Sexual Assault Counsellor/advocate

Reference Number
- 53114
- Employment Type
- Fixed Term Full Time
- Entity
- Monash Health
- Department
- SECASA
- Location
- Moorabbin Hospital
- Position Summary
- SECASA and Strength2Strength are seeking a full time Counsellor/Advocate to work across both programs
- This is a 12 month fixed contract providing a client centred, trauma informed service
- A unique position as part of a partnership response between two services

**Grade 2 Counsellor/Advocate - SECASA and Strength to Strength**

Monash Health, in partnership with Family Life are seeking a full time Grade 2 Counsellor/Advocate to work across SECASA and in the Strength2Strength program.

Monash Health is the largest public health service in Victoria, employing over 18,000 people across a range of specialities. Monash Health Emergency Departments treat over 150,000 emergency patients a year at Monash Medical Centre Clayton campus, Dandenong Hospital and Casey Hospital. Patients have access to a full range of treatment options, including intensive care.

The South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence (SECASA FV), is a specialist sexual assault and family violence service. SECASA is the largest family violence and sexual assault service provider across the South-East Metropolitan Melbourne with responsibility for the DFFH Southern and Bayside regions. SECASA provides;
- Time limited therapeutic interventions and counselling following sexual assault and/or family violence, to victim/survivors and other affected family members.
- 24/7 sexual assault crisis response for people who have been sexually assaulted in the past two weeks, or disclosed past sexual assault for the first time.
- Assessment and Intervention for children and young people with harmful sexual behaviours, and their families.
- Community education and prevention work, including programs in Early Learning Centres, Primary Schools and High schools.
- Secondary consultation.
- Professional training.

These services are provided in the Southern and Bayside Metropolitan Regions of Melbourne that includes the south-eastern metropolitan region of Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula, the Greater Dandenong area, and Cardinia and Casey Shires. The service operates in various locations across the region including Dandenong, Cranbourne, Pakenham, Hastings, McCrae, East Bentleigh, St Kilda, Monash University (Clayton and Caulfield). Crisis Care Units are located at the Clayton Campus of Monash Medical Centre, Monash Children’s and at the Multidisciplinary Centre’s (MDC) in Seaford and Dandenong South.

The Strength to Strength Program is a client-centred trauma informed therapeutic response for children and their mothers who are victim survivors of family violence, which includes therapeutic services delivered via outreach and through centre-based sessions.** **A partnership response has been activated to maximise client access, safety, empowerment and therapeutic outcomes. The Therapeutic Family Violence Response, Strength2Strength operates through a partnership of key service providers including: Family Life, Salvation Army, Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand, SECASA and Peninsula Health.

The interventions target children and their mothers from diverse populations, with the aim of;
- Strengthening therapeutic responses and improving outcomes.
- Building evidence about effective practice approaches for responding to victim survivors of family violence, including victim survivors from diverse populations;
- Determining, through evaluation, how these approaches might be incorporated into future service delivery frameworks and organisational operating models; and
- Increasing access to a broad range of therapeutic approaches to family violence victim survivors including adults and/or children across diverse cohorts.

This full time position is for a fixed term (12 month) contract and the role will be split 0.2EFT working with SECASA clients, and 0.3EFT delivering S2S.

**About You**

You have been developing your social work/counselling skills or you are an accomplished Social Worker; either way, you are ready to take this next step in your Career. You lead by example, thrive working in a dynamic, fast paced environment and are truly passionate about delivering a high standard of evidence based nursing care to all patients. You are an advocate of Monash Health’s Strategic Guiding Principles

**You Are Also**
- dedicated to safe best practice & quality care
- committed to delivering patient centred care & a patient advocacy
- enthusiastic, compassionate & able to work collaboratively
- excited to be accountable for and manage specific portfolios in our relentless pursuit of excellence

**What You Need**
- Relevant Qualification in Social Work
- Demonstrated experience in working with survivors of sexual assault and/or family violence
- Current AHPRA registration
- eligible for registration with AASW
- Australian working rights

**What We Offer**
- access to Monash Health in