Counsellor Advocate

Description:

About the role

• Based in our Ringwood office with free parking onsite
• Salary of 97-111k + Super + Salary Packaging
• Annual leave loading, purchased leave and other great benefits

Rebuilding Shattered Lives – supporting refugees to recover from torture and other traumatic events

Your impact
Foundation House adopts a holistic and integrated approach to meeting the complex needs of our refugee background clients and their communities to ensure the application of trauma-informed principles and trauma focused interventions.

As a Counsellor Advocate, you will work with the Foundation House Trauma Recovery Framework to provide expert assessment and counselling, using a diverse range of developmentally appropriate psychosocial therapeutic interventions. These services address both the complex psychological impact of torture and trauma, along with addressing the many challenges our clients face in terms of the broader social and economic determinants of mental health.

Your role will also involve a range of advocacy including liaison and facilitated referrals with relevant health, community, education, and legal services.

The CA role
We currently have a full-time, 12-month fixed term contract position available in our Ringwood office, within the Child, Youth and Family team.

Regular supervision, guidance and professional development support is provided to assist you in undertaking your work as a Counsellor Advocate and to support high quality services to our clients.

About you
We are looking for Counsellor Advocates who are committed to advancing human rights and are passionate about supporting trauma recovery for refugee background children and families.

You will:

• Conduct comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments with children and families to develop clear formulations and client-centred therapeutic goals.
• Provide developmentally appropriate trauma-informed and trauma focused counselling and therapeutic interventions using a range of evidence-based modalities.
• Provide psychoeducation in individual, family and group settings.
• Identify critical issues clients experience that are affecting their sense of wellbeing, mental health and safety, and develop strategies for responding to those issues. This includes making referrals and undertaking advocacy with relevant health, community, education, legal services and government agencies.

As a Counsellor Advocate you will embrace working with people from many cultural and religious backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities.

What you will need to successfully apply
Positively respond to the below selection criteria:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in psychology, social work, counselling, or other related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in counselling, preferably in a similar trauma recovery context or another area of trauma-focused service provision.
• Demonstrated experience conducting psychosocial assessments and risk assessments of adults and families.
• Ability to write high quality professional psychosocial reports for a variety of key stakeholders, including legal and government bodies.
• Good understanding of how to negotiate and advocate with multiple service systems in Victoria to support the needs of clients and their families.

In return
You will be rewarded with:

• an attractive remuneration package, ranging between $97,377 and $111,090 plus superannuation (based on experience).
• salary packaging benefits of up to $18,550, plus novated car leasing options.
• a role with true purpose to make a difference in people’s lives.
• a welcoming, highly diverse and supportive team environment.
• excellent training and professional development.
• generous leave provisions with option to purchase additional leave.
• access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for both staff and family members.

Foundation House is an inclusive employer
Foundation House is an equal opportunity employer; we foster a work environment that is inclusive and diverse. We are values driven and are committed to improving the life outcomes of refugees and asylum seekers.
Foundation House is a state-wide agency offering services throughout Victoria.

We currently have approximately 250 staff across our five offices in Brunswick, Dallas, Dandenong, Ringwood and Sunshine, and we also provide services in partnership with other agencies in regional and rural Victoria.

Foundation House is a Child Safe organisation committed to promoting and protecting the interests and safety of children. We actively play a part in combating family violence, as reflected in our organisational policies, protocols and staff development.

Upload your CV and a cover letter (maximum one to two pages) outlining why you are suitable for this role and how you meet the selection criteria as described above.

Please refer to our careers with us page for more about our counsellor advocate model, hiring process and the position description.

Applications close on the 25th of March 2025. Please note applications will be considered as they are received and may close early.

For enquiries please contact our HR Team via ****@foundationhouse.org.au or phone Justin Curreen-Harris on 03 9389 8***.

If you think you have what it takes but don’t necessarily meet all selection criteria, please still get in touch as we would love to talk with you and see if you could be a suitable fit.

Hiring is subject to satisfactory Police Check, current Working with Children Check, and proof of the right to work and live in Australia.

Please quote in application: Counsellor Advocate via Pro Bono Australia.