Counsellor

Counsellor | Healing, Opportunity, Prevention, Education Sexual Abuse Service (HOPES)

| Southport

• Employment Term: Permanent Full-Time (76 hours per fortnight). Part-time hours (a minimum of 60.8 hours per fortnight) can be negotiated for the right candidate.
• Location: Southport
• Remuneration: $51 p/hr + Super + NFP Salary Packaging (save tax and increase your take home pay)

Make a meaningful difference with UnitingCare Queensland

At UnitingCare we are leaders in crisis response, the protection of vulnerable people and children, financial resilience and family wellbeing. Our FaDS (Family and Disability Services) team work passionately across Queensland to make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

As a Sexual Abuse Counsellor, you'll be encouraged to grow, develop and feel empowered to make the everyday easier for the people we care so passionately about.  Let's make a meaningful difference, together

Your part in our UnitingCare team

The Sexual Abuse Counsellor role within our Healing, Opportunity, Prevention, Education Sexual Abuse (HOPES) Program is pivotal in providing counselling within an individual and group environment while also supplying education with an aim to strengthen the family/carer unit to ensure they are safe and have a positive wellbeing.

This role involves:

• Providing an integrated counselling service that consists of individual and therapeutic groups to assist children and young people aged 5 to under 18 years who have experienced abuse (sexual, physical, emotional and/or neglect) or are engaging in problematic sexual behaviour and their non-offending family members/carers who have been referred from the Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs.
• Addressing the range of issues arising from sexual abuse through an appropriate mix of therapeutic and family/carer-based support services, assessment and individual case plans that are responsive to the individual needs of children, young people and their families/carers.

What makes a difference for us?

• Degree in Counselling, Social Work, Psychology or Behavioural Science.
• Eligibility for registration or membership to AASW, APS, ACA, PACFA or other recognised body
• Current Drivers Licence.
• Working with Children Check (Blue Card)

• Ability to articulate knowledge of current practice and theories of working effectively with:

• Children and young people (5-18 years old) who have been sexually abused.

• Children years old) who display problematic sexual behaviours or early sexual offending behaviours

• Non-offending parents and carers of children referred to the program.

• Demonstrated experience and knowledge in therapeutic and counselling skills that is applicable to children and young people that have experienced sexual abuse.

• Demonstrated counselling, experience and knowledge or ability to acquire skills to work with children 5 to under 18 years who display problematic sexualised behaviours.
• Experience/Working knowledge and understanding of the Queensland Child Protection system and or ability to establish working relationships with a team, other key agencies and the Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs in strengthening effective outcomes for clients.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and therefore may result in the role closing early if the right applicant is found.

What makes a difference for you?

• Flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance
• NFP Salary Packaging: Save tax and increase your take home pay by salary packaging your everyday living expenses and bills (up to $15,900) and meal entertainment (up to $2,650) per annum. To learn more about this benefit watch the video via the following link: Salary Packaging Explained
• A recognition and rewards platform, providing employee discounts at hundreds of retailers, including everyday expenses, holidays, health insurance, annual awards celebration, wellbeing and employee assistance programs
• 12 weeks paid parental leave and 2 weeks paid partner leave, available after 6 months service, in addition to the government scheme
• Diversity and inclusive leave, offering paid gender affirmation leave and cultural leave options (paid and unpaid) for those who may celebrate Lunar New Year, Diwali, Ramadan, NAIDOC weeks and other significant cultural events
• Career development opportunities to challenge yourself, grow and make a meaningful difference
• A positive and inclusive team based on respect, shared standards, strong values and a commitment to serving others

We'd love you to be part of our UnitingCare family

Joining our FaDS, team, you'll also be welcomed as part of the UnitingCare family. The second-largest Queensland employer, we're a proud not-for-profit with more than 16,500 staff and 9,000 volunteers across our brands of BlueCare, Lifeline, ARRCS, The Wesley Hospital, Buderim Private Hospital, St Stephen's Hospital, and St Andrew's War Memorial Hospital, and have been leading by example for more than 100 years.

Child safe, Child friendly

UnitingCare is committed to being a Child Safe, Child Friendly organisation and will:

• Provide welcoming, safe and nurturing services for children
• Implement measures to prevent child abuse and neglect within our services
• Appropriately and immediately address child abuse and neglect if it does occur

Diversity & Inclusion

Our approach is simple – everybody is welcome here.  At UnitingCare, diversity is at the core of our who we are, our mission and our values. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all employees no matter their sex, race, culture, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity. Demonstrating our commitment to reconciliation and building long-term employment opportunities for First Nations peoples, UnitingCare strongly encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants for this position.

Safe workplace

We work hard to make our services welcoming and safe for every person. We are united in keeping children, young people and the elderly safe from harm, within our services, workplaces and the communities we support. We are committed to speaking up loudly for their safety.