About the college

Albert Park College's modern, beautifully designed campuses, located a stroll to the beach in inner-city Melbourne, make it a pleasant and convenient place to work, well serviced by public transport. Incorporating recycled materials, indigenous flora and natural light and ventilation, our buildings and grounds reflect our communities belief in environmental sustainability. The college operates its own positive education model for students, has a caring work environment for its staff, and offers a lively social atmosphere.

About the role

This position is full time, to commence as soon as possible and will continue until the end of the school year with the possibility of continuing in 2026.

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.

Applicants must be qualified as a psychologist, social worker, mental health nurse, occupational therapist or counsellor of a prescribed class. Specifically:

For Psychologists, applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA

For Mental Health Nurses, applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA and hold a postgraduate qualification in mental health

For Social Workers, applicants must be eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers

For Occupational Therapists applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA

For Counsellors applicants must have completed a Bachelor or Master of Counselling and be a practising member of either the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)

Key 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.

Suitably qualified applicants should include a covering letter, resume and brief response to the selection criteria and please note, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. For enquiries regarding the role, please contact Jovana Kuvac, HR Manager by emailing: [email protected]