Mental Health Practitioner

Location: Melbourne | Northern Metropolitan Job type: Full time / From 14/10/2024 - 10/08/2025 Organisation: Schools (Government) **Salary**: Salary not specified Occupation: Health and Allied Health Reference: 1439237 **Location Profile**: VISION Epping Secondary College strives to enable and equip all young people to reach their full potential, of being curious and acquiring new knowledge and skills; of forming strong, valuable, healthy relationships; of participating in creative expression; and of building strong mental and physical wellbeing. VALUES The College values which underpin our behaviours and practice are: Respect - we treat all individuals with respect. Our relationships are based on trust and mutual respect. We recognise the differing circumstances and needs of our students and are dedicated to achieving the best possible outcomes for all. Resilience - we strive to successfully adapt to challenging experiences and tasks through emotional, social, academic, and behavioural perseverance. Care - we value community, build empathy with each other, and we act with integrity and compassion. WORKFORCE The 2024 staffing profile comprises of approximately 125 staff, including 3 Principal class, 12 Leading Teachers, 6 Learning Specialists and approximately 35 Education Support staff. The school workforce currently contains no identified indigenous employees. LOCATION Epping Secondary College is a co-educational 7-12 college established in 1976. Epping is a northern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located 20 km north of Melbourne's Central Business District. The City of Whittlesea is the local government area. SIZE & STRUCTURE The student population at Epping Secondary College remains steady at 1073. Epping Secondary College is physically organised in year level units to better support students through their different stages of growth as well as provide a sense of belonging and wellbeing. A critical component of educating the 'whole¿ child at Epping Secondary College involves the implementation across the School of Positive Education, an approach introduced primarily through the "Learning for Life" Curriculum at years 7-9 and the POD Program in the senior years as well as across the school curriculum and culture. OVERSEAS STUDENT PROGRAM Epping SC is a safe, friendly and welcoming study destination, offering international students an enviable lifestyle that nurtures success and the confidence to take steps forward in life. In 2024 the school offered places for all year levels (7 to 12) and enrolled a total of 14 international students. Countries represented were India, Sri Lanka, Timor, Pakistan, Vietnam, China and Fiji. The school has capacity for 20 international students. Our international students are here in Australia with their families studying the Victorian Curriculum or Victorian Certificate of Education. SOCIAL & ENROLMENT CHARACTERISTICS Epping Secondary College has a diverse and multicultural community with students representing over 35 nationalities. As part of our 2024 enrolment, we had 42 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) students, forty percent of the student population have English as an additional language, providing us with 69 EAL students (funded English as an Additional Language) and 14 international students. The Student Family Occupation and Education (SFOE) Index for the college in 2024 is 0.5157. The college provides support for 22 funded students under the Program for Students with a Disability (PSD). **Selection Criteria**: - Ability to implement a range of small group and whole-school mental health prevention and promotion activities aimed at improving student mental health and wellbeing, including the delivery of capability building and awareness raising activities for staff and/or students on key mental health and wellbeing issues affecting the school’s student population. - Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies aimed at enhancing mental health and wellbeing prevention, promotion and early intervention. - Demonstrated experience in assessing, conceptualising and analysing wellbeing issues, and providing evidence-based direct counselling support to clients with a range of mental health needs. - Demonstrated experience in coordinating supports for young people with complex needs including referrals to a range of specialist services as appropriate. - Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people. - Clear understanding of legislative requirements regarding privacy of health information. **Role**: The Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) initiative was announced by the Minister for Education in late 2018 to expand mental health and wellbeing support in government schools. The initiative provides for a suitably qualified mental health professional in all government seconda