Student Engagement and Transitions Officer Ignatius

Posted: 17/09/2024

Closing Date: 06/10/2024

Job Type: Contract

Location: Richmond

Job Category: Community Services and Development

**About the organisation**:
**Jesuit Social Services is a social change organisation working to build a just society where all people can live to their full potential.** We reflect on the critical factors shaping our contemporary world; the social, political and economic contexts, and we adapt our practice to work with those most in need.**:
Since 1977, Jesuit Social Services has provided services to some of the most disadvantaged in our community.

We place a high priority on advocacy and are a leader in policy development and research.

**About the program**:
The Ignatius Learning Centre was established in 2021.

Enrolling students for the first time in Term 1 2021, the Ignatius Learning Centre offers an education that fosters responsibility and transformation, and that engages young people who have had a severely disrupted education and are at significant risk of incarceration and/or further involvement with the youth justice system.

As a specialist Catholic Secondary School guided by a Catholic social ethos and Ignatian heritage, we will provide a holistic education, so that students can experience success in a safe and supportive environment.

The Ignatius Learning Centre will enable students to restore hope, experience a sense of belonging, flourish and reach their potential.

**The Ignatius Learning Centre opened in Term 1 of 2021, initially enrolling approximately 20 young men, aged 15 - 17, offering the Senior Secondary Certificates (VCE-VM and VPC) as the curriculum. In 2024, the Ignatius Learning Centre will have 35 young men enrolled.**:
**About the role**:
Reporting directly to the Head of Engagement, and within the Engagement Team.

Join the expanding Engagement Team, that provides a crucial role in engaging students and their families in school. The team is multidisciplinary, dynamic and works in partnership with the teaching team to ensure the school is engaging and meeting the complex learning and classroom behavioural needs of its students.

The students of the ILC have long histories of disengagement, involvement with police, trauma and complex behaviours, requiring a whole-school approach to wellbeing and engagement.

The Engagement Team leads the student, family and community engagement. Not limited to students, their families, legal teams, children’s courts, external TAFE providers, health services and when applicable; care teams, youth justice and child protection.

The role is dynamic and manages a shared caseload of 7-10 students, with a teacher, with the goal of engaging students into school.

This role is multidimensional involving but not limited to; assertive outreach, relationship building with students and community, collaboration and team planning with the teaching team, implementing interventions; such as 1:1 support in class and on the floor, leading student support group meetings, attending court and transition planning for further study / vocations post school.

This position will be primarily based in Richmond and travel will be required.

Competitive remuneration, plus salary packaging benefit is offered together with ongoing professional and career development.

**What Jesuit Social Services can offer you**:

- An organisation that lives its values, through its day to day work
- A welcoming and supportive relational environment
- A comprehensive Induction and Orientation program
- Ongoing training and development related to your role
- Employee assistance program
- A competitive salary plus salary packaging benefits
- Generous leave

**Desired Skills and Experience**:
**About you**:

- Demonstrated understanding of young people involved with youth justice, histories of school disengagement and trauma.
- Demonstrated ability and experience, working with marginalized, complex, young people, their families and communities to achieve positive outcomes.
- Demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative, dynamic and multidisciplinary Engagement Team and teachers within a School context.
- Demonstrated experience in working in complex, high pressure demand driven environment.
- The Ignatius Learning Centre is guided by an evidence based culturally responsive pedagogy. Provide an example from your experience that demonstrates your understanding and implementation of culturally responsive practice.
- Ability to work with young people and their key stakeholders, not limited to; parents/carers, care teams, Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS), Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH).
- Understanding of and sympathy for the mission and ethos of Jesuit Social Services, and a demonstrated capacity to provide leadership in this dimension of the role.

To be successful in the role you will have:

- A knowledge and understanding of current issues faced by young people in youth detention and their families.
- Relevant qualifi