The Mirabel Foundation

Job description

Hours: Full-time 37.5 hours per week (negotiable)

Location: St Kilda

Reports to: CEO and Programs Manager

About the Mirabel Foundation

We are an Australian Children's Charity that was established in Victoria in 1998 and extended into New South Wales in 2003. Mirabel is the vision of Jane Rowe, who identified a vulnerable group of children and took action to make a positive difference in their lives. In her work as a drug and alcohol counsellor, Jane witnessed the devastating effects that drug use has on the children of drug users and the cycle of abuse that repeats itself through generations if action is not taken.

Mirabel believes that every child deserves a childhood and our mission is to break the destructive cycle of addiction. We achieve this through the delivery of proven programs for children who have been orphaned or abandoned due to their parents’ illicit drug use.

We also provide crisis support and parenting assistance for the kinship carers faced with the responsibility of raising the children. Mirabel’s vision is that every child has a childhood filled with love, hope and belonging.

About Mirabel’s Youth and Children’s Programs

Mirabel is often the one constant in a child’s life. We provide a wide range of programs that span across childhood and adolescence that include recreational activities, camps, therapeutic groups, youth support, educational assistance and advocacy.

It is common at our Big Days Out and Mega Camps to hear children say that they’ve never had so much fun in their lives. These events are all about creating happy childhood memories while letting children discover that they are not alone in their experiences. Important friendships are formed between the Mirabel children and many of these continue into adulthood.

Our groups are often the first time that children are able to talk openly about their difficult past without feeling judged or excluded. There is great comfort that comes with knowing you are not alone and are not to blame for your parents’ decisions. There is also great confidence that comes with knowing you have the ability to succeed at school and that you have options for a happy and productive future.

Our Youth & Children’s Programs provide a pathway out of the cycle of disadvantage typically experienced by these young people.

Where you come in

We’re looking for someone who can make a child or young person feel like they are the most important person in a room. You will need to be able to plan meticulously while being flexible enough to adapt quickly to changing situations. We need someone who can work as part of a team while also being energised by groups of excited and sometimes challenging children.

You will need to be comfortable co-facilitating support groups with children and adolescents. You will be expected to work both independently and in collaboration with the Family Support Team to support the kinship carers with any specific concerns regarding their child.

We’re looking for someone who can confidently deliver the following key objectives:

Be the 'go to' person for the Child & Youth programs, to guide, support and offer assistance when required

Provide regular debriefing to the Child & Youth team

Organise and lead regular and impromptu team meetings to relay relevant and important updates from the Leadership Team

Support and develop the children's groups for each region, plan and think outside the box on new and innovative programming to benefit the young people we work with

Delegate tasks and follow up with team members supporting the groups

Identify and share networking opportunities and referral pathways that strengthen our youth team's knowledge and professional connections

Provide recreational activities, camps, referral and follow-up for vulnerable children and youth

Provide individual youth support to at-risk young people as required

Build strong stakeholder relationships that enhance Mirabel's reputation and program reach

Here’s some of the tasks that your role will involve:

Support the organisation and facilitation of our therapeutic children’s groups programs: These groups take place in various locations throughout Melbourne from 4:30-6:30pm on a weeknight (approximately 2 per week). You will also follow up any issues raised during the groups. Delegate tasks and follow up with team members leading the groups.

Support, organise, facilitate and evaluate recreational activities: we love providing fun events and camps for children and young people. You’ll work alongside other members of our child and youth team to deliver exciting and attractive opportunities for the Mirabel children and youth. You will also follow up any issues raised during events. There will be some weekend work and overnight stays (approximately one weekend per month which may include some travel to NSW).

Provide one-to-one youth support: we work closely with young people who are experiencing crisis or are unable to join our group programs. You will have a small case load of young people to see regularly. The focus of this support will be to maintain the young person’s place within the family, link them in with local services and, where appropriate, prepare them for integration into Mirabel’s group programs.

Administrative duties including: approving staff timesheets, credit card reconciliation, staff expenses, staff leave, staff TIL management, prepare quarterly board reports, budget planning in consultation with Programs Manager whilst ensuring staff are working within the budgets allocated per program. This role will also include facilitating weekly team meetings as well as recruitment of new staff

Let’s talk about you

You’re looking for purpose in your work: You’re looking to take a purposeful step in your career and find an organisation where you can put your skills towards supporting people, not profit.

You are keen to use your exceptional organisational and interpersonal skills to lead a team: You can confidently support the team when issues arise as well as think on your feet and make tough judgment calls when required. You will be able to liaise and build positive working relationships with other services, respond to issues within the team, escalate any concerns to Programs Manager and create an open and positive working environment for all staff.

You have experience in service provision to children and families: You have at least 8 years’ experience working with children and families including the provision of group work and individual support.

You appreciate autonomy and like to take initiative: You are fantastic at managing your own time and will be energised to work with the Programs Manager to come up with a list of tasks to complete.

You’re the rock people can rely on: You’re dependable and always willing to be flexible to try and make things work. You enjoy putting on your problem-solving hat and helping out other members of the Mirabel team.

You are an experienced juggler: You are comfortable with the different components involved in leading the Child & Youth Support team and not concerned about having a number of balls in the air.

Required for the role

Tertiary Qualifications in Health, Social Sciences, Education or other relevant fields

Knowledge and understanding of child protection processes, the education system and how drug issues affect families

Strong organisational, interpersonal & planning skills.

Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

Computer literacy, especially MS Outlook, MS Word, Salesforce.

Ability to act in accordance with Mirabel’s Code of Conduct.

Working with Children Check and Police Check before commencement.

In addition, the position requires meeting the behaviour standards outlined in Mirabel’s Practice and Behaviour Policy and Procedure and to:

Promote the safety and wellbeing of children and young people to whom we provide services.

Report any suspicions, concerns, allegations or disclosures of alleged abuse to management.

Maintain valid ‘working with children’ documentation and vaccination requirements.

Undergo periodic criminal history record checks.

Report to management any criminal charges or convictions you receive during the course of your employment that may indicate a possible risk to children and young people.

Authority

This position is accountable to the CEO of The Mirabel Foundation and the Programs Manager.

This position will be expected to work collaboratively in consultation with the Mirabel leadership team and the CEO.

Pre-approval from the CEO or Finance Manager is required for all expenses.

how to apply

Please provide your CV and a brief cover letter describing your most memorable childhood experience and your reason for applying for this role.

There is no closing date for this role and we will be interviewing potential candidates as they present.