Residential Youth Worker

**About Helping Community Solutions**:
Helping Community Solutions provides individualised support to at-risk children and young people, aged 0-17, who exhibit severe and challenging behaviours due to experiencing abuse, trauma, and/or neglect. Challenging behaviours may include defiance, verbal aggression, physical aggression, and/or property damage.

We work with children and young people to establish small, stable, and structured teams. This ensures that children and young people have structure, consistency, and routine in their daily life. We encourage independence and positive coping mechanisms during placement transition periods.

**About the Role**:
Residential Youth Workers play a crucial role in the shared case management model. They are required to work closely with Senior Residential Youth Workers and Care Coordinators, and provide individualised and therapeutic support to young people and children.

Our Residential Youth Workers provide day-to-day support to young people within a community-based households with the end goal of transitioning them into safe, sustainable, and long-term placements. This support may involve collaborating with schools, youth centers, foster care programs, and/or family reunification initiatives. In addition, they establish supportive relationships to help children and young people develop confidence, empathy, positive behaviours, and social skills.

**About the Young People we support**:
The young people in our care may need individualised support due to their anti-social behaviours. This may comprise of:

- Verbal aggression
- High-level defiance
- Physical actions
- Destructive tendencies; and
- Absconding.

We work on a therapeutic approach model and support a variety of one-on-one support to group residential placements, sibling groups placed together.

**Main Duties and Responsibilities**:

- Assist with meal preparation and ensure that children and young people’s diets are nutritious. This includes establishing breakfast, lunch, and dinner routines.
- Build rapport with children and young people and provide emotional support.
- Consistently reinforce positive behaviours through praise and encouragement.
- Collaborate with other Residential Youth Workers and Care Coordinators to manage and care for young people exhibiting challenging behaviours.
- Develop and maintain positive relationships with children and young people while adhering to professional boundaries.
- Empower children and young people to make positive and informed life choices.
- Encourage children and young people to identify tools for managing emotions through activities like art, sport, journaling, and/or music.
- Facilitate educational groups and recreational activities for the children and young people.
- Maintain a high standard of cleanliness and comfort in the home environment.
- Monitor and guide the personal care and hygiene of children and young people.
- Monitor and manage the supply of clothing, footwear, school materials, and other personal belongings.
- Observe safety standards and protocols of the Company.
- Provide informal counselling to address the emotional needs of children and young people.
- Support children and young people in progressing towards the achievement of their individual goals.
- Medication administration.
- Work collaboratively with Care Coordinators to develop therapeutic interventions for complex issues.

**Role Requirements**:

- Able to attend a comprehensive 8 day induction
- Willing to obtain Australian Federal Police Clearnace
- Willing to obtain or current Working with Children Check
- Willing to obtain Department of Community Sevice Criminal Record
- At least 1 or more years’ demonstrated experience handling complex and challenging behaviours preferably within a youth residential setting
- Reliable vehicle with full comprehensive insurance
- Certificate 3 or above in Youth Work (preferred)
- Certificate 3 or above in Community Services (preferred)
- Certificate 4 or above in Child, Youth and Family Intervention or Youth Work
- Willing to obtain Current First Aid and CPR Certificate
- Successful completion of the Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse module

**Desirable**:

- Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Certification
- Trauma Informed Care Certification
- Knowledge of safety and quality standards for children and young people in protection and care (Better Care, Better Services).
- Knowledge of Children and Community Service Act 2004.
- Knowledge of Department of Child Protect and Family Services.

**Personal attributes**:

- Ability to promote culturally appropriate and safe environment.
- Empower young people to make positive and informed life choices.
- Professional approach.
- Ability to work under pressure.
- Organisational and time management skills.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Flexibility
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Confident manner.
- Positive approach to change.

We are looking for dedicated and passionate Youth Workers t