Coordinator – Sexual Assault Crisis Line (SACL)

Social Worker Grade 3 or equivalent tertiary qualification in a relevant health profession

Ongoing, part time 27 hours per week

The Royal Women’s Hospital

The Royal Women’s Hospital is Australia’s first and largest specialist hospital dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of newborns and women of all ages. To join the Women’s is to be instrumental in forging progress towards health equity for women from ground-breaking research through to the bedside delivery of multi-disciplinary clinical care.

Creating exceptional experiences is at the heart of everything we do for our patients, their families, and our people across our specialised services within maternity, neonatal and women’s health.

Organisational context

The Women’s Social Model of Health Division is a newly formed Division that reinforces the Women’s commitment to the social determinants of health. Whilst all services at the Women’s ensure health equity for all women, the Social Model of Health Division brings together our multidisciplinary services and programs that specialise in providing care to women facing challenges that may adversely affect their health.

Sexual Assault Crisis Line (SACL)

The Sexual Assault Crisis Line (SACL) provides a state-wide after-hours telephone crisis service for victims / survivors of sexual assault in Victoria.  SACL provides immediate crisis care to victim/ survivors of recent sexual assault, telephone crisis counselling support, advocacy, information and referral. SACL also provides support and information for non-offending family and friends, and secondary consultation and debriefing to CASA counsellor/ advocates and other professionals. 

Position Purpose

The SACL coordinator is responsible for the leadership, support and coordination of Counsellor/Advocates and the day to day management of the SACL service, ensuring provision of a high quality evidence-based service to victim/survivors.  This position is also responsible for management and supervision of the SACL staff.  The SACL coordinator also has a key role in working with stakeholders to develop effective and responsive models of care.

Your contribution  

Insert Information about the purpose of this Position 

Your duties will include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Provide management and leadership to a team of permanent, fixed term and casual staff counsellor/advocates in relation to knowledge of current research and best practice in the area of crisis counselling and advocacy for victim/survivors of sexual assault
• Ensure the smooth day to day operation of SACL and co-ordinate core service delivery including managing the SACL roster to ensure that all shifts are covered and adequate staffing is available
• Provide professional and clinical leadership to SACL staff including regular supervision in accordance with AASW practice standards or relevant professional body to assist them in the provision of crisis care, counselling and advocacy
• Undertake a direct practice clinical shift per week and participate in the SACL on-call roster
• Provide counsellor/advocates with informed secondary consultations and assist in making informed referrals and developing plans to respond to victim/survivors presenting with multiple needs and complex issues
• Involve victim / survivors in the decision making of service plans and regular reviews
• Possess high level theoretical understanding and an intersectional approach to your clinical practice in relation to working with victim/survivors of sexual assault including knowledge of complex trauma

About you

To be successful within this role you will need to have:

• Tertiary qualifications in Social Work or other relevant health profession which includes a primary focus on the impacts, trauma, attachment and development; and a practical component such as counselling or case work practice
• Eligibility for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) or other relevant professional body
• A minimum of 7 years’ post-graduate experience in Social Work, or a relevant discipline
• Demonstrated crisis counselling experience and extensive specialist knowledge and skills in supporting survivors of sexual assault and violence
• Previous experience of effective leadership in a complex environment, including responding to crisis situations and implementing change

Our offering

When you join the Women’s you unite with talented people who share your purpose and unwavering determination to advance health outcomes for all women. You will find a workplace that is collaborative, progressive and passionate about learning and working together in multi-disciplinary teams to ensure you find the exceptional in your everyday.

Our staff benefits program includes salary packaging, on-site car parking and childcare (subject to availability), alongside a range of discounted financial, lifestyle and wellbeing benefits provided by our staff benefit partners. To learn more, please visit: www.thewomens.org.au/careers/why-work-at-the-womens/staff-benefits/

We are proudly Breastfeeding Association accredited. The Women’s is committed to gender equity principles and our people have an awareness of and sensitive approach to violence against women/family violence matters. 

The Women’s is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and social inclusion. We welcome applications from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, including those from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders, people with lived experience of disability and people who identify as LGBTI.

It is a policy of the Women’s to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability. If you need assistance or adjustments to fully participate in the application or interview process, please contact the hiring manager listed under ‘Contact Person’

Ready to make the move?

For more information about the position, please see the Position Description attached and apply online by selecting “apply now” below.

All appointments to the Women’s are subject to a satisfactory clearance of Working with Children Check and Police Check.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

Please be aware that in line with the Health Minister’s Covid-19 Mandatory Vaccination Order, all workers at the Women’s regardless of role, will be required to be fully vaccinated (3 doses) for COVID-19 or hold an acceptable medical exemption.

Influenza Vaccination Requirement

In line with the Health Services Amendment (Mandatory Vaccination of Healthcare Workers) Act 2020, some health care workers are now required to have their flu vaccination to work in health care. Evidence of vaccination is required. 

As this role fits into category C of the departments risk ratings, applicants are strongly encouraged (although not required) to be vaccinated against influenza.)

All applicants will be required to provide acceptable evidence of their vaccination status.

If you would like to receive this information/publication in an accessible format (such as large print or audio) please call our HR Enquiries line on: 03 8345 2080, or email [email protected]