Youth Worker (Outreach)

Youth Support and Advocacy Service; Greater Bendigo; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 Weeks Annual Leave

Superannuation support

Tax-effective salary packaging (NFP)

Job summary

Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS) Bendigo is seeking a Youth Worker to deliver outreach-based support to young people, including assessment, casework, case management, advocacy and harm minimisation interventions. The role helps young people reduce substance use impacts and strengthen engagement with services.

Working independently with supervision, you will provide flexible, responsive care while linking with the broader team, contributing to a child-safe, inclusive workplace and

Qualifications

• Experience in working with young people presenting with complex needs in an outreach capacity.
• Experience with young people experiencing social disadvantage, substance use and anti-social behaviour.
• Understanding of harm minimisation approaches and youth drug treatment.
• Knowledge of adolescent development and ability to conduct assessments, case management and care planning.
• Strong engagement and communication skills across diverse backgrounds.
• Experience collaborating with Youth Justice, Police, Child Protection and other providers.

Responsibilities

• Provide outreach-based support to young people.
• Carry out assessment, casework and case management.
• Deliver advocacy and harm minimisation interventions.
• Support wellbeing and engagement with services and community supports.
• Work independently while coordinating with the Bendigo AOD team and supervisor.

Skills

Outreach with young people

Assessment & casework

Advocacy

Harm minimisation

Engagement with diverse backgrounds

Collaboration with service providers

Job description

Youth Support and Advocacy Service – Bendigo VIC

• Full Time (76 Hours per fortnight)
• Fixed Term until 30th June 2027
• Remuneration SCHCADS level 5 dependent on qualifications and experience + superannuation
• 5 Weeks Annual Leave
• Up to $15,900 for living expenses + up to $2,600 towards meals and entertainment can be tax-free through NFP Salary Packaging

About us

Youth Support + Advocacy Service (YSAS) is one of Australia’s largest and most comprehensive, youth specific community service organisation that enables young people experiencing serious disadvantage to access the resources and support they require to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.

YSAS is a Child Safe organisation. We actively promote the safety and wellbeing of young people, and are committed to protecting young people from harm or abuse who come into contact with and/or access our service.

At YSAS we are committed to people of a diversity of backgrounds and identities being included, represented, and having the opportunity to participate equally in the life of our organisation and the communities in which we provide our services. We strive to create the conditions where people feel safe, enfranchised and valued. We value lived‑living experience wisdom, insight, and knowledge.

About the position

As a member of the Bendigo AOD team, this role delivers outreach-based support to young people, including assessment, casework, case management, advocacy, and harm minimisation interventions. The role supports young people to reduce the impacts of substance use, improve their wellbeing, and strengthen their engagement with services and community supports. Working independently, the Youth Worker provides flexible, responsive support while maintaining strong connections with the broader team and receiving regular supervision and guidance.

Key Selection Criteria

1. Experience in working with young people presenting with complex needs in an outreach capacity.
2. Experience in working with young people with social disadvantage, substance use and crime/anti-social behaviour
3. Demonstrated understanding of the principals and practice of harm minimisation orientated treatment and prevention interventions, as well as knowledge of contemporary approaches to youth drug treatment.
4. Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of adolescent development and ability to practice a range of interventions including complex assessments, case work / case management approaches, care planning and review, advocacy, group work, crisis intervention and collaborative outreach-based service delivery.
5. Highly developed engagement and communication skills with young people from a range of backgrounds (including cultural awareness) and age groups; including the ability to model appropriate behaviours and motivate young people.
6. Demonstrated experience of co-operative and collaborative work practices with other service providers (e.g. Youth Justice, Victoria Police, Child Protection, Out of Home Care providers) and community groups, including well developed liaison and networking skills.

What our young people request from our workers:

“A good worker takes the time to understand your interests and doesn’t treat everyone the same.”“Young people believe that a good YSAS worker is empathetic and good at actively listening in a non-judgmental way, is relatable, down-to‑earth and able to build trust and rapport in a consistent manner". “It takes time to trust someone, but it’s worth it when you know they’ve got your back". Young people have also raised that genuine human connection is an important quality, “being authentically human”, while having a holistic, flexible, and adaptable approach that considers the entire context of a young person’s life and their intersectionalities. “It’s about making sure workers don’t just tick boxes but genuinely want to see us thrive”

Regardless of where they are based or what position a worker has, everything we do at YSAS is about young people and their families.

For full details of the position and more about YSAS benefits please visit our employment website https://ysas.org.au/employment/

Why work with us?

• YSAS has a true commitment to flexible working, ensuring that individual, team and client needs are met
• YSAS offers additional leave entitlements such as gender affirmation, ceremonial leave for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, fertility leave, blood donors leave, a generous Parental Leave Scheme and the ability to purchase additional leave.
• Access to learning and development opportunities
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• YSAS is an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome applications from all sectors of the community.
• YSAS has a zero tolerance for child abuse and is committed to the provision of a child‑safe organisation.

Please Note:

1. As part of our Employment screening process you will be required to undertake a National Criminal History check and have a current Working with Children Check.

2. You must have Australian work rights to apply for this position.