POSITION DESCRIPTION
Position Title / Family Violence Men’s Behaviour Change Facilitator / Counsellor (male only)Program Division / Strengthening Communities
Team Area / Counselling and Family Violence
Position number / VAC0270
Classification Grade & Level / Social Worker Class 2, level depending on experience
Enterprise Agreement or Award applicable / Community Health Centre (Stand Alone Services) Social and Community Service Employees Multi Enterprise Agreement 2013-15
Employment details / ¨ Full-time
1.0 FTE / ¨ Part-time
FTE: 0.4EFT negotiable / ¨ Casual
AND
¨ Permanent
on-going / ¨ Fixed Term – 12 months with possibility of extension
Fixed term reason:
¨ Parental Leave Replacement
¨ Specific Project or Purpose
Position reports to / Coordinator, Counselling and Family Violence
Ordinary location(s) / Mitford Street site
How to apply / http://ischs.org.au/careers/health-jobs/
Closing Date / Thursday 24th November 2016 @ 5pm
Recruitment contact / Email:
Inner South Community Health Service Limited
Inner South Community Health (ISCH) is a leading provider of health and support services in Victoria. Encompassing six main and five satellite locations, over 300 staff work in multi-disciplinary teams to deliver health outcomes, in areas ranging from the inner city suburbs to southern metropolitan Melbourne.
ISCH is regarded as one of Victoria’s pre-eminent community health services, with specialist expertise in engaging high-risk and hard to reach groups. Its services and innovations are regarded as best-practice, having won the Premiers’ Award for Health Service of the Year in 2010.
Website Information: http://ischs.org.au/
Mission & Values: http://ischs.org.au/about-us/mission-vision-values/
Strategic Plan: http://ischs.org.au/about-us/strategic-plan/
Purpose of Position
Position Context
The Counselling and Family Violence team is located across the three sites of Prahran, St Kilda and Southport and comprises a family violence team (with the Men’s Responsibility Program; Women and Children’s Casework Counselling and the Men’s Case Management Service), and Generalist Casework Counsellors. Services are targeted to those people in the community who are most marginalised and vulnerable.The Men’s Responsibility Program (MRP) is delivered from the Mitford Street site. MRP has a primary focus of maximising the safety of women and children who are affected by family violence. The MRP addresses safety through:
· Holding men accountable for their use of violence against family members
· Assisting men to cease their use of violence and exploring new ways of relating to their partner, children and others (based on non- violence, equality in relationships, openness, respect and being more “other centred”).
· Providing support, linkage and referral to women and children, particularly referrals to domestic violence services.
· Supporting women’s choices and assisting women to link to crisis services when it is not safe for them to continue living in the relationship and/or they have decided to leave the relationship.
The MRP meets these objectives through the provision of group and individual counselling for men (aged 18 and over) and support and linkage for partners, ex-partners, children and other affected family members. Through the MRP, ISCH provides programs for both voluntary and mandated men.
The Family Violence Men’s Behaviour Change Facilitator/Counsellor position plays a vital role in the delivery of services provided to increase the safety of women and children and change the behaviour of men who use violence against family members. The position works collaboratively in a team based environment to engage and provide services to men using violence and provide support to their family members.
Working collaboratively with the team the position will:
· Increase women’s and children’s safety by holding men accountable for their use of violence against family members
· Provide timely and responsive counselling to men who use violence against women and children
· Prevent male violence through challenging the attitudes and behaviour of men and male youth
· Support women and children’s safety through the provision of referral to the Women’s Family Violence Casework Counsellor and other specialist women’s family violence services
· Engage men in their role as fathers to better understand and respond to their children’s experiences
· Provide MBCP group facilitation, including sharing the planning and delivery of evening group sessions for men in line with the philosophy and values underpinning the Men’s Responsibility Program.
Key Responsibilities
The Men’s Behaviour Change Facilitator/Counsellor will be responsible for the shared planning and delivery of evening group sessions for men accessing ISCH’s Men’s Behaviour Change group programs.
Key responsibilities include:
· Intake and assessment of men
· Counselling with men to address their use of abuse and violence
· Preparation, planning and co-facilitation of the Men’s Behaviour Change Program.
· Pre-group preparation through the provision of individual counselling sessions as required
· Undertake child-centred individual sessions with men to explore their role as fathers and their understanding of and responses to their children’s experiences
· Referrals to the Women’s Family Violence Counsellor/Partner Contact Worker and Children’s Counsellor for family members for ongoing risk assessment, safety planning and counselling support.
· Risk assessment, safety planning and risk management in conjunction with the family violence team members and other service providers as required.
· Participation in the family violence team intake, case planning and review processes.
· Liaison with relevant services to promote the role and to ensure ongoing referral linkages and referral pathways are strengthened, particularly with the justice system.
· Development, implementation and documentation of key linkages and referral pathways- particularly with police, court based outreach, women’s family violence services and accommodation providers.
· Completion of required reporting to the Department of Health and Human Services
· Referral and advocacy for clients and their families.
· Participation in Family Violence Networks.
Key Capabilities
· Demonstrated knowledge of family violence including the social and gendered context and principles and philosophies of practice
· A comprehensive understanding of the impact of family violence on women and children
· Demonstrated skills and experience in group work, including facilitating Men’s Behaviour Change group programs
· Self-disciplined – Able to manage own time to achieve key outcomes and use tools effectively to assist with planning and organising
Qualifications
Essential / Degree or Diploma in social work or other related qualification.
Male Only worker as per Equal Opportunity Act (2010).
Preferred / Graduate Certificate in Social Science (Male Family Violence). Support may be available to complete this qualification if not already held.
Professional Membership(s) / Eligibility for membership of either the AASW or other relevant professional association.
Experience
Essential / Experience in planning, facilitation and evaluation of group work
Preferred / Experience working in the family violence sector
Key selection criteria - Essential
Knowledge and skills / · A pro-feminist approach to understanding and working with family violence and a demonstrated understanding of the social and gendered context of family violence and the impact of violence on women and children
· Sound understanding of the theory and practice as it relates to working with men who use violence towards women and children
· Demonstrated ability in group work (planning, facilitation and evaluation) including proficiency in facilitating a Men’s Behaviour Change Group
· Ability to undertake family violence assessments and develop a case plan in partnership with the client that addresses safety issues (for women and children and for the man himself), reflects the man’s goals for himself and his family, addresses the needs of those affected by the violence and meets the aims of the program in addressing men’s use of family violence
· Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to negotiate and collaborate with a variety of stakeholders
· Ability to demonstrate culturally sensitive practice in relation to family violence.
· Working with children check
Key Selection Criteria - Desirable
Personal qualities / · Resilience - Demonstrates perseverance in achieving objectives and copes effectively with setbacks and problems.
· Initiative & Accountability - Takes responsibility for actions and proactively implements work plan and addresses issues.
· Empathy and Cultural Awareness - Demonstrates an interest in and an appreciation of a range of different cultures and actively seeks to understand and effectively address the issues and views of others.
Other Licence(s) / Unrestricted Victorian Driver Licence (or equivalent)
Important information
· ISCH is committed to providing and maintaining a working environment which is safe and without risk to the health of its employees. The organisation is a smoke-free workplace.
· Offers of employment are contingent upon:
o A successful reference check (all positions);
o Non-adverse Criminal Record check (all positions);
o Fitness for Work medical examination (specific positions);
o Holding and maintaining a valid ‘Working with Children Check’ (specific positions).
ISCH is an equal opportunity employer and encourages individuals of diverse backgrounds including but not limited to those from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse and GLBTIQ+ community to apply.
Salary Packaging Information
· Inner South Community Health Service currently two types of Salary Packaging:
o General salary packaging of $15,900 per FBT year
o Meal Entertainment/Facility leasing of $2,550 per FBT year
Salary Packaging is optional and may have considerable tax benefits depending upon personal circumstances.
AUTHORISATION
Person who completed and authorises this Position Description / Position Title: / Coordinator Family ViolenceProgram / Division: / Strengthening Communities
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Status: Internal / Confidential / Review Date: 27/05/2016 Review by: ST
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