Position description Social Worker – Community Support

About Redkite

Redkite is a leading national charity which provides essential support to children, teenagers and young adults (up to 24 years), and their families, through the difficult journey.

Redkite’s purpose: To provide essential support to children, teenagers and young adults with cancer to ensure the best possible quality of life for them and their family – now and into the future

Our promise to children, young people and families: You are not alone with cancer. We will listen, respect and respond to you and your family with essential support from hospital to home.

Redkite’s services: Redkite provides information, counselling, financial assistance and education and career support. We are available from the moment of diagnosis, throughout treatment and beyond. Our services recognise the importance of hope, stability and dignity and we acknowledge the strengths, commitments and values that people bring with them into the cancer experience. We believe the best way to support a child or young person is to support their whole family and that all families across should have equal access to support – no matter where they are located.

Reports to: Senior Social Worker – Team Lead Location: Status: Full time, fixed term contract Direct Reports: Nil

Primary Purpose Describe why the role exists in 1 to 3 succinct statements The primary purpose of this position is to provide intake, assessment, psychosocial support and therapeutic counselling services to children and young people (up to 24 yo) with a diagnosis of cancer, their families, partners and support networks. This role is also involved in the facilitation of therapeutic groupwork programs by phone and face to face. This role will take a lead in developing local relationships with hospitals and other service providers. This position will also participate in the development, implementation and evaluation of innovative support programs and projects as part of Redkite’s strategic plan to improve support for children and young people diagnosed with cancer and their families.

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Significant Working Relationships

Most Frequent Contacts Internal / Nature or Purpose External Community Based Support Team Internal To work collaboratively with the social work team to cover an intake roster, provide peer support and facilitate group work programs Clients External To provide psychosocial assessment, referral, support and counselling Health professionals External To provide consultation, information about Redkite services and develop referral networks, collaborations and partnerships Wider Services Team Internal To work collaboratively with other services teams in relation to service provision Wider Redkite team Internal To work collaboratively with other Redkite departments including marketing, fundraising and operations

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Position Key Result Areas

Provide Best  Deliver high quality psychosocial support services in accordance with Practice legal, organisational and professional standards of practice. Psychosocial  Effectively inform and link children, young people and families to Support and appropriate services both within and outside Redkite, and provide case Therapeutic management or care coordination when needed Counselling  Conduct psychosocial assessments to identify and assess the complex needs of children and young people with a diagnosis of cancer and, their families.  Provide psychosocial support and therapeutic counselling via: o Telephone o Email o Face to face o Groupwork programs (face to face and by telephone) o Other identified avenues  Develop care plans in collaboration with the individuals and families affected by cancer that consult Redkite.  Conduct risk assessments in accordance with legal, organisational and professional requirements to identify individuals at risk.  Record keeping and data entry in accordance to Redkite’s policies and procedures.  Consultation, liaison, care coordination with relevant service providers to promote continuity of care.  Advocate to address client need and promote equity of access to necessary services.  Maintain strong knowledge of key sources of practical, financial, emotional and education support for children, young people facing cancer and their families  Contribute to the development of clinical practices, procedures and protocols in accordance with identified need.  Actively and positively participate in clinical supervision with the Head of Professional Standards and Practice. Project Work  Support and contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of service projects and programs.  Contribute to the development of policy, operational procedures and work practices for service projects and programs.  Lead or contribute effectively to project initiatives under the direction of the Strategic Projects Manager National Services or other project managers.

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Quality Assurance,  Participate in service development and improvement processes, Research and decisions and activities. Evaluation  Promote and utilise an evidence informed approach to clinical and

project work.  Contribute to building an evidence base to support the consolidation and innovation of Redkite Services. High Quality Team  Utilise well developed communication, consultation, negotiation and Work and conflict resolution skills to work collaboratively within a dynamic Participation national team and promote the role of Redkite.

 Work effectively and collaboratively as an integral member of the Community Based Support team and the wider Services Team  Participate in team meetings, project teams and relevant committees.  Provide quality advice and information about Community Support programs to Redkite’s Fundraising and Marketing Teams Key Stakeholder  Engage effectively and manage relationships with internal and external Engagement and stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds including children, young Relationship people, families, not for profit organisations, health and community Management agencies, funders, fundraisers, Redkite Regional Councillors and Board members.  Co-facilitate and lead internal and external key stakeholders engagement activities.  Contribute to and develop collaborative relationships with key service partners, including Hospitals, Youth Cancer Services and Childhood Cancer Support.  Promote Redkite’s services to key stakeholders including children, young people and families and potential service referrers Leadership  Exercise leadership in the delivery of Redkite services by communicating vision, aligning strategy with outcomes, taking responsibility, supporting appropriate governance.  Demonstrate and promote professionalism, respect and open communication.  Contribute to the development of initiatives that support the continuum of care  Identify and promote strategic opportunities for Redkite  Identify unmet client needs and service gaps and potential service responses to address these  Represent Redkite as and when required, speak at a variety of functions.  Supervise students, volunteers and casual staff as required

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Other  Utilise and ensure compliance with contemporary human resource management and human service practices and principles.  Undertake administrative and other duties as required.  Participate in professional development and performance planning and review

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Organisational Key Result Areas For all employees of Redkite

Values, culture and  Consistently displays and demonstrates Redkite’s values leadership  Promotes a positive and supportive working environment  Models optimistic and resilient behaviour Best practice and  Acts in accordance with Redkite’s organisational policies, governance procedures and relevant legislative requirements  Takes responsibility for ongoing learning and development to ensure adherence to relevant professional and legislative requirements Risk management  Takes reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others  Reports any hazards and incidents observed in the work place or at external venues/functions  Proactively ensures a safe operating environment by adhering to all OH&S requirements Adaptability and  Shows resilience in adapting to changing circumstance initiative  Responds positively and accommodates changes to internal process and policy  Suggests ways to create better systems, processes and service delivery  Embraces change positively and encourages same in others  Uses and/or fosters innovative thinking about ways to achieve individual and organisational goals Data management  Ensures proper documentation is kept and filed in a timely and efficient manner  Ensures data is captured completely, accurately and is up to date for all relevant systems Team work  Works collaboratively with others  Consultative and flexible when working with others  Supportive of other team members, particularly in busy periods  Understanding and willingness to go above and beyond and to represent Redkite as an integral member of the team as required

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Key Competencies and Experience

Qualifications and training Essential  a tertiary Social Work qualification recognised by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)  eligibility for membership of the AASW

Desirable  post-graduate counselling training/qualifications

Experience and knowledge Essential  A minimum of 2 years’ post-qualifying experience of providing psychosocial support and therapeutic counselling to children, young people (up to 24 yo) and families

Desirable  Previous employment in or other health related support areas (including community agencies)  Experience of providing telephone and email counselling  Advanced knowledge of strength based models of practice  Experience in leading or participating in project work

Skills / Competencies Essential  An ability to exercise advanced independent professional judgement to facilitate complex professional and clinical decisions  An ability to establish and maintain collaborative partnerships with internal and external key stakeholders in relation to optimising service delivery outcomes  Casenoting and record-keeping skills  Ability to use Microsoft Office and Google applications

Desirable  Familiarity with a Salesforce database

Other Attributes Essential  C class driving licence  Ability to undertake some intra and interstate travel  Ability to undertake some work outside of normal business hours including weekends (TOIL can be accumulated within policy guidelines)  The capacity to meet various state and national child safety regulations including suitability for working with children and criminal checks

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