Outreach Support Worker

Outreach Support Worker | Assertive Outreach Support | Toowoomba

• Employment Term: Permanent Part-Time Opportunity (32 hours per week)
• Location: Toowoomba
• Remuneration: $46.70 per hour + Super + Not for Profit Salary Packaging (Save tax and increase your take home pay)
• Applications Close: Applications will be reviewed as they are received and, therefore, may result in the role closing early if the right applicant is found.

Make a meaningful difference with UnitingCare Queensland

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 an Outreach Support Worker, 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 team

The Assertive Outreach Support program forms part of the Out of Home Care team. The program provides support to children and young people up to 18 years of age with moderate to extreme needs, helping them build positive relationships, develop everyday skills and improve their wellbeing.

You’ll provide support by encouraging them to:

• Feel a strong sense of identity and belonging through development of social and interpersonal skills
• Build positive and trusting connections with family, friends and community through relationship-based experiences and consistent and caring responses
• Have access to opportunities for learning and development to meet their individual needs.
• Create healthy lifestyle choices and access to additional external support services for physical, mental and emotional support and promote positive life outcomes.

Working within the CARE model, you’ll provide trauma-informed, nurturing support that promotes safety and stability to children and young people under statutory orders including  family-based and non-approved placements, as well as those who are transient or facing homelessness.

In this role, you’ll:

• Conduct initial needs assessments to identify strengths and develop goals to address concerns impacting on placement stability for the child or young person and the carer household.

• Undertake case planning and manage the supports identified to meet the case goals identified for the children, young people and carer household.
• Work with individual children and young people to assist them to develop skills to cope with the challenges of daily life and to improve their problem solving skills and overall wellbeing.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with other service providers, government departments and community agencies to facilitate client outcomes and positively represent the service and organisation.
• Contribute to and maintain accurate quality record keeping in accordance with reporting requirements, utilising UnitingCare record keeping systems.

• Maintain and enhance professional skills through research, training, supervision, professional development processes, team work and reflective practice.

What makes a difference for us?

• Have a minimum of a Certificate IV in Child, Youth & Family Intervention or in Human Services, Community Services, Youth Services or related field
• Experience incorporating the six CARE Principals when supporting Children and Young People, or reflection on how you would incorporate these into your practice
• Must also be willing to undergo a personal history check under the provision of the Child Protection Act 1999 in relation to Licensing of Care Services (LCS2 screening check)  
• Strong understanding of the child protection system and more specifically previous exposure to a residential or out of home care environment
• Completed the Hope and Healing Framework Foundations Training or be willing to undertake this
• Strong therapeutic background with a well-developed understanding of C.A.R.E principles and/or a trauma informed framework of practice
• Current Working with Children Check (Blue Card)
• Current Queensland Driver Licence
• Current First Aid & CPR Certificate

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 

• abide by the Child Safe Standards and adhere to the Reportable Conduct Scheme  

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.   

Commitment to Safeguarding

We are committed in creating services and workplaces that are welcoming and safe for every person. We work together to protect children, young people, adults and the elderly from harm within our services and the communities we support. We speak up for their safety to ensure their voices are heard. Our recruitment and workplace practices reflect our dedication in preventing abuse, harm and exploitation across UnitingCare.