Mental Health And Wellbeing Leader

Role

The Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System highlighted that primary schools provide opportunities to identify children with mental health and wellbeing challenges, who can then be referred to treatment, care and support.

The is being expanded to every government and low-fee non-government primary school in Victoria. Scaling up across the state from 2023, by 2026 every primary school will be able to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader to implement a whole-school approach to wellbeing.

The Department of Education has been piloting the Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative in Victorian schools since 2020 in partnership with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. Evaluation of this pilot initiative has shown that 95 per cent of Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders consider the Mental Health in Primary Schools model has improved their school's capacity to support students' mental health and wellbeing needs.

Participating schools receive funding to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader , a qualified teacher, to work across the school to implement a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing for students, staff and families based on a broad knowledge of the needs of the school community.

The role of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader is to:

build capability of the whole school with regard to mental health and wellbeing (identification, promotion and prevention), provide support to staff to better identify and support students with mental health needs, establish clear pathways for referral for students requiring assessment and intervention, and monitor and evaluate student progress.

The role provides a proactive focus for the promotion and prevention of mental health and wellbeing through assessment and implementation of context-relevant programs, approaches and initiatives based on a broad and extensive knowledge of the needs of the school.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader role is not a clinical role and is not designed for direct intervention. The role is seen as a key conduit in creating referral pathways once a teacher or other staff member identifies a concern in the classroom.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders are provided training in mental health literacy, supporting emerging needs, and building school capacity and receive ongoing support and professional development through structured and regular Learning Communities Training is developed and facilitated by the Faculty of Education at University of Melbourne, supported by Murdoch Children's Research Institute.

Responsibilities

Operating in collaboration with their school, leadership and wellbeing team where relevant, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader will:

Promote a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing to students, staff and families Support teachers and school staff to expand their capacity to embed evidence-based mental health strategies, interventions and programs and build mental health literacy to identify and support primary school students with mental health concerns. Collaborate with school staff to inform, influence and provide input into teaching and learning relating to mental health and wellbeing. Provide support to schools staff and classroom teachers to build their capabilities to embed mental health into the classroom. Work with school leadership and wellbeing teams to embed whole school approaches to mental health into school planning and strategic processes. Coordinate clear referral pathways internally (within school) and externally (to community services) for students identified as requiring further assessment and intervention. Proactively work with and support regional staff, school wellbeing and leadership teams, teachers, parents/carers and other external agencies to coordinate targeted mental health support for primary school students. Contribute to the school's existing wellbeing team.

Who May Apply

Applicants should be currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach.

A qualification in student wellbeing or mental health is desirable but not required.

EEO AND OHS Commitment

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see ).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via

Child Safe Standards

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:

DE Values

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:

Other Information

·Applicants should keep a copy of the position description as it cannot be accessed once the job has closed.

·All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.

·Successful applicants are subject to a satisfactory criminal record check prior to employment. New DET employees are required to meet the cost of the criminal record check.

·If appointed from outside DET, successful applicants will be required to complete a pre-employment health declaration.

·Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.

·Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.

·A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided. Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department¿s Human Resources website at

·To support DET's commitment to its Environmental Management System, DET employees are expected to act in an environmentally responsible manner at all times.

Conditions of Employment

All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements. Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check. A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided. Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at

VIT LANTITE

To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements. This condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.

Location Profile

Truganina South Primary School is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) development in the Wyndham network area. The school caters for all year levels from P-6. The school is located on Parkvista Drive and Federation Boulevard Truganina South and the majority of the students are drawn from the local area.

The state of the art facility provides critical infrastructure that brings together the best in contemporary educational design and promotes active student-centred learning through the creation of flexible, functional spaces.

The school is a leading example of ecological sustainability, with a frog bog and a range of other utility conservation measures.

The school structure is organised around the stages of schooling. Grades are arranged in straight Preps, 5¿s and 6¿s and multi-age grades for Years 1-4.

All teachers and students work in Learning Communities to create flexible teaching options in classrooms and to better cater for the individual needs of all students. All teachers adopt a shared responsibility for all students within the Learning Community. The school upholds high expectations of all.

At Truganina South Primary School the child is at the centre and purpose of all that we do. All teachers and support staff work hard to provide a teaching pedagogy reflective of 21st Century designs, including ICT rich environments and Personalised Learning for all students.

This innovative, rich and rigorous curriculum is delivered in a positive, stimulating and challenging learning environment where every child experiences success and develops a love of life-long learning. Our students are encouraged to explore their world through inquiry learning to become thinking, informed, resilient and self-directed learners who are able to be the best they can be and contribute actively to their community. The key components of the teaching programs at Truganina South Primary School are the effective teaching of literacy and numeracy. All staff are responsible for improved student learning outcomes.

Truganina South Primary school provides high quality programs in; Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Science, LOTE (Mandarin) and Physical Education.

The School's Student Leadership system at Truganina South Primary School provide students from all year levels with leadership training and skill developments, and there will be many opportunities to experience positions of responsibility. Our students relish the opportunity to make decisions, take on responsibility and have an input into the direction of the school.

The relationships between the staff, students and parents are a fundamental strength at Truganina South Primary School. The school enjoys formidable Community involvement.

Parent involvement and participation in a variety of school activities are a significant feature of our school life and are actively encouraged and greatly valued. There is common community interest to work towards the provision of quality education for students at Truganina South Primary School.

In partnership with the YMCA, a long day care and a community centre are features of the school site providing community and children's services in the one location where families need them the most.

  Our Vision

At Truganina South Primary School, the child is at the centre of all we do. We collaborate to support student wellbeing and learning, preparing our students for happy and successful futures.

Our Mission

It is the mission of Truganina South Primary School to provide our students with excellence in teaching and learning and to ensure that all students experience success. Through community connectedness, students develop a love of learning allowing them to become self-motivated, curious and tolerant citizens.

  Our Values

Relationships - Developing strong relationships with all community members

·I will speak positively to others

·I will listen to others and accept what they have to say

·I will support others in need

·I will include others and embrace their contributions

Excellence - Striving to achieve excellence in all that we do

·I will work hard to achieve my goals

·I will always do my best

·I will strive to continually improve

Acceptance - Valuing others and accepting the differences and diversities of others

·I will show compassion towards others

·I will have a positive attitude to everyone

Collaboration - Working together to achieve our goals, vision and mission

·I will work cooperatively with all members of the community

·I will value the contributions of others

·I will provide constructive feedback to other people within our community

Honesty - Being honest with the people within our community

·I will always tell the truth

·I will encourage others to tell the truth

·I will respect others that tell the truth

Truganina South Primary School is seeking applications from educational leaders who are committed to a teaching pedagogy reflective of 21st Century Designs including ICT rich environments and personalized learning for all students. We are looking for educators who are committed to their profession and will contribute to the positive culture of our school.

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Important information to all applicants:

Applications should be submitted as PDF with your cover letter / CV and KSC responses contained in the one document. Please ensure you include the details of 3 referees within your application.

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