Mental Health And Wellbeing Officer

**Overview**:
**Work type**:Full time

**Salary**:Salary not specified

**Grade**:Ed Support Level 1-Range 3

**Occupation**: Education and Training

**Location**: Ballarat

**Reference**: 1480158

**Selection Criteria**:
1. KSC1 - Well-developed 1-1 and small group counselling/therapeutic skills, when working with secondary age students experiencing mental health and wellbeing concerns.

2. KSC2- Demonstrated ability to understand, empathise with and support students in a variety of challenging personal situations, through a good understanding of trauma and child and adolescent development.

3. KSC3 - Demonstrated knowledge and skills in conducting risk assessments, including assessment of mental health risk, developing safety plans to mitigate risks, and providing follow up support and referral for treatment as indicated.

5. KSC5- Demonstrated ability to engage and assess young people and their family, to determine their wellbeing needs and assist them to access necessary supports and services.

6. KSC6- Demonstrated capacity to liaise, collaborate and develop positive partnerships with agencies and community services to improve outcomes for students

7. KSC7- Experience in the development and delivery of proactive programs to develop optimism, resilience, regulation, coping, health and wellbeing and interpersonal skills in adolescents.

8. KSC8- Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills and an ability to maintain comprehensive confidential case notes.

**Role**:
The successful applicant will work as a member of the college¿s Student Advocacy and Mental Health Services Team - to provide both preventative and targeted wellbeing support for students, via therapeutic intervention and case-coordination. The Mental Health and Wellbeing Officer will be responsible to the Principal through the Assistant Principal (Wellbeing Leader), and the Student Advocacy and Mental Health Services Team Leader. In addition, they will liaise with Sub School Leaders, Year Level Coordinators and Teaching Staff to assist with the Colleges¿ response to the wellbeing needs of students and their families.

**Responsibilities**:
¿ Provide professional student support services, e.g. therapeutic, psychological and counselling services.
- The Mental Health and Wellbeing Officer will be responsible for supporting students who are identified by the Student Advocacy and Mental Health Services (SAMHS) Team as requiring support from Tier two or Tier three interventions. They will work under the direction of the SAMHS Team Coordinator and Wellbeing Assistant Principal to:

- Develop, coordinate and provide small group tier two interventions to support student mental health and overall wellbeing
- Assist in the day-to-day intake and support processes within the Wellbeing Hub, including but not limited to, following up sub school concerns for students, completing intake or brief intervention, supporting students accessing the Wellbeing Hub for regulation or wellbeing breaks, completing risk assessments.
- Act as an initial contact person for staff and students accessing the Wellbeing Hub, by creating a friendly and welcoming space.
- Provide support to individual students to provide counselling, implement Mental Health support plans, mental health safety plans or any other intervention recommended by the SAMHS Coordinator and Leadership Team.
- Work in close association with the Principals, Sub-school Leaders, Student Advocacy and Mental Health Support Team, Teachers and external agencies in the development and implementation of the policies and practices that support student success, engagement and wellbeing.
- To engage in professional learning to increase knowledge of student mental health and wellbeing and maintain best practise standards.
- Support the SAMHS Team by providing Intake and Assessment to students at Woodmans Hill Secondary College. Including risk assessment, safety planning and risk management.
- Build and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders involved in the provision of health, mental health, and psychosocial services to young people.
- Maintain records, case notes and ensure that student information is kept up to date in accordance with policy and guidelines.
- Assist families to access appropriate relief agencies. e.g. State School Relief, Smith Family.

¿ Develop and assist in delivering pro-active classroom and extra curricula programs that improve student resilience and wellbeing.
- Facilitate Mental Health Prevention and Promotion activities, events and groups that improve student resilience, wellbeing, connection and engagement.
- Provide information and advice to parents and students upon request, including referral to DET Student Support Services, other Government agencies and alternative education/training/employment programs.
- Participate in an annual Performance and Development process.
- Supporting the school to create clear referral pathways internally (within school) and externa