Counsellor Advocate

We are a leading organisation offering a comprehensive suite of services to clients and the community across the Barwon, West Melbourne and Wimmera Regions. Providing specialist sexual assault and family violence programs and services, including 24 hour crisis care support, case management, therapeutic counselling, early intervention and professional education and training, we continue to grow and develop our offerings. 

 About the Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre

We are a client-centred organisation, supporting the community throughout Barwon, Wimmera, and the South West regions, offering a range of specialist support services to people impacted by sexual and family violence, encompassing 24 hour crisis care, specialist response services, early intervention programs, Victims Assistance Program, Community Legal Services, trauma recovery programs, professional training and primary prevention initiatives.

About The Role

This position provides specialised counselling to children, young people and adults who have experienced sexual assault or family violence, and to their non-offending family or friends.  The role may also include the provision of intake response, therapeutic services in group programs and intervention to children and young people who engage in problematic or abusive sexualised behaviours.

The position reports to a Team Leader, is supported by a team of highly skilled and qualified practitioners and receives regular clinical supervision and valuable peer and organisational support.

Why work for The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre?

The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre takes pride in being an employer of choice; we are passionate about the wellbeing of our team members and we celebrate diversity and inclusion in all we do. We have a high level of employee engagement and satisfaction and provide a number of complementary benefits to our staff, some of our benefits include:

• Generous above award Enterprise Agreement entitlements
• Flexible working arrangements 
• Professional development opportunities
• 5 weeks annual leave and access to purchased leave for full and part time employees
• Paid parental leave 
• Salary packaging
• Health and Wellbeing initiatives
• Flu vaccinations
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Social initiatives
• Positive workplace culture

The SAFV Centre acknowledges and respects the First Nations ownership of the land where we work. 

About You

You will be a values driven person, motivated to make a difference and hold the client at the centre of everything you do. You thrive working autonomously and also collaboratively within a dynamic, team environment.

If you share our vision for a community free from family violence and sexual assault and are motivated to make a difference, we would like to hear from you.  We pride ourselves on being a great place to work. You care for our clients and we care for you, including by investing in your development and wellbeing. You will have access to leading specialists and training and development that supports you in your role and in your longer term career journey. We offer a variety of career pathway options, leading salary packaging benefits and flexible working arrangements that help you manage your work and your life.

The successful candidate will be required to maintain a current Working with Children's Check and National Police Check at their own expense.

Key Selection Criteria

Essential Qualifications and Experience

• Degree or above qualification in social work, psychology, family therapy or similar discipline.
• Minimum two years relevant therapeutic experience post qualification.

Essential Skills and Knowledge

•  
• Significant knowledge and expertise in working therapeutically in relation to dynamics and effects of trauma on children and adults, including family members and friends.
• A comprehensive understanding of the issues relating to sexual assault and family violence within a trauma informed, feminist intersectional, and systemic approach.
• Demonstrated assessment skills, including therapeutic assessment, crisis intervention, risk assessment and safety planning.
• Ability to work collaboratively with MDC partner organisations and across complex systems including but not limited to police, judicial, medical, educational, child protection, community services and family systems.
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and to value and contribute to a positive workplace culture as a team member.
• Have a sound understanding of harmful sexual behaviours and the factors that contribute to and maintain their occurrence, and of the impact of those behaviours on vulnerable children, family systems and the broader community.
• Significant knowledge and expertise relevant to working therapeutically with the dynamics and effects of harmful sexual behaviours, and experience working with the impacts of interpersonal trauma on children and young people, as well as on supporting family members/carers.
• A comprehensive understanding of the issues relating to harmful sexual behaviours, sexual assault and family violence within a gendered, feminist, structural, individual, legal and medical context.
• High level engagement skills and the ability to work effectively with both mandated and non-mandated clients.

Other

• Commitment to the vision, values and purposes of The SAFV Centre.
• Commitment to continuous quality improvement and cultural equity in service delivery.
• Current Victorian Driver's Licence.

Referees

Applicants must provide the name and current contact details of 2-3 professional referees including the most recent or current supervisor.

Period of Appointment

This position is ongoing, subject to funding.

There are two positions available.

Hours of work

• The position is 1.0 FTE full time
• Location of the position is at Geelong
• Hours will usually be worked during business hours of 9.00am to 5.06 pm between Monday to Friday based on the needs of the service       
• Flexibility in working hours will be required from time to time as the need arises.

Salary and Conditions

Annual salary range is $98,863 - $116,468 plus superannuation (pro rata for part time). Salary will be commensurate with experience and skills.

Industrial Instrument: The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre Enterprise Agreement 2023.

Salary Packaging: Provided via Maxxia. PBI status with other expenses available to package above this cap. The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre is a Public Benevolent Institution.

Superannuation: The employer will also make superannuation payments on your behalf in accordance with the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992.

Probationary Period – 6 months with a review conducted during this time.

How To Apply

All applications must address the key selection criteria outlined in the PD. The position description is located here

All applications must address the key selection criteria outlined in the PD. For a confidential discussion, please contact our People and Culture team on

We are currently accepting applications from direct applicants only, no recruitment agency applications accepted.

Please note if you are applying via seek go to The SAFV Centre career portal to access the position description