Youth AOD Worker

Youth Projects Ltd; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free & locally roasted coffee

Salary packaging benefits

Tax-free salary packaging on meals &娱乐

Flexible work environment

Unpaid leave for travel

17.5% Annual Leave Loading

Employee wellbeing programs

Extra paid leave for caregiving/study

Job summary

Youth Projects Ltd in Melbourne’s western suburbs is seeking an Youth AOD Worker to provide practical, person-centered AOD support to young people across multiple hubs. You will deliver screening, counselling, brief interventions and recovery-oriented case management to help participants build confidence and connect with opportunities.

These are max-term roles (November 2026 to June 2027) with full-time and part-time options, offering SCHADS 4.1–4.3.

Qualifications

• Qualifications in Alcohol and Other Drugs, Community Services, Social Work or related discipline, incl. AOD core competency or Cert IV.
• Experience supporting young people with AOD-related harm, mental health challenges or barriers.
• Experience in AOD screening, assessment, counselling, brief interventions, harm reduction and recovery-oriented practice.
• Strong case management, care planning, risk assessment and referral coordination skills.
• Ability to engage through trauma-informed and culturally safe approaches.
• Strong communication, documentation and organisational skills; able to work across teams.

Responsibilities

• Deliver AOD screening and assessment, counselling, brief interventions and case management.
• Support young people to address barriers and connect with services.
• Collaborate across Youth Projects services and partners to support participation in education and employment.
• Promote recovery-oriented practice and youth-centered approaches.

Skills

Trauma-informed approaches

Culturally safe practice

Case management

Risk assessment

Communication

Documentation

Collaboration across multidisciplinary

Education

AOD/CS/Sw related qualification

Tools

AOD screening tools

Risk assessment frameworks

Job description

Make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people across Melbourne's west.

As a Youth AOD Worker at Youth Projects, you'll provide practical, person-centered alcohol and other drug (AOD) support to young people experiencing substance use challenges, working across multiple Youth Projects hubs in Melbourne's western suburbs. You'll help young people build confidence, improve wellbeing and reconnect with opportunities in their community.

Two positions available | Full-time & part-time opportunities | SCHADS 4.1-4.3

Working as part of our Youth AOD Pathways Pilot, you'll deliver a range of frontline services including AOD screening and assessment, counselling, brief interventions, harm reduction and recovery-oriented case management. You'll work alongside young people to understand their individual circumstances, address barriers and connect them with the services and supports they need.

What makes this role unique is its connection between AOD recovery and broader participation. You'll collaborate across Youth Projects' services and community partners to help young people reduce the impact of substance use on their daily lives and strengthen their capacity to engage in employment, education, training and social opportunities.

Please Note:

These are max-term positions from November 2026 to June 2027, supporting the delivery of our Youth AOD Pathways program across Melbourne's western suburbs.

What you’ll bring:

• Relevant qualifications in Alcohol and Other Drugs, Community Services, Social Work or a related discipline, including the AOD core competency skillset or Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs.
• Demonstrated experience supporting young people experiencing AOD-related harm, mental health challenges or other complex barriers.
• Experience in AOD screening, assessment, counselling, brief interventions, harm reduction and recovery-oriented practice.
• Strong case management, care planning, risk assessment and referral coordination skills.
• Ability to engage and support young people through flexible, trauma-informed and culturally safe approaches.
• Strong communication, documentation and organisational skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and community services.

Does this sound like you?

• You're passionate about supporting young people experiencing AOD-related challenges and believe in providing safe, respectful and non-judgmental support.
• You're confident building genuine relationships with young people experiencing complex barriers, balancing empathy, practical action and clear professional boundaries.
• You bring a strong understanding of harm reduction, recovery-oriented practice and youth-centered case management, and know that meaningful progress looks different for everyone.
• You're organised, adaptable and collaborative, with a genuine interest in helping young people strengthen their wellbeing, independence and participation in employment, education and training.

Get to know us:

We are an independent, registered charity providing front line support to at-risk individuals across Melbourne to open pathways out of poverty and homelessness - breaking the cycle of disadvantage. Our work is focused on respect, client-centered care, and harm prevention. Through our holistic model of care, we support people to live longer, healthier lives with meaningful employment and a stronger sense of belonging, safety, and security.

Why should you work with us?

At Youth Projects we are very lucky to have a highly passionate and big energy team. We love what we do, and we have fun doing it, all the while keeping things professional! We are dedicated to providing a flexible environment to help you get on top of your work-life balance and we prioritise personal development every step of the way by providing regular training and internal development opportunities. Most importantly, every day you get to see the way your work impacts real people in your community. But wait, there's more!

• Free & locally roasted coffee at the office, every day
• Generous salary packaging benefits to boost your take home pay
• PLUS additional tax-free salary packaging on meals & entertainment expenses
• Flexible work environment& flexibility to take extra unpaid leave for travel while working
• 17.5% Annual Leave Loadingto help you live your best life on your holidays
• Employee wellbeing initiatives like the Employee Assistance Program
• Additional paid leave for caregiving, wellbeing, family violence, study PLUS an extra five personal leave days

Have you made it this far?

You're still reading, we think there's a strong chance you might be our kind of person.

Recruitment for this position will be undertaken as applications are received, and only successful applicants will be notified.

Please note that it is a requirement of all Youth Projects positions that the successful applicant holds a valid Working Children’s Check or Police Check.

Our commitment to diversity:

Our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging: At Youth Projects, we value the unique experiences, perspectives and contributions that a diverse workforce brings. We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive and welcoming workplace for all and actively encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and people of all genders, sexualities and identities, including members of the LGBTIQA+ community

Safety screening:

Youth Projects is committed to being a child-safe organisation,providing an environment where children who come into contact with the organisation feel safe. Youth Projects has zero tolerance