Intervention Worker – headspace Toowoomba Youturn

JOB DESCRIPTION

About Us

headspace is Australia’s National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds.  The service is designed to make it as easy as possible for a young person and their family to get the help they need for problems affecting their wellbeing. This covers four core areas: mental health, physical health, vocational support, and alcohol and other drug services. 

To find out more about headspace visit headspace.org.au

Youturn is the lead agency of five headspace centres across Southern Queensland that focus on early intervention for young people through a range of services.

Youturn is a national not-for-profit which delivers Health and Community Services to vulnerable people of all ages across Australia. Trusted to deliver safe, inclusive, and supportive programs, Youturn ensures that those we support can have access to secure and affordable housing and enjoy optimal mental well-being, allowing them to thrive and live a healthy, meaningful life.

The headspace Toowoomba Team

headspace Toowoomba is home to the ‘Boomerang’ and ‘Limpet’ Worker. 
Who are these people I hear you ask? The ‘Boomerang’ is someone who has worked for us, left, and then come back…sometimes this cycle has repeated more than once!!  In contrast, the ‘Limpet’ is someone that N E V E R leaves!!

Yes, headspace Toowoomba is quite a vibrant place to work.  When someone does decides to make a change, they move onto an exciting new phase of their career path but always remain in contact.  Such is the culture of headspace Toowoomba; and recent funding has allowed us to offer opportunities for more people to experience the joys of being in our team!! 

Both full-time and part-time positions are available until 30 June 2025.

 

The Opportunity 

As an Intervention Worker, you will effectively engage, screen, assess, refer and provide evidence based psychological interventions and care coordination for young people aged 12-25 years and their family and friends that contact or are referred to headspace. 

As one of the first contact points for young people, you will need to build a positive rapport with a wide range of young people, as well as their family and friends. As Intervention Workers are part of collaborative multi-disciplinary team, the role requires a high level of professionalism, confidentiality and discretion.

Key responsibilities include: 

  • Relate to young people in a manner which is relevant and appropriate to their developmental and cognitive level of functioning and provide services in a youth friendly manner.
  • Conduct bio-psycho-social assessments of young people presenting to the service using the headspace assessment tool and document the results of assessment and screening.
  • Conduct risk assessments as required throughout an episode of care, including assessment of suicide and violence risk, developing action plans to mitigate any risks and providing follow up support, intervention and referrals as needed. 
  • Carry out assessments, case planning, delivery of psychological interventions and care coordination for young people and their families.
  • Screening and assessment for alcohol and other drugs use, provision of alcohol and other drugs information, including harm reduction strategies and treatments for alcohol and other drug issues. 
  • Develop and co-facilitate psychoeducational, psychosocial and therapeutic group programs.
  • Facilitate and monitor the integration and coordination of care to young people, including active participation in care review meetings.
  • Refer young people to internal and external services as appropriate and provide follow up support.
     

Please respond to the criteria below in your cover letter: 

Essential

  • Tertiary qualifications in psychology, social work, occupational therapy, or mental health nursing.
  • Hold, or be working towards, full Registration with the Psychology Board of Australia and/or be an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, Nurse or Occupational Therapist. 
  • Experience undertaking comprehensive mental health/risk assessments. 
  • Demonstrated ability to build and maintain working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to maximise service coordination and capacity building with community agencies. 
  • Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team and follow established processes that focus on early intervention, engagement, responsiveness and recovery of young people.
  • Knowledge and understanding of mental health, evidence-based interventions and clinical practice as well as demonstrated excellence in the practical application of such, in the areas of youth mental health and alcohol and drug use. 
  • Experience in the delivery of therapeutic interventions, focused psychological strategies and treatment planning. 
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and deliver individual or group-based skills training activities to assist young people’s psychosocial functioning (e.g., life skills, anger management, problem solving, conflict resolution, etc.). 
  • Demonstrated ability to apply risk management strategies within a clinical context. 
  • Desirable: Knowledge and understanding of local youth mental health stakeholders and key relationships in these sectors.
  • Desirable: Knowledge and understanding of trauma informed practice.
  • Hold, or be working towards, full Registration with the Psychology Board of Australiaand/or be an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, Nurse, or Occupational Therapist.

Other Requirements

  • Successful applicants will also need to hold a ‘C’ class Open driver licence, State Working with Children Check and hold, or be eligible to apply for, a Licensed Care Suitability Check issued by the QLD Department of Child Safety, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs. 

 

Why join Youturn?

  • Benefits & Leave: Enjoy additional wellbeing benefits including corporate fitness discounts and Birthday Leave! 
  • Salary Packaging: Maximise your income by increasing your take home pay.
  • Culture & Values: Supporting young people in their time of need, is at the heart of what we do at Youturn.  Our organisational culture is built on trusting relationships that are meaningful and inclusive. We listen to understand, we embrace diversity and we offer a safe space free from judgement.  
    To ensure our young people receive individualised support, we invest in team members who embody our values to foster a collaborative culture of excellence.

 

We’d love to meet you!
If you have the skills, experience and passion to fit our team, please take the next step and apply by submitting your resume and cover letter.

 

For everyone who shares our passion
We encourage applications from people of all ages, nationalities, abilities and cultures – including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the LGBTQI+ community and people living with disability.