About the Role

The Connect Up Program offers services to families in high needs areas of the City of Greater Geelong and has a primary focus on children aged 0-12 years. This place-based model is designed to engage with a range of universal settings in the community including kindergartens, schools, community centres and child and community hubs providing an integration of services and seamless transitions for families.

The Program facilitates meaningful opportunities to increase parent/carer involvement in their child’s early years and universal services staff and builds capacity for services to engage collaboratively to provide an integrated and responsive service focused on building strong, sustainable, and connected children, families, and communities.

The Early Help Family Services Trial consists of a small team of workers from BCYF – Bethany Limited (Meli Community) and Cultura. This position will work as a member of this team to provide a place-based response to the families with children attending Northern Bay College or with infants and young children residing in the surrounding area. The team will also work in strong collaboration with Our Place, Korayn Birralee Family Centre and other services. This is a DFFH trial program, funded to 30th June 2024.

This position provides a family services response that aims to invest in individual and community strengths and intervene earlier to provide a range of community-based programs to reduce disadvantage, create social change and improve outcomes for under resourced families. The outcomes to be achieved are:

• improvements in the quality of parent child interactions
• increased parental confidence and competence to respond positively to parenting challenges.
• increased parental and child wellbeing
• improved participation of children in Maternal and Child Health, kindergarten, school, and community
• increased social and community connections of parents
• increased collaboration with universal services staff to support families with emerging needs

Vacancy Details

• Full-time role, working 38 hours per week
• Fixed term to 30 June 2024
• $94,077 p/a + super + salary packaging
• To view the Position Description, please go to ‘Careers’ at www.meli.org.au

What We Offer

• Flexible working options
• Meli is a not-for-profit organisation, so you can salary package up to $15,900 each Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) year for general living expenses
• Extensive learning and development calendar, including a structured orientation plan
• Employee Assistance Program – independent confidential counselling service
• An inclusive culture of dedicated, passionate and professional team members

About You

• A tertiary qualification in Early Years, Social Work, Psychology or other related Behavioural Sciences at degree or diploma level and a minimum of 12 months experience.
• Demonstrated experience in the development and facilitation of Community Development activities and group work programs such as peer-based support groups for parents, supported playgroups, community events, parent education groups.
• Demonstrated capacity to engage with children and parents and knowledge and experience in providing a range of family interventions including individual family support and group work.
• Ability to work as part of a team and demonstrated capacity to work with high degree of autonomy in a co-located universal setting with competing priorities and a changing work environment.
• Proficient in the use of MS Office, databases and knowledge of a range of IT programs.

Application Process

•  To apply, please click the ‘quick apply’ button on Seek, or head to our Careers page on our Meli website https://www.meli.org.au/careers/ 
• Successful applicants will be required to provide a current Working with Children Check and undergo a National Police Check prior to commencement.
• Meli reserves the right to interview and appoint before the closing date of this position, so please don’t delay in applying.

Contact Details

For more information about the position please contact Yvonne McAuliffe, Early Engagement Coordinator, on 0408 005 817.

Meli is committed to providing a child safe environment. We have zero tolerance of any abuse or maltreatment of children.

Meli is an equal opportunity employer and encourage individuals of diverse backgrounds including but not limited to those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities or applicants with a lived experience of disability to apply. Reasonable adjustments will be made for people with disabilities where operationally viable.

If we can assist you with any reasonable adjustments in order to submit your application for this role, please contact the Recruitment team via email at [email protected].

Applications close 9am Thursday 24 August 2023

V.I.D 2301016