Gambling Help Counsellor and Educator | Gambling Help Services | Cairns

Employment Term: Full-time, maximum term until 30 September 2026

Location: Cairns

Remuneration: From $97k + Super + NFP salary packaging of up to $15,900 + $2,650 for meals & entertainment

Make a meaningful difference with UnitingCare Community

At UnitingCare we are leaders in crisis response, the protection of vulnerable people and children, financial resilience and family wellbeing. Our FaDS (Family and Disability Services) team work passionately across Queensland to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

As a Gambling Help Counsellor and Educator you’ll be encouraged to grow, develop and feel empowered to make the everyday easier for the people we care so passionately about. Let’s make a meaningful difference, together!

Your part in our UnitingCare Community team

We are currently seeking to appoint a Gambling Help Counsellor/Educator to work as a part of our Gambling Help Service based in Cairns. This position is full time on a fixed term contract to 30 September 2026.

The Counsellor/Educator provides counselling to individuals, couples and families adversely affected by addiction, specifically gambling. This client-centred work assists clients to address problematic gambling, the impacts to themselves and/or family members, and the circumstances or issues that may underpin the issue.

What makes a difference for us?

To be successful in this position you will have experience, and theoretical knowledge of working therapeutically with addiction. You will also have experience in developing and delivering education and awareness programs, as well as an understanding of theoretical frameworks and models of adult education and community development.

In addition to the above you will also be required to have:

Demonstrated experience working in a counselling role

Passionate about providing counselling to people with addiction

Demonstrated counselling skills that is applicable to addiction and trauma

Ability to build community and stakeholder relationships

Demonstrated case management skills with a focus on outcomes, data and practice improvement

Demonstrated knowledge of strength-based interventions and approaches in trauma/addiction counselling or the ability to acquire the skills

Experience in group facilitation and community education or the ability to acquire the skills

Current Drivers Licence

Suitability Card for Child Related Employment (Blue Card)

Diploma in Counselling or equivalent, with experience in a counselling environment

What makes a difference for you?

Flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance

NFP Salary Packaging: Save tax and increase your take home pay by salary packaging your everyday living expenses and bills (up to $15,900) and meal entertainment (up to $2,650) per annum. To learn more about this benefit watch the video via the following link: Salary Packaging Explained

A recognition and rewards platform, providing employee discounts at hundreds of retailers, including everyday expenses, holidays, health insurance, annual awards celebration, wellbeing and employee assistance programs

12 weeks paid parental leave and 2 weeks paid partner leave, available after 6 months service, in addition to the government scheme

Diversity and inclusive leave, offering paid gender affirmation leave and cultural leave options (paid and unpaid) for those who may celebrate Lunar New Year, Diwali, Ramadan, NAIDOC weeks and other significant cultural events

Career development opportunities to challenge yourself, grow and make a meaningful difference

A positive and inclusive team based on respect, shared standards, strong values and a commitment to serving others

We’d love you to be part of our UnitingCare family

Joining our FaDS, team, you’ll also be welcomed as part of the UnitingCare family. The second-largest Queensland employer, we’re a proud not-for-profit with more than 16,500 staff and 9,000 volunteers across our brands of BlueCare, Lifeline, ARRCS, The Wesley Hospital, Buderim Private Hospital, St Stephen’s Hospital, and St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital, and have been leading by example for more than 100 years.

Child safe, Child friendly

UnitingCare is committed to being a Child Safe, Child Friendly organisation and will:

provide welcoming, safe and nurturing services for children

implement measures to prevent child abuse and neglect within our services

appropriately and immediately address child abuse and neglect if it does occur

Diversity & Inclusion

Our approach is simple – everybody is welcome here. At UnitingCare, diversity is at the core of our who we are, our mission and our values. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all employees no matter their sex, race, culture, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity. Demonstrating our commitment to reconciliation and building long-term employment opportunities for First Nations peoples, UnitingCare strongly encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants for this position.

Safe workplace

We work hard to make our services welcoming and safe for every person. We are united in keeping children, young people and the elderly safe from harm, within our services, workplaces and the communities we support. We are committed to speaking up loudly for their safety.