Social Worker
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- Are you passionate about empowering young people to achieve their recovery goals?
- Austin Health is seeking an enthusiastic Social Worker to join our exciting new Youth Prevention and Recovery Centre (YPARC) – supporting young people aged 16-25 years through their mental health journey.
- Part time, 22.8 hours per week
Austin Health is the major provider of tertiary health services, health professional education and research across three campuses in the north-east of Melbourne and state-wide. We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our goal to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives.
About YPARC/Mental Health Division
Mental Health Division provides care and services through a comprehensive range of teams to meet the needs of mental health consumers and carers throughout Victoria. Services are located across Austin Health campuses and in the community. All mental health services work within a clinical framework that promotes recovery-oriented practice and supported decision making. This approach to client wellbeing builds on the strengths of the individual working in partnership with their treating team. It encompasses the principles of self- determination and individualised treatment and care.
Austin YPARC is a newly established service to Austin ICYMHS and will provide a safe and inclusive residential mental health service for young people (16-25 years) who are “stepping down” from inpatient mental health care or “stepping up” from the community. YPARC will offer young people a place to consolidate their community transition and recovery treatment plans. Operating in partnership with MIND Australia, YPARC offers 24-hour high-quality mental health care combining clinical, psychosocial, and peer support. The service helps young people consolidate their recovery plans while building connections to primary health and community supports that foster long-term resilience and self-management.
About the role
As a Social Worker in YPARC, you'll be instrumental in providing recovery-oriented, trauma-informed care within a residential setting that feels like home. You'll work alongside a dynamic multidisciplinary team and MIND Australia partners to deliver holistic support that addresses not just mental health needs, but also the complex social factors.
A regular day will see you:
- Provide evidence-based psychotherapeutic and psychosocial interventions (individual and group) for young people experiencing a range of mental health issues including psychotic disorders, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, and substance use
- Develop individualized recovery plans in partnership with young people and their families/carers
- Facilitate brief therapeutic group interventions focusing on distress tolerance, emotional resilience, and wellbeing
About you
You will be someone who has excellent communication skills, with a strong commitment to excellence in patient care. You’ll bring energy and drive to your work, and have a keen interest in developing your skillset.
To be successful in this role, you'll bring with you:
- Bachelor of Social Work or Master of Social Work from an approved tertiary institution
- Eligibility for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
- Minimum 2 years in mental health clinical practice, including work with young people experiencing mental health disorders
- Ability to develop, implement, and evaluate client-centered service plans, risk assessments, and formulations
Our benefits
Working at Austin Health means enjoying a strong sense of purpose, engaging in meaningful work every day. Our people also receive a variety of rewarding benefits, including:
- Greater take-home pay through generous salary packaging benefits, for living expenses, meals and holiday accommodation
- A suite of wellness initiatives designed to support you, including discounts on fitness memberships and health insurance, and a comprehensive wellbeing program
- Mentoring and career development opportunities
- Onsite childcare, easy access via public transport, car parking and end of journey facilities for cyclists
Work with us!
We are committed to cultural safety and health equity for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People. We celebrate, value, and include people of all backgrounds, genders, identities, cultures, bodies, and abilities. We welcome and support applications from talented people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, people with disability, neurodiverse people, LGBTQIA+ and people of all ages and cultures.
If you feel this role is right for you, we encourage your early application. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place prior to the closing date. This means we reserve the right to close a job ad prior to the advertised closing date.
All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory National Police Check and if required, a Working With Children Check. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, you are welcome to reach out to the hiring manager: Christine Denton, Child and Family Centre Manager, Christine.DENTON@austin.org.au
Interested in finding out more about this opportunity? Read the position description for further details.
Application closing date: Thursday 25 December 2025
