Mental Health Practitioner

Location: South West Region | Mortlake

Job type: Part time / From 28/01/2025

Organisation: Schools (Government)

**Salary**: Salary not specified

Occupation: Health and Allied Health

Reference: 1455818

**Location Profile**:
Mortlake P-12 College is a learning environment that serves the rural district surrounding Mortlake, a sheep, beef, cropping and dairy farming area about 50 kilometres north of Warrnambool. In 2025 our student enrolment is 190 and we have 22 teaching staff and 13 education support staff.

As a P-12 school we believe a great strength is our ability to provide a seamless transition between primary and secondary schooling as we have an extensive knowledge of every students' learning and social needs. We place a high emphasis on developing not just a student's academic progress but their learning growth as individuals in all areas including their mental health and wellbeing. Our school has a focus on continuous improvement in every aspect of school life.

Our school goals focus on improving our students levels of achievement in all domains of the curriculum. We are a PLC (Professional Learning Community) school and we are committed to implementing the DET FISO (Framework for Improving Student Outcomes). Our PLC focus brings together teams of teachers and leaders with a singular focus on ensuring success for every student. Our PLCs are characterised by teacher collaboration, shared practice and collective responsibility. The work of PLCs is undertaken through regular cycles of disciplined, collaborative inquiries.

The physical layout of the school reflects the sub school groupings with areas for Years P-6, Years 7-10 and Year 11 and 12 VCE/VCA/VET.

Our school provides students with the opportunity to excel in a range of 'enrichment programs, performing arts (professional standard school productions), access to South West TAFE & Corangamite Trade Trading Centre, public speaking; instrumental music, sporting teams, camps and excursions at all year levels. We combine the best of a traditional approach to teaching with innovative and exciting programs at all levels.

Mortlake College is proud of its achievements in student learning. We have a strong focus on literacy and numeracy at all levels. One of the great strengths of the school has been our excellent VCE & NAPLAN results over a long period of time. Our staff is committed to providing students the best possible chances to maximize their results through smaller class sizes and knowledge of individual student learning.

We have a very strong welfare support team across the school including a Welfare Officer, a School Nurse, a Secondary Mental Health Practitioner and a School Chaplain. We are committed to providing the best possible learning environment for all our students so that they can reach their potential and experience success.

Our school has also undergone significant physical changes over the past 3 years within excess of $3 million dollars being spent on upgrading our senior classrooms and primary school area. We are continuing to invest heavily in our school buildings and grounds. We are aiming to develop an inviting and stimulating learning environment.

Mortlake P-12 College is an excellent educational institution that is focused on continuous improvement.

**Selection Criteria**:

- Ability to implement a range of small group and whole-school mental health prevention and promotion activities aimed at improving student mental health and wellbeing, including the delivery of capability building and awareness raising activities for staff and/or students on key mental health and wellbeing issues affecting the school's student population.
- Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies aimed at enhancing mental health and wellbeing prevention, promotion and early intervention.
- Demonstrated experience in assessing, conceptualising and analysing wellbeing issues, and providing evidence-based direct counselling support to clients with a range of mental health needs.
- Demonstrated experience in coordinating supports for young people with complex needs including referrals to a range of specialist services as appropriate.
- Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.
- Clear understanding of legislative requirements regarding privacy of health information.

**Role**:
The Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) initiative was announced by the Minister for Education in late 2018 to expand mental health and wellbeing support in government schools. The initiative provides for a suitably qualified mental health professional in all government secondary school campuses and specialist school (with secondary-aged enrolments) settings.

Operating in collaboration with the relevant Department of Education Regional Mental Health Branch, this role has the following functions:

- Enhancing