Human Nature – Adventure Therapist
Location: Ballina, NSW & Northern Rivers Region
Work Type: Part-Time (Minimum 0.8 FTE / 4 days per week by negotiation)
Remuneration: This position is classified as Level 5 under the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 + generous Salary Packaging Benefits. Above award remuneration is negotiable based on relevant qualifications and experience
Help build the future of youth mental health.
Human Nature works with young people aged 14–18 who are navigating complex life circumstances, significant distress, and barriers that make clinic-based services difficult to access.
For the past decade, weve been working with young people, many who are disconnected from school, community, or stable support. Through sustained, evidence-informed, relationship-based care, we walk alongside them as they rebuild safety, confidence, and a pathway toward a stable and meaningful future. Today, Human Nature is a Nationally Accredited, independently evaluated youth mental health organisation, with growing demand, strong outcomes and ambitious plans for scale.
The Role
We are looking for an experienced, passionate Adventure Therapist to join our dedicated clinical team. Reporting to the Team Leader, you will step beyond the limitations of conventional practice settings to deliver life-changing, nature-based therapy where it matters most.
This is more than just a therapy role—it is an opportunity to lead with deep purpose. As a key member of our highly collaborative multidisciplinary team, you will provide relationship-based community therapy delivered outside clinical settings. If you are an innovative clinician who thrives in a dynamic environment and wants to use experiential therapy to make a profound social impact, this is your next career chapter.
The Responsibilities
As an Adventure Therapist, you’ll play a pivotal role in:
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Innovative Therapeutic Delivery: Deliver high-quality, evidence-based, and person-centred therapies to young people navigating complex life circumstances, significant distress, and complex trauma.
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Outreach & Commnity-Based Practice: Provide clinical and therapeutic support outside traditional clinic settings. You will work in a range of place-based environments including schools, family homes, and community settings. The role also includes occasional overnight camps and adventurous activities such as hiking, paddleboarding, bike riding, and kayaking.
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Holistic Case Management: Undertake comprehensive collaborative care planning and work in active partnership with external services, agencies, and families/carers to support the young person’s long-term recovery.
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Collaborative Care: Work closely with the Team Leader, Clinical Manager, and broader program team to deliver integrated, safe, and high-quality holistic care.
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Clinical Excellence & Safety: Maintain high standards of child safety principles, cultural appropriateness, and clinical documentation in alignment with our NSQMHCMO accreditation.
The Successful Candidate
You’re more than just a clinician—you’re an innovative thinker, an outdoor enthusiast, and a relationship-builder. You bring a rare balance of strong clinical frameworks and a willingness to work flexibly in non-traditional environments.
You’ll bring:
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Demonstrated Therapeutic Success: Proven experience providing effective, evidence-based therapy to young people (aged 14-18) navigating complex challenges, trauma, and adversity
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Community-Based or Adventure Aptitude: Demonstrated capacity to work therapeutically in a place-based, non-clinical, or nature-based context, backed by the physical fitness required for hiking and water activities.
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Collaborative Care Coordination: Strong networking skills with a solid understanding of local referral pathways and the value of wraparound family/carer support.
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High Cultural & Interpersonal Intelligence: Outstanding communication skills with a deeply respectful, culturally appropriate, and person-centred approach to care.
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Mandatory Qualifications: A tertiary qualification as a Psychologist, Social Worker, Occupational Therapist, Mental Health Nursing or Post-Graduate Counsellor, with current registration (AHPRA, AASW, ACMHN, PACFA, or ACA).
Why Work for Us
Working at Human Nature means being part of something bigger. We are a nationally accredited, award-winning mental health organisation with a warm, collaborative culture that celebrates innovation and radical accountability.
We offer:
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The Opportunity to Shape an Organisation: Break free from standard clinic constraints and bring your creative, experiential therapy ideas to a team that actively values innovation.
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An Unbeatable Location & Flexibility: Based in beautiful Ballina on the Far North Coast of NSW, we offer a flexible schedule (minimum 4 days per week) to support a genuine work-life balance.
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Competitive Compensation and Staff Support Structures: A tailored salary packaging model with negotiable recognition based on your unique clinical experience. Access to regular external, internal and peer supervision, team development and an annual training budget.
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A Culture That Empowers: Join a deeply dedicated team boasting an exceptional youth engagement rate, where your professional precision directly supports young people to rebuild safety, confidence, and a pathway toward a stable and meaningful future.
Mandatory Compliance Note: Applicants must hold a current Australian Residency, valid Driver’s Licence and must clear a Federal Police Check and NSW Working with Children Check.
How to Apply
Apply through SEEK by uplaoding your resume and cover letter addressing the Essential Criteria. Postion description can be viewed here https://humannature.org.au/get-involved/work-with-us/
Enquiries: Review the Position Description or contact Clinical Manager Kane Abbott at kane@humannature.org.au or 0477176312 during business hours.
Selection Criteria
In context of the Key Accountabilities above, amongst many skills candidates should possess:
Essential Criteria
- Tertiary qualification in a relevant human services discipline, including Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Social Work, Mental Health Nursing, or post-graduate Counselling, with current full registration or credentialing with the appropriate professional body (e.g., AHPRA, AASW, ACMHN, PACFA, or ACA).
- Demonstrated experience in working with young people in the context of moderate to increasing acuity mental health issues including best treatment options, support services, co-morbidities, and co-occurring contexts.
- Demonstrated ability and willingness to undertake collaborative care coordination and work in active partnership with other services and agencies, including an understanding of referral processes and the value of those services to the wellbeing and recovery of young people and their families/carers.
- Demonstrated capacity to work therapeutically in a place-based, non-clinical, and/or nature-based context, or willingness to do so.
- A level of physical fitness and capacity suitable for hiking, and other adventure therapy activities such as overnight camps, stand-up paddleboarding, fishing, golfing, and bike riding.
- Demonstrated ability to work in culturally safe ways with Aboriginal young people.
- Demonstrated understanding of NSW Child Safe Standards and how to apply them in the work.
- Valid unrestricted driver’s licence for use in NSW/Australia and willingness to travel across the Northern Rivers in the course of employment.
- Australian residency.
- NSW Working with Children Check, and clear Federal Police Check.
- Demonstrated experience working effectively within a multidisciplinary mental health or community services team, with a proven ability to thrive in a highly collaborative, reflective, and unified group practice environment.
- Hold a current HLTAID011 Provide First Aid certificate.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience in the development and implementation of engaging therapeutic youth programs.
