School Community Liaison Officer - Pasifika Heritage Students

Department of Education Victoria – Sunshine VIC

3d ago , from Department of Education & Training Victoria

The School Community Liaison Officer will be based atSunshine College and may work across relevant partner schools, community locations and other program delivery sites as required.

Sunshine College operates as a two site multi-campus school in North and West Sunshine with responsibility for serving the educational needs of around 1000 young people, employing approximately 140 staff. We are currently entering an exciting renewal phase in our teaching and learning practices and physical structure, including the opening of new facilities.

Sunshine College is a proudly diverse and inclusive school community, characterised by a strong sense of identity, belonging and cultural pride.We value and celebrate the diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences of our students, families and staff, including our vibrant Pasifika community. The rich cultural diversity of our school community contributes to a welcoming, respectful and inclusive environment where every individual is valued and supported to thrive.

Our college reflects this diversity with a wide range of teaching & learning programs across both campuses. Our successful mainstream programs being augmented by the curriculum delivered at Harvester Technical College, located adjacent to the North Campus of Sunshine College. The Harvester Technical College through its teaching staff provides innovative best practice approaches in vocational education based around applied learning. We have developed strong links with major industries and business partners, in guiding the curriculum development and in building relationships to support outcomes for students. Teachers at the HTC operate in a team environment, integrating curriculum around learning projects for a agile year 10-12 student cohort.

Teachers across both of the 7-12 campuses of Sunshine College are expected to be creative of new and innovative approaches to teaching and learning, with an understanding that students learn best through discovery, research & development processes and especially when this learning is linked to applied situations.

Our students average growth rate in NAPLAN Reading and Numeracy from Year 7 to Year 9 is at or better than state averages.

A major and exciting challenge for us is to become one of the leading schools in Victoria on how literacy issues are positively addressed. Students in Years 7 to 11 are involved in the SunLit program, receiving structured literacy lessons throughout the week.

Maths staff are regular presenters at the Mathematics Association of Victoria Annual Conference and were acknowledged for their work in Numeracy in winning the Lindsay Thompson Award for Excellence in Education.

Each year our students achieve high ATAR scores and have won Premier¿s Awards and the VCE Achiever of the Year Award placing them among the top elite students in Victoria. The duxes of the school over the last years are studying Commerce, Law, Medicine, Engineering and Education. Our outcomes for students graduating from the HTC into apprenticeships, work or further study are exceptional.

The College supports the broader community in a number of ways through community curriculum initiatives, largely coordinated in our Connect and Pathways courses run at Years 7 to 10.

We are committed to maximising learning outcomes and life opportunities for our students byproviding high quality learning experiences which will empower them to continue to learn, adapt to changing circumstances, and create opportunities for themselves,



while valuing self, others, and their environment.

Our core school values focus on GROWTH, LEARNING, WELLBEING and RELATIONSHIPS. These values guide our philosophy in how we educate and support our students and nurtures our belief that all students can learn.

Staff work in supportive Focus Groups, at times they team teach and are committed to continual personal and professional growth and accept new educational challenges as a natural part of their professional lives.

Staff at Sunshine College have worked together to develop what we call a core plus instructional model that allows for domain specific innovation and creativity but is underpinned across all domains by five core instructional practice principles:

Learning Intention articulated and reflected on

Readiness for Learning determined

Activities that Target Individual Success delivered

Quality Feedback provided

We believe that our teaching staff are by far the most valuable resource of the school. We know that it is our teachers who ultimately make the difference for students, and we support them accordingly.

The Victorian Auditor-Generals Office tabled a report in the Victorian Parliament titled The Effectiveness of Student Wellbeing Programs and Services. Sunshine College was chosen to talk to representatives of the VAGO about our successful well-being approaches and programs.

Our performance and development culture is based around the collaborative work of staff in professional learning teams where curriculum is collegiately designed and consistently delivered across classrooms and campuses and where self-reflection is critical to enhancing the craft of teaching.

Sunshine College promotes the safety, participation and empowerment of all children, including those with a disability.Our culture is based on Collaboration, Aspiration and Inclusion. Our College is culturally safe for indigenous children and for those from culturally and linguistically diverse background. We encourage applications from indigenous peoples and from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Applicants will need to hold valid tertiary qualifications and be able to meet Victorian Institute of Teacher registration requirements.

Please note Sunshine College reserves the right to contact colleagues other than those listed as referees.

Selection Criteria

The successful applicant will demonstrate:

- Experience working with young people, families, schools and/or community organisations, particularly within culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
- Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to supportingPasifika heritage students, families and communities.
- Demonstrated ability to build strong, respectful and trusted relationships with young people, parents, carers, community leaders and organisations.
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship‑building skills, including the ability to develop partnerships with local Pasifika community organisations and services.
- Ability to work collaboratively with school staff, families and community organisations to identify barriers to student and family engagement and develop appropriate responses.
- Strong communication, organisation and time‑management skills.
- Demonstrated ability to plan,



coordinate and facilitate programs, workshops, forums, activities and community events.
- Demonstrated commitment to student voice, leadership, cultural safety, inclusion and community empowerment.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.
- Ability to work respectfully and effectively with people from diversePasifika cultural, linguistic and community backgrounds, with an understanding of the different experiences and strengths within Pasifika communities.

Role

The School Community Liaison Officer will support the school community to increase engagement, strengthen partnerships with Pasifika families and community, and facilitate activities that support student participation, retention and school completion.

The SCLO will work directly with Pasifika students and families and collaborate with school staff and community organisations to identify needs, develop culturally responsive strategies and connect students and families with appropriate supports and opportunities.

The SCLO will also participate in relevant professional learning, communities of practice and Department of Education activities associated with the Place-Based Partnerships initiative.

The role will contribute to regular reporting, data collection and evaluation requirements of the program.

The role may require travel to other schools, community locations, career development activities and Department of Education meetings.

Responsibilities

1. Student Engagement

- Establish and maintain positive and respectful relationships with Pasifika students.
- Work directly with individual students and groups to identify barriers to engagement and participation.
- Support targeted interventions that assist students to remain connected to education.
- Provide appropriate mentoring, encouragement and advocacy.
- Support students to identify their strengths, aspirations and future education or career pathways.
- Create opportunities for student voice, leadership and participation.
- Facilitate activities that respond to the needs and interests of Pasifika students.

2. Family Engagement

- Establish and maintain solid relationships with Pasifika parents, carers and families.
- Strengthen communication between students, families and the school.
- Facilitate information sessions to support families to better understand the Victorian education system and school processes.
- Encourage and support parent and carer participation in parent-teacher meetings, information sessions, school celebrations and other school activities.
- Identify barriers to family engagement and work collaboratively with the school and community to address these.
- Connect families with appropriate school, community and support services where required.

3. Pasifika Community Partnerships

- Develop and maintain strong partnerships with Pasifika community organisations, leaders, cultural groups, youth services and relevant agencies.
- Engage Pasifika community members and organisations in activities that support students and families.
- Coordinate workshops, forums and community activities in partnership with relevant organisations.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen pathways and support networks for Pasifika students and families.
- Promote positive relationships between the school and the Pasifika community.

4. Cultural Responsiveness and Safety

- Support school staff to strengthen their understanding of Pasifika cultures, identities, community experiences and strengths.
- Facilitate professional learning, workshops and discussions that promote cultural responsiveness and cultural safety.
- Provide culturally informed

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📌 School Community Liaison Officer - Pasifika Heritage Students (Melbourne)
🏢 Department of Education Victoria
📍 Melbourne