Location Profile

At Point Cook Senior Secondary College, our vision is that students are supported at their point of need to achieve academic and social success. At our core we value respect, effort and responsibility and prioritise the intersection of wellbeing, learning and engagement. These values guide our actions and decisions, ensuring that every student feels supported and inspired to succeed.

With a student body of over 750 learners, we pride ourselves on being a close-knit educational community, fostering meaningful connections and providing personalized support to each student. Our school structure comprises three year levels: Year 10, Year 11, and Year 12, where students are encouraged to explore their passions, develop critical thinking skills, and prepare for their future endeavours through an individualized pathway planning process.

Our dedicated team comprises 60 teaching staff and 34 education support staff who are committed to providing high-quality education and support services to our students. Together, they create a dynamic learning setting that encourages innovation, collaboration, and excellence.

Point Cook Senior Secondary College is situated in the vibrant suburb of Point Cook, nestled in Melbourne's west. Our geographic location offers students access to a diverse range of learning opportunities, including proximity to various industries, cultural institutions, and recreational facilities.

Point Cook is renowned for its multicultural community, enriching our school environment with a tapestry of languages, traditions, and perspectives. We celebrate this diversity, fostering a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere where every student feels valued and respected.

Our community reflects a spectrum of socioeconomic backgrounds, presenting both challenges and opportunities for our students. Through targeted support programs and partnerships with local organizations, we strive to address inequities and provide equal opportunities for all students to thrive.

Selection Criteria

SC 1 Proven capactiy to work effectively with children with diverse learning needs, their families/carers, service providers.

SC 2 Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in the provision of programs to engage and enthuse young people.

SC 3 Demonstrated capacity to work as part of a collaborative multidisciplinary professional team and contribute to the team.

SC 4 Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise within the education community and beyond.

SC 5 Appropriate tertiary qualifications and experience in Welfare,Community Services,Youth Work or other related fields

Role

The Social Worker will join a team that includes the School Counsellor, Student Engagement Coordinator and Psychologist. Situated in the school¿s wellbeing hub, the Social Worker acts as the first point of contact for students seeking immediate wellbeing support, triaging them to the relevant member of the wellbeing team as appropriate.

The Social Worker will take a case management role with students identified as needing support to achieve success. Students are referred by teaching staff or self-refer to the wellbeing team and are allocated a member of the wellbeing team to manage their case load based on individualised suitability. The Social worker will work with students and liaise with teachers, families, and external support agencies to best support students to achieve social and academic success.





The Social Worker works with the wellbeing team and year-level coordinator to identify the needs of specific cohorts and groups within the school. They take a proactive role in engaging external agencies to provide support for these groups. For example: Engaging, coordinating, and supervising the delivery of the La Mana program for Pacifica Islander students.

Responsibilities

- Liaise effectively with external service providers and assist teachers, students and their families to access these services.
- Support the Wellbeing Team to monitor the social, emotional, and learning progress of students and provide reports the Student Wellbeing Team and other relevant members of staff.
- Implement and evaluate intervention programs to support school curriculum and the needs of identified groups of students.
- Provide or facilitate counselling and guidance to students.
- Work with students and their families to develop pathways to success at school.
- Ensure the safety of the young people whilst under their supervision.
- Facilitate and assist young people to develop skills and achieve goals.
- Support and advocate for young people to progress and move towards success.
- Engage young people in activities that are of both a social and learning opportunity to advance their skills.
- Assist in creating an environment that facilitates learning, growth and change.
- Use appropriate boundaries, processes and structures that allow young people to learn from their experiences and choose appropriate ways to meet their needs.
- Perform duties in accordance with DE guidelines, accepted practice and College policy being respectful of confidentiality, mandatory reporting requirements and observing necessary boundaries.
- Be responsible to the Wellbeing team in the development of programs and in the day-to-day identification of students in need, and of caseload management.
- Be a team player who has excellent communication skills (written and verbal) and ability to develop positive working relationships with students, especially those at risk.
- Work with students individually, and in groups, to encourage emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills and a social awareness.
- Identify students who need to be referred on to other services and work within school processes to take appropriate action to make referrals.
- Work as a mentor where appropriate, modelling appropriate positive behaviours and relationships.
- Provide information and feedback to Advisory teachers, Leading teachers and Principal class regarding individual needs, issues, concerns and assist in the development of effective learning programs that can be implemented for students at risk.
- Develop links with Students Support Services, school networks and relevant support agencies with a view to optimising and coordinating service provision to students as risk.
- Provide regular confidential feedback and updates to the Principal, Assistant Principal and team leaders regarding students being assisted.
- Implement and evaluate intervention programs to support school curriculum and the needs of identified groups of students.




- Lead Tier 1 level school wellbeing activities such as Wellbeing Wednesdays
- Supervision of the wellbeing hub during student break times
- Other duties as directed by the Principal or Business Manager

ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY

Social Workers must have completed a Bachelor of Social Work and be members or eligible to apply for membership of AASW

Who May Apply

Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.

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 *******@education.vic.gov.au

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

Applications must include:

1. A cover sheet providing contact information including home address, email and phone number

2. A CV with a summary of experience and qualifications

3. Address all the Specific Key Selection Criteria questions

4. The names, email addresses and contact details for three referees

Also ensure that you name is included in the header of all documents (cover letter, CV and key selection criteria responses) and that your personal profile information on School Jobs Vic is up to date.

Conditions of Employment

This vacancy is to replace an employee on parental absence and is for a period of seven years or until the employee absent on leave returns to duty at the school.

📌 Social Worker (Melbourne)
🏢 Government schools
📍 Melbourne