Yuille Park Community College – Wendouree VIC

SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER 0.6 (3 days per week)

The Yuille Campus Secondary FLO 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.

The successful applicant will be an experienced professional who will carry out their duties and responsibilities, relative to their qualified 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

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 skilled 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 **********@education.vic.gov.au to organise a tour of the Yuille Campus before applying.

#J-18808-Ljbffr

📌 Mental Health Practitioner (MHP) - Yuille Campus FLO (Ballarat East)
🏢 Yuille Park Community College
📍 Ballarat East