Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health Hiring for Social Work Educator Job at Melbourne Full Time

Multiple positions available! Seeking experienced Social Work Educators with a commitment to recovery-orientated practice in forensic mental health.

• Full time or Part-time / Ongoing or Fixed-term positions available, negotiable at interview
• Up to 1.8EFT available
• Classification: SW4 Social Work Educator
• Based at Thomas Embling Hospital or one of our other Forensicare sites (negotiable), with flexible working conditions available
• Investment in a career for life in dynamic and supportive environments

A career in the forensic mental health sector is diverse, challenging and rewarding. A career at Forensicare will be like no other. If you’re passionate about supporting staff to support people in their mental health recovery, Forensicare is where you need to be. You will be a part of a caring and supportive team, making a real difference to people living with the dual stigma of mental illness and offending. We approach our work with curiosity and a commitment to understanding the unique needs of our consumers and carers. Working across community, hospital and prison settings, you can learn, apply your specialist skills, conduct research and advance in your profession. Together, we can contribute to a more connected, compassionate mental health and criminal justice system.

Job location

Forensicare is the statutory agency responsible for the provision of adult forensic mental health services across Victoria.

We address the needs of people experiencing mental health issues, the mental health sector, the justice sector and the general community. These services are delivered through inpatient services at Thomas Embling Hospital, community services through the Community Forensic Mental Health Service and prison-based services at several locations. This position will be based at Thomas Embking Hospital (negotiable) and will be required to work across all Forensicare sites at varying times, with flexible working conditions available.

Forensicare is situated across five sites across Victoria with its largest site being Thomas Embling Hospital,?located in Fairfield?just 15 minutes north of the Melbourne city centre.?Thomas Embling Hospital is a 136-bed secure hospital providing acute care, rehabilitation and continuing care programs. It includes a dedicated women’s unit.

About the Role:

The Social Work Educator:

• provides educational leadership and strategic direction for the professional development, training, education, research and ongoing practice development of Social Workers at Forensicare;
• ensures the development and delivery of an appropriate program of continuing professional education that meets the varying needs of student and graduate Social Workers, as well as experienced Social Work practitioners and managers;
• will work to ensure that Social Work practice and services are aligned with the Forensicare Strategic Plan and Model of Care and the current Australian Association of Social Workers’ (AASW) Code of Ethics, Practice and Supervision Standards. The role will actively contribute to the ongoing development and refinement of a scope of practice for Social Workers at Forensicare and a capabilities framework for forensic mental health social work practice, and will support and lead relevant service evaluation and quality improvement initiatives; and
• is responsible for coordinating Social Work student placements and research projects and for co-coordinating the Allied Health Graduate and Psychology Registrar program.

Duties:

• The Social Work Educator has duties that fall wthin four main areas of responsibility: (1) leadership, (2) clinical performance / operational requirements, (3) communication and consumer focus, and (4) professional development.
• Duties relate to social work clinical education, project and research placements, discipline-linked service development projects, clinical supervision, working within an ethically and legally sound framework, and managing quality, safety and risks.
• Please refer to Position Description for further details.

About You:

• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to forensic mental health consumer recovery.

• Knowledge and understanding of social work practice in forensic mental health or related fields

• Extensive practice experience in a social work setting.

• Proven ability to plan, implement and evaluate professional development, training, and education programs.

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly communicate abstract concepts and complex ideas to different audiences.

• Dynamic and innovative approach to problem solving.

• Ability to examine own performance, identifying strengths and limitations, and to engage constructively in clinical supervision, with a commitment to applying knowledge learned to practice.

• Possess good organisational and project management skills, and the ability to prepare and deliver written and verbal reports of a high standard.

What you need:

• Approved degree in Social Work and eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).

This position is subject to a Police Check.

A culture where people matter.

• Excellent supervision and investment in the skill development of managers and supervisors.
• Celebration and reward for good performance, through employee recognition.
• A leading, multi-faceted approach to safety, with unparalleled strategic, practical, individualised and team-based supports to minimise risks and fear and maximise safety and security, underpinned by our workplace health and safety strategy.
• Access to an employee assistance program – an external, confidential, self-referral employee wellbeing program, for personal or work-related matters.
• A mental health and wellbeing program providing psychological support, peer support and critical incidence response programs, as needed.

For more information on employee benefits visit https://www.forensicare.vic.gov.au/careers/employee-benefits

Successful applicants will be required to provide evidence of full COVID-19 Vaccination prior to commencing work at Forensicare.

Current Forensicare employees should apply through eRecruit using an account which is linked to their Forensicare email address. Employees should contact People and Culture if they are unable to access their Forensicare eRecruit account.

Forensicare is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to attracting and developing a diverse workforce which reflects the community we serve. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people who identify as LGBTQI, people with a lived experience of disability, as well as people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Forensicare promotes our guiding principles of curiosity, purpose, strong ethics, compassion and fairness; and promotes behaviours that are consistent with these values at all times. Forensicare is an equal opportunity employer and offers a smoke free environment.