1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Demonstrated experience in coordinating supports for young people with complex needs including referrals to a range of specialist services as appropriate.
5. Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.
6. Clear understanding of legislative requirements regarding privacy of health information.

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Planning and implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for students with complex needs including collaborating with families, other professionals and agencies when appropriate to effectlively manage risk.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Maintaining professional competence and continued professional development, including attending professional development activities throughout the year.
7. 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). 

Required

• Applicants must be qualified as a psychologist, social worker, mental health nurse or occupational therapist. 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

• Demonstrated direct counselling experience
• 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.

The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms – gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, 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 family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces.  It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants can contact Brett West, Yamatji man, in the Koorie Outcomes Division to talk about the recruitment process, the Department and supports for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in the Department. Mobile: 0477 726 801 or email on: brett.west@education.vic.gov.au

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the Department’s exemplar available at:

 Child Safe Standards: Policy | education.vic.gov.au

The Department’s employees commit to upholding DE’s Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. DE’s Values complement each school’s own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the DE values is available at:

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/workm/Pages/Public-Sector-Values.aspx

• All staff employed by the department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

Please ensure that your application includes:

• A resume including relevant experience as well as personal details (name, address and contact numbers, business and home)
• A section addressing the selection criteria and the requirements for application under the Who May Apply section
• Names and contact numbers (telephone and email if possible) of two referees who are able to attest to the claims made in your application.

Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action.

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

SCHOOL PROFILE & VISION

Mount Alexander College or MAC is an inner-city school located in Flemington, 5 kms from Melbourne CBD. It has become the school of choice for families living in the Kensington, Flemington, Ascot Vale and Moonee Ponds Community, with enrolments doubling in the past 4 years. In 2016, MAC underwent significant change, transforming itself into an innovative and progressive school with a focus on student empowerment and student-centred learning. MAC¿s approaches to curriculum provision and pedagogy, student engagement and wellbeing have gained national and international recognition.

At Mount Alexander College our vision is to foster an inclusive and supportive learning environment that empowers students to direct their own learning. We endeavour to create a school that remains connected and engaged with the community and caters for all kinds of success. Finally, we aim to help students reach their full potential as global citizens who, with integrity, can positively contribute to the world.  

OUR VISION IN THE CLASSROOM

In fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for our students we must know them, their strengths and their areas for improvement. We use formative assessment to guide our instruction and empower students to direct our instructional choices. Learning at MAC is collaborative, both peer to peer but also students and teachers work together to negotiate the best learning pathway. Our students are connected to each other and the broader world, both through their use of digital technologies and in their access to a global perspective in all their classes. Our classes draw on local expertise and community engagement where possible to allow our students to see how the learning in the classroom relates to their everyday lives. Our students understand themselves as learners, they are informed about their progress, how they have improved and what they need to do further to continue to improve. Our school values are celebrated and embedded in our work in the classroom.

Mount Alexander College is a school where teachers:

·         stimulate and support ongoing teacher learning and collaborative teacher research within the school;

·         develop and improve the quality of teaching practices of pre-service teachers;

·         develop innovative curriculum and teaching resources and practices that are shared across Victorian secondary schools;

·         promote and provide credentialed professional learning for teachers in Victoria and elsewhere;

·         actively participate within local school networks and partnership arrangements with local tertiary providers;

·         take an active role within the local community.

The Mount Alexander College learning environment and curriculum:

·         supports a teaching and learning culture that is exciting, reflective, engaging and student centred;

·         supports independent thinking and a respect for student work and the work of others;

·         fosters a strong sense of identity and belonging;

·         caters for an innovative and broad scaffolded curriculum;

·         facilitates innovative, evidence based pedagogies;

·         incorporates flexible internal and external learning spaces supported with the most current technologies to support learning; and

·         enables students to link with and work collaboratively with other schools, tertiary institutions and state, national and international organisations.

At Mount Alexander College we promote teaching and learning that is collaborative, technology rich, reflective, purposeful and personalised that prepares students for our rapidly changing world. Our common instructional model supports the development of a shared language about teaching practice and supports teacher reflection. Jane Pollock¿s GANAG lesson planning schema and the effective implementation of the High Impact Teaching Strategies underpins the teaching and learning cycle at MAC. Staff participate regularly in cycles of inquiry within Professional Learning Teams and in doing so, strive to provide highly stimulating learning that is tailored made to meet the passion and needs of our students.

At Mount Alexander College, we strongly promote our values of Community, Engagement, Excellence and Respect.

Start date is negotiable.