Defence School Mentor and Student Wellbeing Officer

**Overview**:
**Work Type**:Fixed-term - Full-time

**Salary**: Salary not specified

**Grade**:Education Support - Level 1, Range 3

**Occupation**:Education and training

**Location**:Melbourne - Southern suburbs

**Reference**:1487691

**Selection Criteria**:

- SC1 Demonstrated capacity and experience to provide support to students and parents individually and in group settings
- SC2 Experience in the delivery of student and family wellbeing services in a Secondary setting
- SC3 Demonstrated knowledge of current best-practice interventions for students with support needs.
- SC4 Capacity to work as part of a collaborative multidisciplinary professional team and contribute significantly to the achievements of the team
- SC5 Demonstrated capacity to liaise with a range of organisations related to student and family support.
- SC6 Demonstrated a wide range of interpersonal and communication skills.

**Role**:

- The Defence School Mentor (DSM) & Student Wellbeing Officer (SWO) is a blended role supporting the transition, engagement, and wellbeing of students with a particular focus on children from Defence families and vulnerable students. This role integrates elements of youth work, mentoring, and early intervention counselling.
- The DSM component provides tailored support to ADF students and their families, ensuring smooth transitions into the school community and ongoing support through periods of parental absence.
- The Student Wellbeing Officer component delivers wellbeing support to the wider student population, working collaboratively with the Wellbeing and Sub-School Teams to promote positive mental health, attendance, engagement, and social-emotional learning.
- Range 3 is distinguished by the introduction of management responsibility and accountability for the delivery of professional support services. The role will usually impact beyond the work area or professional field. It seeks to gain cooperation of other staff members or members of the school community to achieve specific objectives, such as in school administration, operations or educational programs.
- Direction on targets and goals is provided but the position will have some degree of latitude in determining how they are achieved. This latitude will generally be limited by standard procedures and school policy. Deviation from standard procedures and school policy will require guidance and direction from senior management.
- The provision of business management responsibilities becomes a feature at range 3. Management of staff to achieve the expected outcomes is a key responsibility. Staff management issues will be resolved with mínimal reference to senior management, although guidance will be required in more complex cases. Senior management will be provided with timely reports and advice, although this will generally be confined to matters relating to the immediate work area, service provision or educational program and is unlikely to impact substantially on whole of school operations.
- This is the minimum range for positions that carry a mandatory qualification requirement of not less than four years. Professional student support positions become a feature at range 3 (e.g. therapists, psychologists) where standard professional services are delivered. Professional support and guidance will be close at hand and deviation from standard procedures and school policy will require guidance and direction from senior management.
- An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students, but must not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor. Supervision of students cannot be required except where it is an integral part of the employees position or involves supervision of students individually or in small groups, in controlled circumstances, where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.

**Responsibilities**:
**Defence School Mentor (DSM)**
- Assist ADF students and their families with school and community transition.
- Coordinate welcome and farewell activities for Defence families.
- Provide wellbeing check-ins and social/emotional support for Defence students.
- Support students during periods of parental absence (deployments, training, etc.).
- Enhance awareness of Defence family experiences within the school community.
- Maintain positive, regular communication with Defence families.
- Connect families with internal and external supports as needed.

**Student Wellbeing Officer**
- Provide emotional support, counselling, and wellbeing check-ins to students.
- Support students experiencing trauma, anxiety, family breakdown, or disengagement.
- Develop and implement individualised wellbeing support plans.
- Support student engagement and attendance strategies.
- Participate in Sub-School and Wellbeing Team meetings, contributing to case management.
- Deliver evidence-based group programs, mental he