Overview

Work Type: Ongoing - Part-time

Salary: Salary not specified

Grade: Education Support - Level 1, Range 4

Occupation: Health and allied health

Location: Grampians - Ballarat

Reference: 1543083

Selection Criteria

1. Mental Health Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention

Demonstrated ability to develop and deliver proactive mental health and wellbeing promotion, prevention and early intervention activities that respond to the needs of students within a Flexible Learning Option.

2. Trauma-Informed Practice and Whole-Campus Wellbeing

Demonstrated ability to contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of evidence-informed mental health and wellbeing practices, with a strong understanding of trauma-informed, strengths-based and relational approaches.

3. Assessment, Intervention and Therapeutic Support

Demonstrated experience in assessing, conceptualising and responding to the mental health and wellbeing needs of young people, including the provision of evidence-based therapeutic and counselling interventions.

4. Complex Case Management and Collaborative Support

Demonstrated experience in coordinating and supporting young people with complex mental health, wellbeing, behavioural and engagement needs, including effective referral to and collaboration with specialist services.

5. Relationships, Communication and Multidisciplinary Collaboration

Highly developed communication, interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to establish trusting relationships with young people and work collaboratively with a diverse range of staff, families, carers and external professionals.

6. Professional Practice, Confidentiality and Ethical Responsibility

Demonstrated understanding and application of skilled, ethical and legislative requirements relating to mental health practice, including privacy, confidentiality, information sharing, mandatory reporting, record keeping and child safety.

Role

The Yuille Campus is seeking a Mental Health Practitioner who is passionate about working relationally with young people and making a genuine difference to their educational and life outcomes. As a Flexible Learning Option, our students often present with complex mental health, wellbeing, behavioural and engagement needs and have experienced significant barriers to successful participation in mainstream education. Our approach is grounded in strong relationships, trauma-informed practice, belonging and the belief that wellbeing and learning are inseparable.

The Mental Health Practitioner will work as an integral member of our multidisciplinary team, alongside teachers, Education Support staff, wellbeing and engagement staff, industry-trained staff and school leadership. The role provides an opportunity to combine direct therapeutic support with proactive prevention, early intervention, staff capability building and whole-campus wellbeing initiatives. We are looking for someone who can build trust with young people, work collaboratively with educators and external services, and contribute to a culture where every student is known, valued and supported to thrive.

The Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) initiative was announced by the Minister for Education in late 2018 to expand mental health and wellbeing support in government schools. The initiative provides for a suitably qualified mental health professional in all government secondary school campuses and specialist school (with secondary-aged enrolments) settings.

Operating in collaboration with the relevant Department of Education Regional Mental Health Branch, this role has the following functions:

- Enhancing mental health prevention and promotion activities in the school by contributing to whole-school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to address matters relating to student mental health and wellbeing, and helping to develop and deliver appropriate programs and strategies in the school according to specified school priorities
- Providing early intervention services (including short-term counselling) for individual students and groups identified as at-risk and/or experiencing or demonstrating mild to moderate mental health concerns; and
- Coordinating supports for students with complex needs both within and external to the school, including proactively working with regions, local mental health service providers and other health professionals to engage further support as required.

Education support class level 1 range 4

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 the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/industrial-agreements/resources

Responsibilities

- Providing advice and professional learning to others, including teachers and other school wellbeing staff, to build the capacity of schools to improve students wellbeing, learning and developmental outcomes.

- Delivering professional support services in a school, including mental health prevention and promotion activities and early intervention activities (including short-term counselling) for students with a range of mental health needs, applying sound theoretical knowledge and practical expertise.

- Planning and implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for students with complex needs including collaborating with families, other professionals and agencies when appropriate to effectively manage risk.

- Working collaboratively with the school to enhance mental health prevention and promotion across the school by contributing to policies and operational practices that will guide the work of others, including other school wellbeing staff and teachers.

- Liaising with other department areas (including secondary school nurses and Student Support Services staff) and external service providers where necessary to provide appropriate support to students.

- Maintaining professional competence and continued professional development, including attending professional development activities throughout the year.

- Meeting relevant policies and legislative requirements in relation to student health information, privacy and consent.

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

Who May Apply

Required

- Applicants must be qualified as a psychologist, social worker, mental health nurse, occupational therapist or counsellor of a prescribed class. 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 applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA
- For Counsellors applicants must have completed a Bachelor or Master of Counselling and be a practising member (Level 2, 3 or 4) of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)

- Demonstrated direct counselling experience
- Evidence of registration with AHPRA, AASW (where applicable), or with ACA or PACFA (where applicable), and a copy of a testamur, certificate or transcript as evidence of appropriate qualification.
- A current Working With Children Check.

Desirable
- For Psychology applicants, specialisation in educational and/or developmental psychology.
- For Mental Health Nurse applicants, holding a Mental Health Nurse Credential and membership with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses.
- For Social Work applicants, membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers and an Accredited Social Worker Trade Mark.
- For Occupational Therapy applicants, a Better Access to Mental Health Endorsement.
- For Counselling applicants, Level 3-4 registration (ACA) or a Registered Clinical Counsellor endorsement (PACFA).

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, 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 safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected]

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

Child Safe Standards

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:

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

DE Values

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department'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 department values is available at:

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview

Other Information

- All staff employed by the department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
- Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
- A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
- Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

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 who are able to attest to the claims made in your application.

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.

Location Profile

Yuille Park Community College is a multi-campus school based in Wendouree, providing an engaging curriculum with evidence-based approaches to learning.

Our school values are Belonging, Effort, Empathy and Respect.

Students work in learning communities in multiage groups building relationships and participating in a range of programs designed to provide collaborative learning opportunities.

Yuille Park Community College provides a rich and nurturing learning environment that engages students to develop Lifelong Learning skills in an atmosphere of cooperation, challenge and respect.

Our school reflects and enhances our community¿s commitment to the development of lifelong learning skills for young people in our community.

The Yuille Park Children¿s Centre operates three and four year old kindergarten sessions in a purpose built facility on our main campus and is managed by the College.

YPCC ¿Yuille Campus¿ is the second Yuille Park Community College off site campus and provides versatile learning options for young people to re-engage and remain actively involved in their learning and to reach their potential.

About The Yuille Campus The Yuille Campus is a unique Flexible Learning Option (FLO) within Yuille Park Community College, providing purposeful, individualised education for young people who have experienced multiple barriers to engaging successfully in mainstream education. Our approach is built on the belief that relationships underpin learning. We create a safe, predictable and highly supportive environment where wellbeing and curriculum work hand in hand, enabling students to reconnect with education, develop confidence and experience success.

Our low student-to-staff ratios, flexible learning structures and strengths-based approach allow us to genuinely know our students and tailor learning around their individual needs, interests, goals and aspirations.

We are a highly collaborative team that values working and learning together. Our team includes teachers, Education Support, industry-trained staff and a multidisciplinary wellbeing team including a Wellbeing and Engagement Practitioner, psychologist and occupational therapist, with additional support from our school chef and therapy dog. Students in Years 7¿10 access a modified Victorian Curriculum, while Years 11¿12 students undertake VPC/VM alongside VET and pathway opportunities.

We embed purposeful, real-world learning throughout our curriculum and draw on the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM 2.0), trauma-informed practice and extensive professional learning to continually improve our practice.

Working in a low-SES community, our work has genuine meaning: we have the opportunity to change the trajectory of young people's lives and create outcomes that extend well beyond the classroom. At Yuille Campus, we don't simply teach students¿we build relationships, create opportunities, foster hope and help young people believe in what they can achieve.

We strongly encourage contacting Campus Leader/College Assistant Principal Beau Guest on 53395555 or [email protected] to organise a tour of the Yuille Campus before applying.

Applications close Sunday 11 October 2026 at 11.59pm Posted 11 September 2026

📌 Mental Health Practitioner (Ballarat)
🏢 Victorian Government
📍 Ballarat