Behaviour Support Specialist (Parkville)
We embrace diversity and strive to have a workforce that reflects the community we serve. We’re all about recruiting the best people, regardless of gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or cultural background. If you think you can do the job and would be a good fit for our department, we’d love to hear from you.
The department is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and recognises that children’s rights need to be respected, their views welcomed and valued, and their concerns taken seriously and acted upon.
If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.
For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please visit justice.vic.gov.au/careers
We’re proud of the important work we do across Victoria. Want to be part of it?
Department: | Department of Justice and Community Safety |
Work Type: | Ongoing - full time |
Job Function: | Prison and Corrective Services |
Classification: | VPSG4 |
Work Location: | Melbourne - Northern Metro |
Reference: | VG/1848407 |
Closing Date: | 06-Apr-2025 |
Salary Range: | $95,102 - $107,905 |
Job Duration: | N/A |
Attachments: | Position Description - VPS4 - Behaviour Support Specialist (YJ1906).docx (Word, 550KB) Job Specification |
Contact: | Lincoln Ellery 0492 239 566 |
Position Details
- Join Victoria's Youth Justice Precinct at Parkville.
- Be part of a team delivering evidence-based psychosocial programs to support a young person's rehabilitation and reintegration back into the community.
- Contribute to improving the outcomes of young people's futures.
Help children and young people build better futures for themselves at the Parkville Youth Justice Precinct.
Create Change from the Inside Out
The young people we work with can make remarkable changes in their lives. For many, those changes will begin at the Parkville Youth Justice Precinct.
The Parkville Youth Justice Precinct will offer innovative services aimed at reducing reoffending and giving young people the skills to make the most of their lives when they return to the community.
Doing this work well will make Victoria a safer place to live.
Be part of the change you want to see, join the workforce at Parkville.
Parkville Youth Justice Precinct is located in the inner northern suburbs of Melbourne. It accommodates young people (boys and girls) from 10 years old to 22 years old. It is easily accessible through various transport routes including trains and buses.
Some of Parkville's design features include:
• An admissions precinct
• Accommodation that supports young women
• Accommodation for young men that is also age appropriate
• Dual track provision for those over 18 years
• Purpose-built buildings to deliver education programs
The opportunity
- Two Ongoing, full-time positions based in Parkville, Melbourne.
- VPS 4 role: $95,102 - $107,905 per year plus super.
- Our Behaviour Support team located at Parkville Youth Justice Precinct, are looking for a Behaviour Support Specialist (BSS) to support custodial staff behavioural intervention strategies with young people who have been placed in custody. The BSS will work alongside clinicians within the Youth Offending Program team and restorative practitioners
- Deliver individual interventions to support the management of a young person's behaviour in custody and reintegration into the community.
- Facilitate individual and group-based psychosocial programs and co-facilitate group-based criminogenic programs to young people in custody, as required
- Using formulation skills, the Behaviour Support Specialist will support youth justice team to develop an understanding of the underlying functions of behaviours, provide strategies to Youth Justice staff to better support young people and reduce behaviours of concern
This position works on a roster, allowing additional staff benefits such as penalties, an additional week of annual leave if ten Sundays are worked across the year, and much more.
To be successful in this role you will have experience undertaking functional behavioural assessments with complex young people. This role would suit a clinician or a professional with a social service or health background who can work with justice-involved youth and challenging behaviours and is dedicated to support young people learn new ways of coping and behaving.
You will be required to obtain a Working with Children Check (WWCC) to be maintained by the employee for the period of employment.
To learn more about the type of skills you will need to thrive in this role, please read the position description.
About the Parkville Youth Justice Facility
Parkville is a 136-bed youth justice facility located in the inner northern Melbourne suburb of Parkville. The facility accommodates boys and young men and girls and young women aged 10-17 years on remand and when sentenced. Since January 2024, the facility also accommodates young people on the Dual Track system, aged 18 -21 years old.
Parkville is a safe and secure place where young people can work on getting their lives back on track, supported by evidence-based programs and services. We want young people to return home with the confidence that they can thrive in their own communities.
What's in it for you?
You will be working for the Department of Justice and Community Safety, which is one arm of the Victorian State Government, a recognised top employer of choice nationally. All our staff work to the vision of a safe, just, innovative and thriving Victoria.
There are many advantages in working for the department, including:
- Job stability – position as a member of the Victorian Public Service (VPS).
- A fair salary– enjoy great work conditions and salary sacrificing options.
- Transparent performance framework– approach your work with confidence in how you're tracking, working to professional development plans agreed on by you and your manager.
- Generous leave entitlements– provisions for many forms of leave; including personal, parental, carers, study, cultural, compassionate, and sick leave.
- Employee Assistance Program support – you are encouraged to use this short-term, confidential counselling service if you're experiencing emotional stress, relationship problems, conflict with others or personal issues. It is also available for financial counselling and retirement planning.
If you have any queries, please contact Lincoln Ellery on 0492239566 or lincoln.ellery@justice.vic.gov.au.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply.
Applicants are welcome to utilise support from the Aboriginal Recruitment Team throughout the recruitment process. Aboriginal candidates are encouraged to contact Aboriginalrecruitment@justice.vic.gov.au if they would like cultural support and guidance through the application process.
For Aboriginal Designated and Prioritised positions, a Certificate of Aboriginality (CoA) will be required prior to an offer of employment being made
We want to make sure all Victorians feel represented by the department's work. One of the ways we do this is by recruiting a diverse workforce – we welcome people of any gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability and cultural background. We are also committed to the Victorian Government's promise to increase the number of veterans working in the public sector.
We're proud of our individual differences. We're proud of the many languages we speak and the stories we can share with each other. We hope you will share your story too.
If this sounds like a compelling job that you believe your skills would be a great match for, please APPLY NOW. Applications close 11.59pm, Sunday 6th April 2025.
How to apply
Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.
The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include national police checks and misconduct screening.
If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.
FOR INTERNAL VPS EMPLOYEES:
In accordance with the Jobs and Skills Exchange Recruitment Policy, only Victorian Public Service employees are eligible to apply for this position. People on labour hire contracts, such as agency staff and external contractors, are not eligible to apply.
For all VPS employees, due to the new Jobs Skills Exchange (JSE) policy, please apply through the JSE to be eligible to be considered for this position in the first round.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:
The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.