hospital work. Working within your scope of practice and with support from experienced clinicians, you will:

• Undertake psychosocial, mental health and AOD assessments, identifying consumer strengths, needs, risks and protective factors.
• Work collaboratively with consumers to develop recovery-oriented, person-centred care plans.
• Provide evidence-informed brief interventions, counselling and psychosocial support.
• Support consumers to identify and work towards goals relating to their mental health, AOD use, relationships and social wellbeing.
• Monitor and review consumer progress and adapt interventions in response to changing needs.
• Recognise changes in presentation and identify clinical and psychosocial risks, escalating concerns appropriately and seeking support when required.
• Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team, consumers, families/carers, community services and other relevant agencies.
• Develop your clinical knowledge and skills through supervision, reflective practice, feedback and ongoing learning.

You will be supported to work within your current level of knowledge and experience, while progressively developing your clinical responsibility and confidence as your skills and competency grow.

About you

We are looking for a Social Worker who is enthusiastic about developing a career in mental health and/or AOD, and who is committed to learning and reflective practice.

• An approved tertiary qualification in Social Work and eligibility for relevant professional registration/membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
• An understanding of mental health, psychosocial disability and/or alcohol and other drug issues, and a willingness to further develop your knowledge and skills
• The ability to undertake psychosocial assessment and identify consumer strengths, needs, risks and protective factors
• An understanding of recovery-oriented, person-centred and trauma-informed practice.
• The ability to recognise changes in consumer presentation, identify and respond to clinical and psychosocial risk, and escalating concerns appropriately within the multidisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and establish therapeutic relationships with consumers, the community, service providers and other agencies.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated understanding of professional boundaries, confidentiality, clinical governance and ethical practice.
• Demonstrated commitment to ongoing learning, reflective practice, clinical supervision and incorporating feedback to develop professional and clinical practice.
• Demonstrated ab ility to work within one's level of knowledge, skills and experience, seek assistance and utilise supervision appropriately, with a commitment to progressively developing clinical responsibility and managing increasing complexity as competency develops.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• A commitment to culturally safe, inclusive and trauma-informed practice.
• The ability to maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries.
• A current Working with Children Check and/or Police Check as required by the organisation.
• A current driver's licence where community-based travel is required.

If you are an enthusiastic graduate or early-career Social Worker who is passionate about supporting people experiencing mental health, AOD and psychosocial challenges, we would love to hear from you.

Culture and Benefits

IDHS prides itself on being an employer of choice and on the support and supervision provided to its staff. We can offer you the following:

• Generous salary packaging options including access to novated leasing to use pre-tax dollars for a car and associated expenses
• A welcoming & supportive culture
• Dynamic multidisciplinary team
• Professional development opportunities
• On-site parking
• Employee Assistance Program

The successful applicant will be required to complete all relevant pre-employment checks, including a National Police Check & Working with Children Check (if required) and comply with Inglewood District Health's Vaccination Policy.

IDHS encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. People of all ages, people living with a disability, LGBTIQ+ candidates, and people from multi-cultural backgrounds.

For further information about this position, please contact Natalie Stevens – Mental Health Team Lead on 03 5431 7000

Applications close 13 November 2026

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