Selection Criteria

Applicants should provide evidence of their experience and ability to meet the following selection criteria:


KSC1 - Experience supporting the general wellbeing of students and the school community.
KSC2 - Experience in providing services to improve student engagement and connectedness.
KSC3 - Ability to foster a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment.
KSC4 - Experience in delivering wellbeing services within a multidisciplinary team
KSC5 - Ability to operate within the school community and with external providers, including providing students with referrals to specialist services when required.

Role

Ararat Primary School is looking to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced Student Wellbeing Officer as part of our recent and successful National Student Wellbeing Program (NSWP) funding.
The National Student Wellbeing Program (NSWP) provides:

• pastoral care services
• strategies that support the wellbeing of the broader school community.

The NSWP defines pastoral care as the practice of supporting the general wellbeing of students and the school community.
Chaplains and student wellbeing officers must follow the NSWP Guideline and the service agreement between the school and provider (if applicable). The guidelines include a code of conduct which must be signed by the chaplain or student wellbeing officer. The NSWP guidelines can be viewed at https://www.vic.gov.au/national-student-wellbeing-program.


Role Purpose
A student wellbeing officer engaged via the NSWP may:

• work as a member of the school¿s wellbeing team in the delivery of student wellbeing services
• contribute to improving student engagement and connectedness
• contribute to providing a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment
• provide pastoral care and guidance to students
• operate within the school community and with external providers.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities
The roles and responsibilities of NSWP student wellbeing officers could include:

• supporting student attendance, engagement and mental health
• supporting students in difficult or challenging situations such as during times of grief
• providing students with referrals to specialist services when required
• providing pastoral care and guidance to students about values and ethical matters
• supporting physical, emotional, social and intellectual development and wellbeing of all students
• supporting an environment of cooperation and respecting a diversity of cultures and traditions.

NSWP student wellbeing officers must not:

• proselytise, evangelise or advocate for a particular religious view or belief
• enter compromising situations where confidentiality may be sought by the student
• behave in a way that impacts the delivery of their services under the program, including in a private capacity
• perform professional or other services for which they are not qualified
• visit students¿ homes to work with students and their families
• conduct religious services or ceremonies or lead in religious observances
• provide religious instruction or religious counselling to students
• promote external events run by religious organisations. For example, camps, excursions, youth conferences, guest speaker presentations etc.
• become involved in parenting disputes, family law matters or other legal proceedings.

Who May Apply

Qualifications
Chaplains and Student wellbeing officers must hold a Certificate IV equivalent or higher qualification that includes competencies in:

• mental health and making appropriate referrals, and
• providing pastoral care or working with youth.

Qualifications in the Community Services Training Package that meet these requirements are::

• Certificate IV in Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care (CHC42315)
• Certificate IV in Community Services (CHC42015)
• Certificate IV in Mental Health (CHC43315)
• Certificate IV in Youth Justice (CHC40513)
• Certificate IV in Youth Work (CHC40413).

Information on training providers for these courses can be found at www.training.gov.au.
Other qualifications in psychology or social work may be suitable. See:

• the Psychology Board of Australia approved courses of study
• the Australian Association of Social Workers accredited courses.

All chaplains and student wellbeing officers must hold a valid employee working with children clearance.
Chaplains and student wellbeing officers must comply with the school¿s child safety screening requirements.


Student Wellbeing Officer
A student wellbeing officer is an individual who:

• has the skills and experience to deliver student wellbeing services to the school community
• meets the NSWPs minimum qualification requirements.

Chaplains and student wellbeing officers must respect other peoples views, values and beliefs, including cultural and religious perspectives. NSWP chaplains and student wellbeing officers must not proselytise, evangelise or advocate for a particular religious view or belief.
Chaplains and student wellbeing officers must comply with mandatory reporting obligations under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005.

EEO AND OHS Commitment

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via marrung@education.vic.gov.au

Child Safe Standards

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

DE Values

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview

Other Information

Applications must include:
1. A cover sheet providing contact information including home address, email and phone number.
2. A CV with a summary of experience and qualifications.
3. Specific Key Selection Criteria response.
4. The names, email addresses and contact details for three referees.
For ease of handling by the school, all documents (cover letter, cv and key selection criteria responses) can be saved as one pdf and uploaded to Recruitment on Line.


Please also ensure that your name is included in the header of each document.
All applicants should ensure that their personal profile on Recruitment Online is up to date
Applicants seeking further information about the position or a tour of the school are encouraged to contact the principal, Mr Oliver Reeve. Please contact reception on 5352 1253 or email ararat.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Conditions of Employment

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

Location Profile

Are you a passionate, positive proactive person looking for an exciting wellbeing position in a beautiful regional school, where our staff are our most valuable resource...then we have the position for you!
Ararat Primary School, or "800" as it is known locally, is a vibrant, inclusive, and nurturing school environment, committed to providing the very best learning opportunities for all our students. The school community is committed to preparing our students to be resilient, respectful, and valued members of the community. We are well supported by families and a community which really values and supports education and our school.
The school is in the regional city of Ararat, which is located approximately 200 kilometres north-west of Melbourne. The school was opened in 1865 and 159 years later, we continue to high quality teaching and learning programs and achieving very positive wellbeing provide and academic outcomes for all students.
In 2024 our school has 242 happy and engaged learners. The school has 12 classes with a combination of full and part time staff, along with five specialist classes of PE, Science, Visual Arts, Kitchen Garden and Chinese Language.
Come and work together with our staff so that we can all support the best outcomes for students.

You are encouraged to tour the school or speak with our Principal (Oliver Reeve), so that you can see if our amazing school is the one that you are looking for.