Post Adoption Counsellor

**Part Time 30 hours per week, contract until June 2026, located at our Hurstville Hub**:

- **$43.53ph - $46.83ph + Super + Salary Packaging**:

- **Small and supportive team to help you find your feet and thrive**

**Our Organisation**

The Benevolent Society’s vision is to build a just society where all Australians can live their best life. For more than 200 years we have supported people at the margins of society: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians; children, young people, and their families; older people; carers and people with disability. We are an independent, non-religious service provider which supports people to live life their way.

As part of The Benevolent Society's vision, we are strongly committed to reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia. We remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting the economic, political, and social inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

**About this role**

For over 30 years our **Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC)** has supported people across NSW whose lives have been affected by adoption.

As our **Post Adoption Counsellor**,**you will improve the wellbeing of people affected by adoption by providing therapeutic services such as counselling, therapeutic group work, intermediary, information and research services. We use a trauma-informed, family systems and strengths-based approach to support individuals and families navigate their post adoption journey.

**Our Benefits**

We support people to live their best life. That includes you, our employee. A **‘**best life’** is unique to everyone and can change as life changes:

- **Salary Benefits** -You can package up to $15,900 pa of your pre-tax salary to pay for everyday expenses before income tax is calculated, meaning you take home even more pay
- **Motor Vehicle Packaging Options** - to suit your lifestyle.
- **Work/Life Balance** - Enjoy flexible work arrangements, including hybrid home/office options, and accrue an additional day off each month (a bonus of 12 days per year) as a full-time employee.
- **Recognition and Reward**-** Sector competitive remuneration, various recognition programs and access to long service leave after 5 years.
- **Wellness** **-** Stay fit with a Fitness passport, utilise our Employee Assistance Program, and even purchase additional leave.
- **Professional Development**-** We tailor career development opportunities to all employees and volunteers for career enrichment, fulfilment, and growth.
- **Our Reconciliation Commitment -**Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees are entitled up to 2 days paid plus up to 10 days unpaid cultural leave, as well as the option to be a voice on **reference networking groups**, the opportunity for cultural and professional development that supports career pathways and your social and emotional wellbeing.

**Skills and Experience**

You will have a relevant tertiary (degree) qualification e.g., social work, counselling, psychology and minimum 3 years' experience in a counselling role or similar:

- An understanding of the key issues surrounding adoption such as trauma and its impact, loss and grief, identity and reunion issues.
- Experience delivering trauma informed evidence-based programs and therapeutic services, individually and in groups. Experience in DBT, EMDR and / or somatic therapies are highly valued.
- Demonstrated practice skills working therapeutically with adults, adolescents and families.
- Highly developed therapeutic group work skills, including managing difficult group dynamics which may present.High level written and verbal communication skills.
- Some knowledge of search, outreach and intermediary practices.
- Great people skills and capacity to engage with people from all walks of life.
- Some flexibility to travel and do evening work.
- Current driver's license.

If you identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, then we want to hear from you. The Benevolent Society recognises and values cultural knowledge and wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, we therefore strongly encourage you to apply. We are strongly committed to being an Employer of Choice, one who offers, provides, and practices cultural safety in our workplace.

**Please submit your current CV and 1 page cover letter outlining your interest and suitability for the role.**

Contact Sarah Burn on 0481 463 605 or Tijen Thomson 0481 456 592 to discuss the role in more detail.