6 days remaining
Location: Gippsland | Orbost
Job type: Part time / From 28/01/2025 - 26/01/2026
Organisation: Schools (Government)
Salary: Salary not specified
Occupation: Education and Training
Reference: 1455463
The Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System highlighted that primary schools provide opportunities to identify children with mental health and wellbeing challenges, who can then be referred to treatment, care and support.
The Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative is being expanded to every government and low-fee non-government primary school in Victoria. Scaling up across the state from 2023, by 2026 every primary school will be able to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader to implement a whole-school approach to wellbeing.
The Department of Education has been piloting the Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative in Victorian schools since 2020 in partnership with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. Evaluation of this pilot initiative has shown that 95 per cent of Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders consider the Mental Health in Primary Schools model has improved their school's capacity to support students' mental health and wellbeing needs.
Participating schools receive funding to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader, a qualified teacher, to work across the school to implement a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing for students, staff and families based on a broad knowledge of the needs of the school community.
The role of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader is to:
The role provides a proactive focus for the promotion and prevention of mental health and wellbeing through assessment and implementation of context-relevant programs, approaches and initiatives based on a broad and extensive knowledge of the needs of the school.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader role is not a clinical role and is not designed for direct intervention. The role is seen as a key conduit in creating referral pathways once a teacher or other staff member identifies a concern in the classroom.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders are provided training in mental health literacy, supporting emerging needs, and building school capacity and receive ongoing support and professional development through structured and regular Learning Communities Training is developed and facilitated by the Faculty of Education at University of Melbourne, supported by Murdoch Children's Research Institute.
Operating in collaboration with their school, leadership and wellbeing team where relevant, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader will:
Teachers currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach and/or have demonstrated experience in the curriculum area(s) specified for the position.
Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
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).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via marrung@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:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department'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 department values is available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements. This condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.
Buchan Primary School is a small rural school located in beautiful East Gippsland, 55km north of Lakes Entrance and 75km north-east of Bairnsdale.
The township of Buchan consists of a Bush Nursing Centre, Police Station, Kindergarten, General Store, Roadhouse, Pub, Motel, CFA and Neighbourhood house. Buchan is a close knit community, with the football, netball and cricket clubs a key focus for most families. The town is surrounded by farmland and vast areas of forest and wilderness, including the famous Buchan Caves Reserve and world renowned Snowy River National Park. Due to its location and unique landscape, the area is popular with horse riders, tourists, campers and adventurers.
Buchan Primary School¿s current enrolment is 22. Our school is structured into a Junior (F-2) and a Senior (3-6) classroom. Staffing consists of a Teaching Principal, a Classroom Teacher, an Education Support person and a part-time Business Manager. Specialist classes are delivered by classroom teachers with the fortnightly MARC Van program providing additional planning time to support classroom teachers. Being a small school, teachers work closely together to plan and cater for individual student needs and strengths.
Buchan Primary School underwent a Strategic Peer Review in 2022. In 2023, the school has strategically implemented the Science of Learning. This encompassed a heightened emphasis on etymology, morphology and phonology. Staff members have actively participated in professional development programs such as Sounds-Write by Soundality and Spelling Mastery by Good to Great Schools.
In order to support teacher development and practice, Buchan Primary is part of a Professional Learning Community with other local schools within the Tambo Cluster. This small school network also provides transition, sporting, arts and camp opportunities for our students through shared camps and activities. Our school links closely with the Kindergarten through the Buchan Early Years Reference Group to further support children and families within the Buchan Community.
Our School Values were recently revisited by the community and are Be a friend, Show respect, Be kind and Show empathy. Being a small school, there is a strong sense of family and belonging amongst students. Buchan prides itself on a record of excellent student behaviour and participation and are proud participants in the Respectful Relationships program.
Part time / From 28/01/2025 - 26/01/2026
Classroom Teacher
Aidan Johnston | 035155924