At the Department of Justice and Community Safety, we are looking for people who want to make a difference. People who take pride in their work. People who get things done. People who are committed to making Victoria a safer place.

We embrace diversity and strive to have a workforce that reflects the community we serve. We’re all about recruiting the best people, regardless of gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation or cultural background. If you think you can do the job and would be a good fit for our department, we’d love to hear from you.

The department is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and recognises that children’s rights need to be respected, their views welcomed and valued, and their concerns taken seriously and acted upon.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.

For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please visit justice.vic.gov.au/careers

We are proud of the important work we do across Victoria. Want to be part of it?

Build better futures for young people. Create positive change from the inside out.

• Bring your passion and therapeutic skills to our new state-of-the-art facility
• Earn up to $93,639, with a base salary of $74,580 including standard penalty rates and overtime
• Full training provided including a fully funded Certificate IV in Youth Justice
• Relocation allowance for eligible candidates

We're currently recruiting for casual, part-time and full-time roles at our new state-of-the-art, purpose-built Youth Justice Precinct at Cherry Creek, just outside Werribee.

Set in the picturesque area of Little River, Cherry Creek is a safe and secure place where young people can work on getting their lives back on track. Their efforts are supported by evidence-based programs and services.

We want young people to return home with the confidence that they can thrive in their own communities so young people live in four-bed and eight-bed units across different neighbourhoods, each equipped with kitchen, living and outdoor areas to support independent living skills.

The role of a youth justice worker at Cherry Creek

Youth justice workers empower young people to steer their lives in a positive direction. They work in a safe and secure custodial environment and act as part of an extended network of care for young people in custody, helping them work to a daily structure, achieve key goals and develop life skills. 

It can be challenging work where you'll need resilience to manage difficult situations, but in return for your life experience and passion, we offer job security, paid training (including a Cert IV in youth justice) and an opportunity to create positive change.

We look for:

• passion and empathy – the willingness to work with children and young people while still setting boundaries
• life experience – the ability to adapt and manage challenging situations
• dedication and resilience – maintaining positivity and commitment even after setbacks
• teamwork – the ability to be a natural team player and work well with a close team
• verbal and written communication skills – report writing will be part of your job
• proactivity – the skill for solving challenges and complex issues with bright ideas.

We also value qualifications or experience in the following areas: 

As part of our multidisciplinary team, you can look forward to ongoing professional development. Once a fortnight, youth justice workers at Cherry Creek have a crossover day with supervisors where they focus on training and development needs, supervision and team building.

Feel like a change of scene?

If you're open to relocating, up to $10,000 is currently being offered to cover expenses in moving from your current home to within a 60-minute drive of our facilities. This reimbursement can be used for moving costs, travel costs, removalist hire or temporary accommodation so talk to our recruitment team when you apply.

Career information sessions

Make sure you register for one of our online career Q&A sessions at justice.vic.gov.au/youthjusticecareers. 

It's a great opportunity to ask questions about day-to-day work at our youth justice precincts and the career pathways available.

Eligibility 

To be considered for a youth justice worker role you must be either:

• An Australian citizen – a birth certificate, citizenship certificate or current passport is required as proof of eligibility, or
• A permanent resident of Australia, or
• A New Zealand citizen who has entered Australia on a valid passport, or eligible to work in Australia for a period of more than six months.

To become a youth justice worker, you will also need to pass a health and fitness assessment. To find out how your current fitness levels match up and the best ways to prepare, take our health self-assessment.

Prior to starting work, all successful candidates must independently obtain:

• Current First Aid Certification (HLTAID011 is preferred, or the Provide Basic Emergency Life Support course - HLTAID002 at a minimum)
• Current CPR
• Working With Children Card (Employee)

A driver licence is desirable but not mandatory.

Priority consideration will apply to Victorian Public Service (VPS) employees who apply through the Jobs Skills Exchange (JSE) platform. If you are a current VPS employee, please ensure the JSE link is used for all internal applications.

The department is no longer required to review or collect candidates COVID-19 vaccination information as part of the recruitment process. The department is continuously committed to providing and maintaining a working environment which is safe and without risk to the health of its employees consistent with the department's obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic).

CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.