Youth Worker

• Application close: COB on Thursday 4th September 2025
• Part-time (60.8 hours per fortnight)
• Fixed Term until August 2026
• Remuneration SCHCADS level 5 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

Better Futures is a post care service that is a new support model targeting young people aged 15 years and 9 months who are transition from Out of Home Care. In partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Mission Australia as the lead agency and other consortium partners are delivering Better Futures in the Southern Melbourne and Bayside Peninsula regions. The model promotes early Leaving Care planning and preparation and provides service response to young people who need support to ensure their transition from care to independent living.

The Better Futures Support Worker will provide secondary consultation to case managers and care teams to develop or enhance a young person's 15+ Care to Transition Plan. The Support Worker may provide some time limited support to assist a young person leaving care preparation activities and will only provide Active Supports in exceptional circumstances where inadequate supports are available to the young person. The Support Worker will provide support to young people (aged 15 and 9 months) in their transition from statutory care to independent living.

1. Experience in working with young people in the Out of Home Care (OoHC) system with multiple and complex needs in an outreach capacity;
2. Demonstrated understanding of adolescent development and an ability to practice a range of interventions, including; conducting complex assessments, care planning, review and casework / case management approaches. In addition, understanding of responding to crises, and accessing other support services;
3. Highly developed engagement and communication skills with young people from a range of backgrounds (including cultural awareness) and age groups, including the ability to model appropriate behaviours and motivate young people;
4. Demonstrated experience of participation in co-operative and collaborative work practices with other service providers (youth justice, police, child protection, out of home care providers) and community groups, including well developed liaison and networking skills;
5. Demonstrated skills in written communication, including report writing, case notes and data recording.

For full details of the position, please view the POSITION DESCRIPTION below.

What our young people request from our workers:

Young people across YSAS have 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 good YSAS worker is empathetic and good 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.

• 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)

• 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.

For a confidential discussion about the position, please contact Brittany Witnish, Senior Practitioner, on 0439027749 regarding the role of Youth Worker (Outreach), Recruitment Ref. Number – 084_2025.

• 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.

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