Selection Criteria

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 mental health prevention and promotion activities in the school by contributing to whole-school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to address matters relating to student mental health and wellbeing, and helping to develop and deliver appropriate programs and strategies in the school according to specified school priorities
• Providing early intervention services (including short-term counselling) for individual students and groups identified as at-risk and/or experiencing or demonstrating mild to moderate mental health concerns; and
• Coordinating supports for students with complex needs both within and external to the school, including proactively working with regions, local mental health service providers and other health professionals to engage further support as required.

Education support class level 1 range 4
The successful applicant will be an experienced professional who will carry out their duties and responsibilities, relative to their professional discipline, with a high level of autonomy and with minimal reliance on professional supervision. The successful applicant will be responsible for the development and implementation of professional support programs within an educational environment, including guidance to other professional staff.
As an education support class position, this role supports the educational services being provided to students, but will not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic).
For more information on the responsibilities of an Education Support class level 1 range 4 employee, please visit the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/industrial-agreements/resources

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of this position will be:
The Mental Health Practitioner will:
§ work under the direction of the Student Wellbeing Campus Manager
§ build the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to support student mental health and wellbeing
§ supports the College to embed mental health promotion and prevention programs and strategies in the school such as Respectful Relationships, body confidence, year level mental health specific psychoeducation
§ enhance mental health promotion and prevention activities in the College by contributing to Student Wellbeing interventions such as `All About Me¿, lunchtime activities, event days, collaboration around IEP¿s, Behaviour support plans.
§ provide teacher professional learning as deemed necessary by the SWM
§ provides direct counselling support and other early intervention services for small groups and individual students identified as at-risk and/or experiencing or demonstrating mild to moderate mental health concerns as referred by the SWM
§ maintain strong liaison with SWM and other key team members regarding cases
§ keep relevant, professional and up-to-date case notes on identified students in order to monitor progress and develop robust support plans
§ make all case notes accessible to Student Wellbeing Campus Manager and Wellbeing Assistant Principal
§ advocate for students were appropriate and facilitate further external referrals ¿ acting as a conduit between the young person and the services they wish/need to access
§ liaise with families, carers and workers regarding the student¿s mental health and wellbeing needs, involving: Phone contact, parent meetings, attending care team meetings and other professional networks to support the student.
§ develop and implement targeted group interventions (including therapeutic) to identified students
§ provides evidence-based interventions such as `Westmeades¿, `Drumbeat¿, `Brave¿ (where appropriate)
§ create specific Mental Health Programs to address mental health needs of the students
§ coordinates support (both within and external to the College) for students with critical and complex needs
§ enhances mental health promotion and prevention activities in the College by:
o embedding mental health and wellbeing strategies and programs across the College
o building the capability of teaching and school leadership staff to manage student health and wellbeing
o contributing to whole school health and wellbeing plans
§ provides early intervention supports for students with mild to moderate mental health needs, including counselling support for individual students and/or small groups
§ coordinates support for students with complex mental health needs by proactively working with SEV Regional staff and other health professionals where required
§ complete continuing professional development activities in line with the accredited agency or registration standard
§ formally meet with the Student Wellbeing Campus Managers on a weekly basis to share information and organise work flow
§ liaise with professionals in other schools, external agencies and community organisations to ensure coordinated provision of Mental Health services to students, parents and families (eg: mental health, education, and welfare)
§ undertake additional duties as directed by the Student Wellbeing Campus Manager, Wellbeing Assistant Principal or College Principal.

Who May Apply

Registration (Counsellor applicants)
Only counsellors of a prescribed class are eligible to apply for MHP roles. This includes counsellors who:
o have completed a university degree of Bachelor of Counselling or Master of Counselling; and
o are a practicing/fully qualified member of either the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA).
To determine proof of membership with ACA, members must have:
o A current membership card (Level 2, 3 or 4) and a copy of their certificate for the Bachelor or Master of Counselling, or
o Their membership certificate (Level 2, 3 or 4) supported by a copy of their certificate for the Bachelor or Master of Counselling, or
o ACA can provide formal validation via email (admin@theaca.net.au) as they require copies of certificates before members can join. ACA can provide a same day or 24-hour turnaround for these requests.
To determine proof of membership with PACFA, members must have:
o A membership certificate that will prove their registration status, and (due to some members being graduate diploma trained) a test amur or transcript to ensure the appropriate qualification is at the bachelor or master¿s level.
Please ensure you have this to provide to the panel prior to the interview date.

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

This position is advertised as fulltime and with a commencement date of Monday 28 October 2024 however the college is negotiable on a reduced time fraction and/or a later commencement date for the right applicant. Questions around this can be discussed by shortlisted applicants with the selection panel during the interview.

• 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.

Please ENSURE that your application includes:

• A resume including relevant experience as well as personal details (name, residential address, email address and contact phone number)
• A cover letter
• A section addressing the selection criteria and the requirements for application under the Who May Apply section
• Your application must include names, titles, company, email address and phone number of at least two referees who are able to attest to the claims made in your application. Please do not list `referees upon request¿.
• Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action.

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

Location Profile
Keysborough Secondary College is a multi-campus school with one campus in Keysborough (Acacia Campus) and one in Springvale South (Banksia Campus). Both campuses offer programs for students in years 7-12 with an organisational structure arranged around Junior and Senior sub-schools.

Enrolments in the College stand at around 2100 and are growing. The College provides a broad range of VCE, VCE-VM and VET subjects for our students across the two campuses. The College also has a significant International Students Program with its own ELC.

Student achievement and engagement is generally above Like School groups and retention is high. Our student population is culturally and linguistically diverse and characterised by families of high SFOE as a result of which the college attracts significant Equity Funding. General Satisfaction with the College, as measured by the Parent Opinion Survey, is consistently high and in 2022 was 84%.

At Keysborough Secondary College we promote teaching and learning that is collaborative, technology rich, reflective, purposeful and personalised that prepares students for our rapidly changing world. Our pedagogical model - the Keysborough Learning Framework - is based on Dr Jane Pollock¿s GANAG lesson planning schema. We have a strong emphasis on teaching teams, whether those teams be across subjects within a year level (Years 7-9) or within a subject across year levels (Years 10 -12).

Our values of Respect, Excellence and Diversity are strongly promoted across the college and our college vision states: Keysborough Secondary College is committed to excellence by raising the achievements of all our students. The school community will provide an environment that enables them to achieve their personal best in each of their intellectual, creative, sporting and social pursuits. Through their voice and leadership, our students will be encouraged to make a difference by being active participants in their community. They will have the ability to succeed independently in life and empowered to achieve their ambitions.

Keysborough Secondary College has undergone an extensive renewal program with the construction of two Junior Village neighbourhoods, a Senior Village neighbourhood, and a purpose-built STEM Centre on each Campus. Construction or refurbishment of a Food Technology, The Arts and Technology Centre on each campus has also been completed. The final stage has been completed for the new Administration Centre on the Banksia Campus and the refurbishment of the Music area at the Acacia Campus.


Wellbeing Team Structure at Keysborough College
Keysborough College operates across two campuses, each with a mirrored team structure and role distribution. Our staff collaborate within shared office environments, which include youth workers, mental health practitioners, health promotion nurses, and chaplains. Dedicated consult rooms are available for one-on-one counselling sessions.
Student Wellbeing Managers oversee the Wellbeing teams at both campuses (inclusive of the MHP) and conduct weekly meetings to facilitate cross-campus collaboration and maintain connectivity. Additionally, team meetings are held on a fortnightly basis to ensure ongoing communication and coordination.
The wellbeing environment at Keysborough College is dynamic and often bustling, with students presenting diverse needs throughout the day. Referrals are directed to the Student Wellbeing Managers, who triage and allocate cases based on individual requirements.
We also host a Breakfast Club every Thursday at the Banksia Campus and every Friday at the Acacia Campus. This initiative involves an earlier start but allows for an earlier finish, offering a valuable opportunity to connect with students in a more informal setting.
Furthermore, our wellbeing staff rotate responsibility for running lunchtime activities for both junior and senior students, creating a safe and inviting space for students to engage during their breaks.
The responsibilities of the Mental Health Practitioner role may vary between schools. To provide clarity on the specific duties associated with this position at Keysborough Secondary College, we have attached the relevant position description for your review prior to the interview to ensure you feel the position would be the right fit for you.

Role

MHP 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. The MHP works closely with and under the direction of the Student Wellbeing Campus Manager (SWM). The MHP must be a fully qualified:

• nurse with a specialisation in mental health
• occupational therapist
• psychologist
• social worker
• counsellor of a prescribed class.

MHP¿s must also:

• for a qualified psychologist, occupational therapist and mental health nurse applicants, be fully registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
• for qualified social work applicants, be eligible for registration with the Australian Association of Social Woker
• for qualified counsellor applicants, have completed a Bechelor of Counselling or a Master of Counselling and be a practicing/ fully qualified member of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA).