Mental Health Practitioner

Department of Education Victoria; Nathalia; On-site; AUD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Nathalia Secondary College invites a qualified mental health professional to join our school community. The role supports the Mental Health Practitioner initiative across the campus, delivering counselling, prevention and early intervention services for students, and collaborating with families, teachers and health colleagues.

The successful applicant will contribute to our wellbeing plans, provide direct support to students with varying needs, and participate in ongoing professional development

Qualifications

• Applicants must be qualified as a psychologist, social worker, mental health nurse, occupational therapist or counsellor of a prescribed class.
• Demonstrated direct counselling experience.
• Evidence of registration with AHPRA, AASW (where applicable), or ACA/PACFA (where applicable).
• A current Working With Children Check.

Responsibilities

• Providing advice and professional learning to others, including teachers and other school wellbeing staff, to build the capacity of schools to improve students wellbeing, learning and developmental outcomes.
• Delivering professional support services in a school, including mental health prevention and promotion activities and early intervention activities (including short-term counselling) for students with a range of mental health needs, applying sound theoretical knowledge and practical expertise.
• Planning and implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for students with complex needs including collaborating with families, other professionals and agencies when appropriate to effectively manage risk.
• Working collaboratively with the school to enhance mental health prevention and promotion across the school by contributing to policies and operational practices that will guide the work of others, including other school wellbeing staff and teachers.
• Liaising with other department areas and external service providers where necessary to provide appropriate support to students.
• Maintaining professional competence and continued professional development, including attending professional development activities throughout the year.
• Meeting relevant policies and legislative requirements in relation to student health information, privacy and consent.

Job description

Department of Education Victoria – Nathalia VIC

5d ago , from Department of Education & Training Victoria

Nathalia Secondary College aims to prepare students for an ever-changing world. Developing teenagers into young adults and giving them the knowledge and skills to be work ready or continue with further studies when they leave our college. Creating, in partnership, with parents and community; students who are well balanced, respectful, motivated, aspiring and contributing citizens.

At Nathalia Secondary College our vision is to inspire successful and passionate learners.

All members of the college community live the school values C.L.E.A.R.

Social - community and demographic

Nathalia Secondary College was established in 1919. We have an excellent reputation as a public school in our community. We have a great tradition of excellence and being able to put the student at the centre of everything we do. We aim to get each student either work ready or onto further study.

Current SFO of 0.5600.

Nathalia is a 'can do' community. We support one another while being caring and concerned for each other.

Student voice is an integral part of college planning.

Enrolments are currently sitting at 100 students

Staffing consists of a Principal, Assistant Principal and Leading Teacher. There is a total of 15 teachers and15 educational support staff, including a Mental Health Practitioner and Student Wellbeing Officer.

We have a house system and we offer a variety of co-curricular enhancement and enrichment activities for our students.

With our small numbers, we look after the individual in a holistic way. Having said this, curriculum is set with Year 7/8 (electives in Arts and Technology), 9/10 (electives across Arts, Science, Humanities, PE and Technology) and Senior School certificates.

An active School Council that values parent contributions about the direction of our College and how we maintain our good reputation whilst challenging, preparing and engaging our students (their children).

We seek the support of our community through the Nathalia Learning Community, also with links to local businesses. We use this to value add to our Careers program.

50% of our staff are based and live in the local community, which is a positive in a rural town.

Our unique partnership with St. Mary of the Angels Catholic College is very positive and beneficial;with sharing of VCE classes and the Trade Training Centre project enhance opportunities for all students.

Together with Nathalia Primary School, St Mary of the Angels and St Francis Primary Catholic School we form the Nathalia Learning Community. Ensuring the delivery of a consistent approach to education in Nathalia. We are all proud of this alliance as it ensures great outcomes for students as well as being a pillar for the commerce priorities of a small rural thriving community.

Educational

Innovative, vibrant and progressive educational provision for Year 7 - 12.

VCE, VET and VCEVM / VPC courses.

Provider for VET Building and Construction Cert II and Salon Assistant Cert II

We offer enough within our curriculum which builds capacity in our students to meet the challenges of a world outside of our College and ensure they can be active contributors to the community they live in.

Many of our activities are driven by student passion and interests, which does make for engaging programs.

Staff and parents are very supportive of initiatives that are offered.

Excellent pathways so students can be successful in gaining access to tertiary placements, apprenticeship, traineeships, work and TAFE options.

Successful exit destinations that meet student’s aspirations.

Literacy initiatives, HIT's and Teaching Practices are our highest priority across all levels.

Every teacher is a Literacy Teacher.

Positive Behaviour in Schools is the model for managing student behaviour.

Technological

We aim for a 1:1 allocation of computers through specified or school provided devices.

Every learning space has Wi‑Fi capability for staff and students.

All teaching staff have laptops and/or iPads.

Staff and Students use the student management system, SIMON.

Grounds are well maintained, including grassed areas and natural flora surrounds.

In 2020 a new modular buildingwasinstalled andprovides a new admin front office, foods room and new toilet facilities.

In 2021 a new PE shed was built to house a gym and music facilities.

Selection Criteria

• Ability to implement a range of small group and whole-school mental health prevention and promotion activities aimed at improving student mental health and wellbeing, including the delivery of capability building and awareness raising activities for staff and/or students on key mental health and wellbeing issues affecting the school’s student population.
• Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies aimed at enhancing mental health and wellbeing prevention, promotion and early intervention.
• Demonstrated experience in assessing, conceptualising and analysing wellbeing issues, and providing evidence-based direct counselling support to clients with a range of mental health needs.
• Demonstrated experience in coordinating supports for young people with complex needs including referrals to a range of specialist services as appropriate.
• Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.
• Clear understanding of legislative requirements regarding privacy of health information.

Role

The Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) initiative was announced by the Minister for Education in late 2018 to expand mental health and wellbeing support in government schools. The initiative provides for a suitably qualified mental health professional in all government secondary school campuses and specialist school (with secondary-aged enrolments) settings.

Operating in collaboration with the relevant Department of Education Regional Mental Health Branch, this role has the following functions:

• Enhancing mental health prevention and promotion activities in the school by contributing to whole-school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to address matters relating to student mental health and wellbeing, and helping to develop and deliver appropriate programs and strategies in the school according to specified school priorities
• Providing early intervention services (including short-term counselling) for individual students and groups identified as at-risk and/or experiencing or demonstrating mild to moderate mental health concerns; and
• Coordinating supports for students with complex needs both within and external to the school, including proactively working with regions, local mental health service providers and other health professionals to engage further support as required.

Education support class level 1 range 4

The successful applicant will be an experienced professional who will carry out their duties and responsibilities, relative to their professional discipline, with a high level of autonomy and with minimal reliance on professional supervision. The successful applicant will be responsible for the development and implementation of professional support programs within an educational environment, including guidance to other professional staff.

As an education support class position, this role supports the educational services being provided to students, but will not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic).

For more information on the responsibilities of an Education Support class level 1 range 4 employee, please visit the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/industrial-agreements/resources

Responsibilities

• Providing advice and professional learning to others, including teachers and other school wellbeing staff, to build the capacity of schools to improve students wellbeing, learning and developmental outcomes.
• Delivering professional support services in a school, including mental health prevention and promotion activities and early intervention activities (including short-term counselling) for students with a range of mental health needs, applying sound theoretical knowledge and practical expertise.
• Planning and implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for students with complex needs including collaborating with families, other professionals and agencies when appropriate to effectively manage risk.
• Working collaboratively with the school to enhance mental health prevention and promotion across the school by contributing to policies and operational practices that will guide the work of others, including other school wellbeing staff and teachers.
• Liaising with other department areas (including secondary school nurses and Student Support Services staff) and external service providers where necessary to provide appropriate support to students.
• Maintaining professional competence and continued professional development, including attending professional development activities throughout the year.
• Meeting relevant policies and legislative requirements in relation to student health information, privacy and consent.

Please note: Continued professional development is a registration requirement under the National Law, which governs the operations of the National Boards and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Who May Apply

Required

• Applicants must be qualified as a psychologist, social worker, mental health nurse, occupational therapist or counsellor of a prescribed class. Specifically:
  • For Psychologists, applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA
  • For Mental Health Nurses, applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA and hold a postgraduate qualification in mental health
  • For Social Workers, applicants must be eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers
  • For Occupational Therapists applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA
  • For Counsellors applicants must have completed a Bachelor or Master of Counselling and be a practising member (Level 2, 3 or 4) of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)
• Demonstrated direct counselling experience
• Evidence of registration with AHPRA, AASW (where applicable), or with ACA or PACFA (where applicable), and a copy of a testamur, certificate or transcript as evidence of appropriate qualification.
• A current Working With Children Check.

Desirable

• For Psychology applicants, specialisation in educational and/or developmental psychology.
• For Mental Health Nurse applicants, holding a Mental Health Nurse Credential and membership with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses.
• For Social Work applicants, membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers and an Accredited Social Worker Trade Mark.
• For Occupational Therapy applicants, a Better Access to Mental Health Endorsement.
• For Counselling applicants, Level 3-4 registration (ACA) or a Registered Clinical Counsellor endorsement (PACFA).

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and