Carers WA values its dedicated and skilled employees and aims to create a flexible, supportive and family and carer friendly workplace. Carers WA actively supports diversity and inclusion, and we encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, LGBTIQA+ people, neurodiverse people, carers and people with disability to apply.
We want to provide a space for everyone to have the best experience through the recruitment process, please tell us how we can best support you.
About Carers WA:
Carers WA is the peak body representing the needs and interests of carers in Western Australia and is part of a national network of Carers Associations providing a range of support services, supporting Carers across Western Australia. Carers provide unpaid care and support to family members and friends who have disability, mental health challenges, a chronic condition, terminal illness, an alcohol or other drug issue or who are frail aged.
Carers WA will support and provide you with:
- A friendly, supportive and collaborative workplace environment
- Training and development opportunities, pertinent to your role
- Work/life balance
- Career progression opportunities
- A competitive salary, including salary packaging and added leave
- Access to EAP services
About the Role:
The Carer Support Counsellor role with Carers WA is a part-time (3 days per week), fixed-term contract ending 30 June 2027. The position attracts a salary of $94,575 (pro rata for part-time) p.a., plus super and salary packaging, 5 weeks annual leave (including 17.5% leave loading on annual leave) and two wellness days per annum.
The counselling team at Carers WA is supported by passionate and compassionate individuals. We are charged with carrying out the provision of counselling services as part of the Carer Gateway, in line with the Carers Recognition Act 2010. We provide a professional, safe, confidential* and collaborative service to our clients to promote mental health and wellbeing, enhance self-understanding, and resolve identified issues where we can. All counsellors are qualified and accredited with an Australian professional registering body, hold person-centred practice as an essential part of their practice and strongly encourage clients to be an active part of the process.
Carers WA promotes a workplace free of physical and psychological harm, however, acknowledges that some roles and inherent actions of our business mean there may be exposure to traumatic narratives. Typical stressors associated with this role may include, handling difficult conversations such as conversations around suicidal ideation, and exposure to traumatic narratives. In these instances, and where possible, Carers WA will mitigate the impact of this exposure.
Essential Selection Criteria:
- Must have a minimum of 3 years counselling experience in Australia OR have 18 months Australian counselling experience PLUS have completed Mental Health First Aid or suicide prevention course AND who have also received training in recognising and responding to child protection issues and domestic and family violence concerns.
- Tertiary qualification(s) in psychology, counselling, or social work.
- Must be eligible for or hold current accreditation with a relevant Australian professional Association including ACA, PACFA or AASW, and work within their respective Code of Ethics and Practice guidelines, including appropriate legislative requirements commensurate within the profession and service delivery standards.
- Continuous accreditation is essential for the duration of employment and ongoing membership is at the cost of the applicant.
- Demonstrated experience using a person-centred, trauma-informed and responsive practice approach, with a variety of counselling styles to help clients manage stress, fatigue and burnout, self-care planning, transition issues, grief and bereavement issues and more.
- Experience in counselling clients expressing suicidal ideation, domestic and family violence, child protection concerns or other risk issues with the ability to formulate safe plans and assist the individual to navigate.
- Pro-actively manage levels of compassion fatigue/burnout and the typical stressors associated with a professional counselling role.
- Ability to manage challenging conversations, utilise de-escalation techniques and use appropriate and reasonable boundaries within the context of service provision and limitations.
- Knowledgeable and proficient in providing therapeutic sessions via multiple modalities including face to face, telephone and web sessions.
- Work effectively and collaboratively in a team environment and have capacity to work autonomously within the context of tasks in the role.
- Well-developed verbal and written communication skills and proficiency in navigating IT, Microsoft Office Suite and relevant databases.
- Effectively manage time, calendar and documentation to meet service delivery KPIs, case note requirements and more.
- Current C class driver’s license and ability to travel within Perth Metro to pre-designated locations, and regionally if required.
- National Police Clearance issued within the last 3 months and current Working With Children’s Check (to be provided upon employment).
- Possession of smart mobile phone for systems access.
Position description for this role is available upon request from people.culture@carerswa.asn.au.
Applications close EOB on Monday, 1st September 2025. Carers WA reserve the right to begin the recruitment process and withdraw the position prior to the close date/time.
Please note: Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview. Applications must include a covering letter addressing the selection criteria, Curriculum Vitae and contact details of two professional referees. Applications can be submitted online via this recruitment platform.
Carers WA is a Level 3 Carer Friendly Accredited organisation.
The organisation is committed to providing a zero harm workplace, in regard physical and psychosocial hazards.
To learn more about working with Carers WA, we encourage you to visit our website www.carereswa.asn.au.
