Position Title: Outreach Case Manager

Program: Sydney District Young Parents Program

Supervises: Nil

Responsible for: Providing outreach, case management services and tenancy support to young parents and their dependents.

Location: Launchpad Youth Community: King Street Erskineville 2043

Conditions of employment:

Employer: Launchpad Youth Community Inc.

Hours per week: 35 hours (5 days) per week.

Status: Permanent contract with a four-month probationary period.

All Launchpad positions are dependent on continued funding.

Award: Modern Award SCHCADS

Classification: Level 4 Paypoint 1-4

(depending on qualifications and experience)

Benefits:

Exciting career opportunity with established youth Specialist Homelessness Service.

Launchpad pays 8.6% above the SCHADS SACS hourly rate

Generous salary sacrifice available

Option of a hybrid working model

Access to ongoing professional development

Monthly team well-being activities

Fortnightly supervision and EAP access

Inclusive and supportive organisational culture

Project Description

Launchpad Youth Community Inc., YWCA NSW and Good Shepherd Australia/ New Zealand are a consortium of leading youth service practitioners, who have come together to deliver the Sydney Young Parents Program. The service is funded by the NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) through the Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) Program.

The Sydney Young Parents Program (SYPP) will deliver a model of service delivery which is built upon the pre-existing expertise of the partners. As such the Outreach Case Manager – young parents’ position will deliver activities related to its Home agency of employment, as well as core work related to the consortium service.

The SYPP will deliver client centred services, including early intervention, crisis response, rapid rehousing approaches and post crisis support to support young families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness in the Sydney Area Health District. The geographic coverage for the service is the DCJ Sydney District as defined by the following LGAs Ashfield, Burwood, Canada Bay, Canterbury, City of Sydney, Leichhardt, Marrickville and Strathfield.

While the partners in the consortium, and therefore team members in SYPP may have different philosophies in approaches and different roles, a shared client load, and integrated approach to service delivery is one of the under-pinning principles of this model, and the employee’s role to uphold. This will at times require stepping away from our distinct role, to support delivery of services in other parts of the program.

Organisational Environment

Launchpad Youth Community Inc. is a Specialist Homelessness Service that has been supporting young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in the inner west of Sydney for over 20 years. Launchpad aims to provide a wide range of services and opportunities to enhance young people’s capacity so they can participate, engage, and belong in the community.

We support people with complex needs, though wrap around integrated casework and coordination of support with other aligned and relevant agencies. Through a strengths-based and trauma informed approach, Launchpad works with young people in a client centred way, enhancing the capacity of young people to be at the centre of the decision making, and supporting them as they move through different pathways out of homelessness or risk of.

Whilst employed by Launchpad as the Home agency of employment, you are also employed to work within a consortium framework.

The consortium will employ staff individually; however, they will come together as a team of multi skilled practitioners with both therapeutic and integrated casework skills to deliver to young people in the inner city of Sydney. The service location for SYPP activities will be centrally located at Launchpad. Regular training, team building, planning, and learning and development opportunities with take place at the Launchpad offices. There will be strong systems in place to ensure effective communication channels between partners, aligning support strategies for clients.

Purpose of position

To deliver client centred early intervention, prevention, case management, outreach & tenancy and support services to young families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness in Sydney Area Health District.

These support services are available to all members of a family who frequents or has connections to the Sydney Local Area Health District, including their children. This will require a particular focus on increasing children's safety, education, health, and wellbeing, and providing early interventions for children by identifying and addressing the physical, social/emotional and educational needs of children of the family.

Key accountabilities

To provide wrap around individual client centred casework and case management support to young parents and their children.

To provide support to access antenatal care, parenting programs and pregnancy related supports.

Support young parents and their children who may have complex trauma histories and complex needs, including mental health, AOD issues, and involvement with courts or child protection agencies.

Support young people and their children to access and sustain housing through wrap around support.

Participate in team co-case management meetings.

Provide intake and assessment for new and existing young families and comprehensive referral pathways to other SHS, mainstream and housing agencies.

Promote the intellectual, physical, social and emotional development of children of the families through positive interactions and developmentally appropriate activities.

Be culturally competent in supporting young people who are:

culturally and linguistically diverse

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and / or

gender and sexuality diverse.

Provide support for young people to return to their community of origin where appropriate.

Facilitate access to brokerage funds where required.

Support young people to continue or access education, employment and training.

Liaise with health/mental health/AOD/ and other relevant professionals to improve support provision, access, and links to services for the identified target group.

Promote and support community networking for the young person to encourage positive interactions in a safe and supportive environment.

Prevention and early intervention of homelessness

Continue to deliver case management services for young people who are re-housed after becoming homeless and support them to stay housed.

Lead and deliver early intervention and prevention strategies for the service.

Provide outreach tenancy support, where required.

Identify and support young people who are at imminent risk of homelessness to remain safely in their existing housing or to secure stable housing.

Identify and support the needs of young people during their pregnancies.

Identify and support the needs of the babies and children within the families.

Homelessness service responses

Provide direct support and case management service to young people in crisis and respond to their immediate needs.

Assist young people who are homeless to be rapidly and safely re-housed.

Facilitate access for young people in crisis with appropriate accommodation and support to access stable housing.

Participate in staff meetings, training and other forums as required.

Maintain your own professional development in consultation with your Manager,

Administration

Maintain accurate written records, statistics and reports.

Maintain data collection and contribute to funding body reports as required by the Executive Officer.

Work in a highly responsive, proactive, and innovative way with young people.

Perform other duties, as required.

General Launchpad Accountabilities

Work as part of the wider Launchpad team displaying effective team membership by assisting with and participating in whole of service events and supporting events run by other Launchpad programs.

Attend all Launchpad/SYPP staff meetings, team building days etc. and relevant interagency meetings.

Participate in training and performance appraisals, as required.

Meet fortnightly for supervision with the Manager, Case Work Team.

Perform all duties in accordance with the Launchpad code of conduct and the Launchpad policies and procedures and philosophy.

Perform all duties in line with EEO policy and OH&S safety standards, ethical practice principles and a commitment to the principles of cultural diversity.

Essential Selection Criteria

Experience:

At least 3 years’ experience in case management with young parents/and families, experiencing homelessness including sound knowledge of integrated case management theory and best practice principles for working with young parents.

Understanding and knowledge of issues such as family restoration processes, child protection requirements, parenting and living skills, domestic and family violence, child abuse & neglect, mental health, drug and alcohol, budgeting.

Ability to manage complex caseloads, effectively plan and prioritize work with multiple priorities.

Understanding and knowledge of child development, pregnancy needs and parenting.

Demonstrated working knowledge of the youth sector, Out of Home Care system and protection agency protocols.

Experience in the homelessness services field and Working knowledge of the Going Home Staying Home reform, program and guidelines.

Demonstrated ability to utilise established referral pathways and use trauma-informed and strengths-based approach and to achieve client outcomes.

Demonstrated ability to work with Culturally Diverse clients and Aboriginal clients.

Excellent communication skills, including written and verbal presentation skills, diplomatic and effective liaison and interpersonal skills.

Ability to work independently and show initiative, as well as take direction well and work as part of a team.

Ability to provide detailed reports and collect statistics for program evaluation.

A current NSW Drivers licence.

Excellent IT skills in Microsoft Office, Excel, Power Point and Access.

Current Senior First Aid Certificate.

Education

Recognised Tertiary qualifications in social work, or a relevant field.

Or

Equivalent experience in the field of practice.

Desirable Selection Criteria

Experience working in the SHS and /or youth sector.

Relevant degree or post graduate qualifications.

Public Speaking, report writing skills.

Experience in CIMS data management and recording.

Launchpad Youth Community is an Equal Opportunity employer and strongly encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as people of diverse genders and sexualities to apply.

All prospective employees will need to pass a Working With Children Check and provide a National Police Check.

Please submit cover letter and resume, position will commence ASAP.