14 Nov
|
Open Doors Youth Service
|
Brisbane
14 Nov
Open Doors Youth Service
Brisbane
Work Location
Fortitude Valley, including outreach across Greater Brisbane and our Springwood Hub.
Hours
10.30am - 6.30pm Monday - Friday, with some further flexibility as required.
ABOUT US
We are Queensland’s only dedicated LGBTQIA+ Sistergirl & Brotherboy (LGBTQIASB+) youth service. We are proud to support LGBTQIASB+ young people aged 12 to 24 by:
- empowering LGBTQIASB+ young people to live with pride as valued, celebrated and authentic members of community
- engaging a workforce with lived experience and professional expertise
- providing safe spaces for young people to connect with peers and community to foster a sense of belonging
- advocating for the rights and needs of our young people to improve their access to resources, and to end discrimination and violence
- improving mental health outcomes and lowering suicidality for LGBTQIASB+ young people.
We believe in hiring staff with lived experience and local knowledge, so they can best support our young people and their unique needs. Our staff are representative of the young people we support, with the majority of our team identifying as proud members of the LGBTQIASB+ community.
ABOUT THE ROLE
This role is responsible for the success and sustainability of our Open Doors Youth Service (ODYS) Drop-In Groups and Identity-based groups for young LGBTQIASB+ people aged 12-24 years. It leads the day-to-day coordination and delivery of safe, accessible, high-quality group-based youth support services; championing our work and ensuring a positive culture for all.
The role provides operational and practice leadership for all ODYS group-based service offerings, ensuring effective service delivery, quality assurance and capability building, proactive community and sector engagement, and achievement of agreed service outcomes in line with ODYS values.
Key Responsibilities
- Coordinate the planning, co-design and delivery of psychosocial group programs aligned with ODYS objectives. Ensure group development and delivery decisions are informed by service data, participant feedback, professional judgement and a whole-of-service systemic lens.
- Collaborate with colleagues to develop, test and refine group programs and engagement activities.
- Ensure that all group facilitators are trained in the delivery of inclusive and engaging group facilitation techniques and are given a clear structure for every type of group.
- Regularly review group attendance trends, participant feedback and emerging community needs to identify opportunities to improve relevance, accessibility and participation.
- Actively consider group suggestions from staff, management, service users and community, assessing feasibility against available resources, participant needs and organisational priorities.
- Where capacity or resourcing constraints exist, identify options and discuss priorities with the Director of Services so that proposed improvements can be successfully implemented.
- Support parent/carer engagement and community capacity-building initiatives.
- Provide input into program development and resource mobilisation based on emerging needs and service data.
2. Service Coordination & Operational Responsibility
- Work collaboratively with the Director of Services and Hub Coordinators in Logan and Fortitude Valley to establish priorities, implement agreed decisions and communicate progress or barriers.
- Coordinate the daily operations of your portfolio to ensure safe, effective, and high-quality service delivery within welcoming and well‑run physical environments.
- Implement and maintain appropriate systems for planning, tracking and communicating operational activities and commitments, ensuring continuous improvement.
- Build a strong collaborative relationship with the Fortitude Valley and Logan Hub Coordinators to ensure consistent and aligned planning, service offerings, staff management and resource optimisation.
- Work in partnership with Hub Coordinators to proactively plan and coordinate staffing, service delivery and resources to ensure that all group‑based youth supports meet agreed operational and service requirements. This includes managing workloads, and coordinating weekly staff rosters in line with program requirements, safety, wellbeing and funding obligations.
- Monitor service demand, utilisation, staffing capacity and performance, identifying emerging risks or gaps and taking timely corrective action.
- Monitor group outcomes and contribute to timely reporting against funding and contractual requirements.
- Ensure services are delivered in accordance with ODYS policies, procedures, and professional standards.
- Exercise professional judgement when managing competing priorities and complex operational matters, escalating as appropriate.
- Identify and address operational issues in collaboration with ODYS leadership and contribute to service improvement through established organisational processes.
- Support young people to complete referral forms and intake assessments as required.
- Ensure that all group facilitators consistently maintain accurate and timely case notes, data entry, case management and reporting in ODYS client management systems.
- Manage delegated resources and budgets, including program and client‑related expenditure.
3. Client and staff safeguarding
- Ensure that all group attendees understand and adhere to the Group Agreement and are supported to safely participate.
- Identify and appropriately engage with any Drop‑In group attendees that are struggling to safely participate. This may include referrals to other ODYS supports and/or referrals to external providers.
- Work closely with Hub Coordinators to identify, support and refer any group participants that may require more complex supports from ODYS or other services, ensuring timely warm handovers and continuity of care.
- Ensure that all group facilitators are trained in trauma‑informed de‑escalation techniques and are supported to appropriately manage and document any critical incidents.
- Coordinate debriefs with any impacted staff if a critical incident occurs.
- Conduct comprehensive risk assessments and coordinate safety planning for all group settings.
- Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, Child Protection standards, privacy requirements, and organisational policies.
- Regularly review and contribute to organisational risk registers.
4. Community Engagement & Partnership Development
- Develop and implement a practical Groups Promotion Plan, aligned with service priorities, that balances safeguarding service users with ensuring awareness and encouraging uptake.
- Identify and engage with specialist services and subject matter experts who can add value to group offerings. Integrate invited services/guests into group schedules, facilitate their attendance and promote to group participants.
- Proactively identify and pursue opportunities to strengthen referral pathways, partnerships and community awareness of ODYS services.
- Maintain accurate records of community engagement activities, outcomes, follow‑up commitments and emerging opportunities, using agreed organisational tools.
- Monitor referral trends and service utilisation, identify barriers to access and implement appropriate improvement strategies in consultation with the Hub Coordinator.
- Share relevant community intelligence and partnership opportunities with colleagues to support broader service development.
- Work in close coordination with management to establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with schools, health services and community organisations across Brisbane.
- Coordinate referral pathways and contribute to integrated service responses for young people with complex needs.
- Represent ODYS at local interagency meetings, networks, and community forums as required.
- Lead or coordinate outreach activities, community education, and events of significance.
5. Practice Development
- Support group facilitators to develop their professional practice and assist with decision‑making and issues management through coaching, consultation and reflective practice, including guidance on complex casework and risk management.
- Monitor practice quality and support staff to meet professional and organisational expectations. Provide clear direction, constructive feedback and appropriate support to staff, addressing emerging performance or practice concerns promptly.
- Foster a supportive, inclusive and collaborative team environment where staff are encouraged to contribute ideas,
share knowledge and take collective responsibility for service outcomes.
- Model respectful, constructive communication, including when discussing different professional opinions or responding to feedback.
- Encourage, and actively consider, suggestions for improving services, and work collaboratively to assess and implement appropriate initiatives.
- Demonstrate openness to feedback about your own practice, taking responsibility for agreed improvements.
- Support staff to understand how their individual responsibilities contribute to organisational objectives.
- Support staff wellbeing and respond to critical incidents in accordance with ODYS procedures.
6. Workplace Culture
- Actively contribute to, and shape, a workplace culture characterised by psychological and cultural safety, mutual respect, professional accountability and a shared commitment to achieving positive outcomes for young people.
- Model the behaviours and commitments established through the ODYS Staff Charter, Code of Conduct and Practice Framework. This includes valuing and centring lived LGBTQIASB+ experience in line with our mandate as a dedicated LGBTQIASB+ youth organisation.
- Build and maintain respectful, constructive working relationships with colleagues, managers, staff and external stakeholders. Communicate openly and professionally, including when raising concerns, challenging ideas or managing disagreement.
- Demonstrate a team‑focused approach, recognising that effective service delivery requires shared effort, collaboration and mutual support.
- Respect organisational decision‑making and accountabilities, implementing agreed directions while raising concerns constructively through appropriate channels.
- Take ownership of responsibilities, commitments and outcomes; identifying and addressing problems within the role's authority and escalating matters appropriately. Demonstrate openness to feedback, reflective practice and continuous improvement, including a willingness to adapt approaches as needed.
- Contribute to a psychologically safe workplace where colleagues feel able to raise concerns, contribute ideas, acknowledge mistakes and participate in improvement without fear of inappropriate criticism or retaliation.
- Support constructive resolution of interpersonal issues, maintaining skilled boundaries and avoiding behaviours that undermine trust or effective teamwork.
ABOUT YOU
We are looking for an engaging, organised and inclusive senior worker who will be proud to coordinate the delivery of quality support services for young LGBTQIASB+ people in Brisbane and surrounds. You will be the face of ODYS for our Drop‑In group participants and visiting organisations/subject matter experts, drawing on your drive and engagement skills to build lasting relationships that deliver the best outcomes for young people.
Your experience and skills would ideally include:
- Bachelor’s degree in Social work, Psychology, Counselling, Youth Work, Community Services or related discipline (or equivalent experience). Post‑graduate qualifications are also welcomed.
- Demonstrated ability to support and develop a team and workplace culture characterised by psychological and cultural safety, mutual respect, professional accountability and a shared commitment to achieving positive outcomes for young people.
- Demonstrated experience delivering group‑based client services to vulnerable populations within a community or human services setting.
- Experience coordinating service delivery and achieving agreed operational and performance outcomes.
- Experience working with a lived experience team.
- Demonstrated initiative in identifying service challenges, developing practical solutions and following through on agreed actions.
- Ability to build productive working relationships with colleagues and managers, respond constructively to feedback and navigate professional disagreement.
- Experience developing partnerships, strengthening referral pathways and using service data to inform improvements.
- Commitment to reflective practice, continuous improvement and values‑based leadership.
- High‑level skills in assessment, risk management, and trauma‑informed practice.
- Strong communication, coordination, and relationship‑building skills.
- Current Queensland Driver’s Licence.
- Current Queensland Blue Card (or ability to obtain).
- Current National Police Check (or ability to obtain).
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📌 Senior Worker - Groups (Brisbane)
🏢 Open Doors Youth Service
📍 Brisbane