Senior Practitioner (Internal Applicants only)

YSAS Youth Support and Advocacy Service – Dandenong VIC

18h ago , from YSAS Youth Support and Advocacy Service

- Remuneration SCHCADS level 6 dependent on qualifications and experience + superannuation
- 5 Weeks Annual Leave
- Up to $15,900 for living expenses + up to $2,600 towards meals and entertainment can be tax-free through NFP Salary Packaging

About the position

The Senior Practitioner is a member of the Dandenong Crime Prevention Leadership Team and will work closely with the YSS Team Manager providing practice supervision and operational support to Youth and Family workers in the YSS teams, across Dandenong and Gippsland. This role will primarily work from the YSAS Dandenong site with occasional visits to the Morwell site to support staff and complex cases.

The Senior Practitioner will also undertake direct service activities including assessment, case work/case management and will support the implementation and compliance of the YSS Model of Care. The role requires working independently across a range of areas with support from the Team Manager and Regional Crime Prevention Manager.

Key Selection Criteria

- Experience in and understanding of the treatment and care of young people in the areas of substance use, crime prevention, mental health challenges and at times working with young people and their families from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.
- Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of adolescent development and ability to practice a range of interventions including complex assessments, case work / case management approaches, care planning and review, advocacy, group work,



crisis intervention and collaborative outreach based service delivery.
- Demonstrated experience in the support of staff including provision of supervision, mentoring, positive and constructive feedback and maintaining a positive team environment;
- Expertise in providing operational and/or practice supervision to youth outreach workers, and presenting cases for peer review.
- A thorough understanding of the complexities and function of youth outreach programs, approaches and frameworks.
- Demonstrated networking and stakeholder management skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with partners and external agencies (e.g. government, NFP, and other sector funders and leaders)

What our young people request from our workers:

Young people across YSAShave spoken out and given feedback about the qualities that best describe a good YSAS worker:

"A good worker takes the time to understand your interests and doesn't treat everyone the same.""Young people believe that a positive YSAS worker is empathetic and positive at actively listening in a non-judgmental way, is relatable, down-to-earth and able to build trust and rapport in a consistent manner". "It takes time to trust someone, but it's worth it when you know they've got your back".



Young people have also raised that genuine human connection is an important quality, "being authentically human", while having a holistic, flexible, and adaptable approach that considers the entire context of a young person's life and their intersectionalities. "It's about making sure workers don't just tick boxes but genuinely want to see us thrive

Regardless of where they are based or what position a worker has, everything we do at YSAS is about young people and their families.

Why work with us?

- YSAS has a true commitment to flexible working, ensuring that individual, team and client needs are met
- YSAS offers additional leave entitlements such as gender affirmation, ceremonial leave for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, fertility leave, blood donors leave, a generous Parental Leave Scheme and the ability to purchase additional leave.
- Access to learning and development opportunities
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Please Note:

- As part of our Employment screening process you will be required to undertake a National Criminal History check and have a current Working with Children Check.
- You must have Australian work rights to apply for this position.

Further Enquiries

For a confidential discussion about the position, please contact, Cassandra Heward, CP team Manager, on 0439 340 *** regarding the Senior Practitioner position, Recruitment Ref. Number – 087_2026.

- YSAS is an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome applications from all sectors of the community.
- YSAS has a zero tolerance for child abuse and is committed to the provision of a child-safe organisation.

📌 Senior Practitioner (Dandenong)
🏢 YSAS Youth Support and Advocacy Service
📍 Dandenong