Mental Health Practitioner

Job posted: 20/05/2024

• Demonstrated experience in assessing, conceptualising and analysing wellbeing issues, and providing evidence-based direct counselling for a range of mental health issues.
• Demonstrated experience in planning and implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for clients with complex needs.
• Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of policies and strategies relating to mental health and wellbeing.
• Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.
• Ability to provide leadership and professional learning that informs and influences the work of others involved in the engagement and wellbeing of children and young people.
• Clear understanding of legislative requirements regarding privacy of health information.

The Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) initiative provides for a suitably qualified mental health professional in all government secondary school campuses.

Operating in collaboration with the Department of Education and Training's Area-based multi-disciplinary teams, this role will have the following functions:

provide direct counselling support and other early intervention services for individual students and groups identified as at-risk and/or experiencing or demonstrating mild to moderate mental health needs;
coordinate supports for students with critical needs both within and external to the school, including proactively working with regions and other health professionals to engage further support as required; and
enhance promotion and prevention activities in the school by contributing to whole school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to manage student health and wellbeing, and helping to embed mental health promotion and prevention programs and strategies in the school.

The successful applicant will be an experienced professional who will carry out their duties and responsibilities, relative to their professional discipline, with a high level of autonomy and with minimal reliance on professional supervision. The successful applicant will be responsible for the development and implementation of professional support programs within an educational environment, including guidance to other professional staff.

As an education support class position, this role supports the educational services being provided to students, but will not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic).

For more information on the responsibilities of an Education support class level 1 range 4 employee, please visit:

1. Deliver professional support service/s in a school/s, including the direct counselling for students with a range of mental health issues, applying sound theoretical knowledge and practical expertise.

2. Plan and implement evidence-based intervention strategies for students with complex needs including collaborating with families, other professionals and agencies when appropriate, and manage the associated risks.

3. Work collaboratively with the school to contribute to policies and operational practices that will guide the work of others, including other school wellbeing staff and teachers.

4. Demonstrate leadership and provide professional learning to others, such as teachers and other school wellbeing staff, to build the capacity of schools to improve students' learning and developmental outcomes.

5. Liaise with other Department areas (including secondary school nurses and Student Support Services staff) and external service providers where necessary to provide support to students.

6. Maintain professional competence and continued professional learning, including attending professional development activities throughout the year.

7. Meet relevant policies and legislative requirements in relation to student health information privacy.

Please note:

• The relevant enterprise agreement underpinning this position is the Victorian Government Schools Agreement

• Continued professional learning is a registration requirement under the National Law, which governs the operations of the National Boards and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Required

• Applicants must be qualified as a psychologist, social worker, mental health nurse or occupational therapist. Specifically:
  • For Psychologists, applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA
  • For Mental Health Nurses, applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA and hold a postgraduate qualification in mental health
  • For Social Workers, applicants must be eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers
  • For Occupational Therapists must hold full registration with AHPRA
• Have demonstrated direct counselling experience
• Have a current Working With Children Check
• For Psychology applicants, specialisation in education and/or developmental psychology.
• For Mental Health Nurse applicants, hold a Mental Health Nurse Credential and membership with the Australian college of Mental Health Nurses.
• For Social Work applicants, hold membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers and an Accredited Social Worker Trade Mark.

The Department of Education and Training is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms – gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces.

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the Department's exemplar available at

The Department's employees commit to upholding DET's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. DET's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the DET values is available at

Please ensure that your application includes:

• a resume including relevant experience as well as personal details (name, address and contact numbers, business and home)
• a section addressing the selection criteria and the requirements for application under the Who May Apply section
• names and contact numbers (telephone and email if possible) of two referees

Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action.

Wedderburn is a small rural community in the North Central district approximately one-hour drive from Bendigo. The town has a population of 800 people of whom approximately 200 live on town boundary farms. Students draw from the small communities of Korong Vale, Borung and Inglewood. Our F-12 school has a current enrolment of 193 students.

Central to the strategic direction of Wedderburn College is the improvement of learning outcomes for all students and improvement in student engagement in learning. Our College has a whole school focus on improving the literacy and numeracy of students and on developing a curriculum that is relevant for students in the 21st century. We are committed to the implementation of the School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) framework and to continuous improvement across our whole college.

The College's vision: 'Developing positive learners for a world community', reflects our desire for all students to access opportunities that will allow them to realise positive and productive futures for themselves. The values that underpin the Colleges beliefs are Respect, Responsibility and Resilience.

The College occupies a significant and valuable place within the wider Wedderburn community and this relationship is a source of pride for both. The College recently finalised building works, which included upgrading the library to a modern Resource Centre with a separate Junior Literacy area, a new administration, and staff work area, a dedicated Numeracy room, Digital Technology Lab, as well as other infrastructure work in College grounds .