POSITION TITLE:
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND GENERALIST COUNSELLOR
Award: Social, Community, Home care and disability ServicesIndustry Award 2010
Classification: Level to be negotiated depending on experience and qualifications
Employer: Women’s Centre for Health and Wellbeing (Albury Wodonga) Inc
Responsible to: General Manager (or delegate)
Hours of work: 4 x days/week Part-time hours (as negotiated)
This is a part-time contract position contingent on ongoing funding. The Women’sCentre employs less than 15 EFT employee sand is therefore considered a small business employer.
Position Context
The Women’s Centre for Health and Wellbeing Albury Wodonga Inc is a not-for-profit organisation providing services and support to women by women from both Albury and Wodonga and surrounding areas through feminist action. Services provided include: generalist and domestic and family violence counselling, therapeutic group programs, information, advocacy and referral, NILS program, a women’s health clinic and Full Stop Australia provide counselling for adult survivors of childhood sexual assault.
Position Summary
The Counsellor will be responsible for providing a counselling service to women of varied backgrounds and circumstances.
All counselling roles include domestic violence specific counselling.
This position requires the establishment and development of strong working relationships with employee’s and visiting practitioners, and women from the general public, as well as organisations, services, and networks within the Albury/Wodonga region.
Specific Duties and Accountabilities
Counselling and Therapeutic groups facilitator
- Promote and enhance the social and emotional health and wellbeing of women through a woman-centred counselling service.
- Conduct assessment and provide culturally appropriate counselling, support, advocacy and referral.
- Respond to women presenting at the Women’s Centre in person, by phone and online in the provision of appropriate support, assessment and referral for these women.
- Facilitate therapeutic group programs for women, either independently or in conjunction with other staff and agencies as required. Create new group programs as needed, assess the suitability of externally produced programs for our clients and, where relevant, adhere to protocols or licensing requirements attached to proprietary programs or materials. Evaluate group programs and, where relevant, update and improve programs in line with evaluations and advances in therapeutic knowledge and practice.
- Manage your caseload and complete up to a maximum of 4 appointments per day, on the days allocated to Counselling.
- Develop and maintain networks with appropriate organisations, locally, regionally, and further afield as required.
- Participate in regular clinical external supervision.
- Maintain thorough case records and client files.
Communication
Promote the profile and image of the Women’s Centre for Health and Wellbeing through day-to-day activities of the position.
Contribute to the ongoing development of teamwork within the Centre. Participate in internal supervision with Management.
Work in partnership with the administration office to respond to clients.
Strategic Contributions
Participate in strategic activities, as required.
Continuous Quality Improvement
Participate in performance management and review as directed by the Manager. Contribute to development and review of policy and procedures relevant to the position. Assist in the development of procedures in relation to the position.
Assist with Quality Improvement as required.
General Accountabilities
Maintain client’s health records and statistics according to WCHW protocols. Adhere to any relevant Commonwealth, Victorian and NSW legislative requirements. Attend and participate in staff meetings.
Undertake other duties as required by GM, relevant to the position.
Adherence to WCHW’sCode of Conduct,Statement of Professional Ethics, Policies and Procedures
Maintain and update clinical skills and knowledge, maintain relevant professional accreditation. Maintain a client focused approach to service provision with genuine empathy and interest in client’s needs.
Report as requiredregarding identified risks as a mandatory reporter.
Selection Criteria Essential
You will have relevant tertiary qualifications in Social Work, Psychology or Counselling and a minimum of two years experience in counselling women and girls with relationship issues. Understand the effects of violence including domestic and family violence, childhood sexual abuse, knowledge of issues facing LGBTQI people, clear understanding of intersectionality, the issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) and culturally and linguistically diverse women and girls.
Commitment to a social model of health and feminist issues.
Experience in the delivery of therapeutic group work programs and activities. Demonstrated skills in client intake and assessment, advocacy and referral. Demonstrated ability to work both independently and cooperatively as part of a team. Strong Communication, organisational and interpersonal skills.
Planning and evaluation skills,
Membership of an accredited counselling professionals’ organisation.
Desirable
Knowledge of health and welfare systemsin the Albury/Wodonga region. Knowledge of women’s health issues.
Abilityand skills to use MicrosoftOffice programs
Accredited Mental Health Social Worker
Approved Counsellor for NSW Victim Services
Current Police Check and Working with Children’s check.
Currently work is dividedin the following manner for this role:
Counselling and case work 50%
Therapeutic Groups 50%
Being a woman is a genuine qualification for this position under Section 31 of the NSW Anti- Discrimination Act 1977.
Employment is subject to satisfactory referee checks, a current employment working with Children Check, National Criminal History check and proof of the right to work in Australia.
Application Process Applications including:
A cover letter,
A document addressing the selection criteria,
A resume with contact details for two professional referees.
Please should be emailed to the GM Marge Nichol: [email protected].
Applications must be received by 5pm 20th October 2023
Interviews will be arranged with short listed applicants as soon as possible.