This is an identified position for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person. Wayside considers being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander to be a genuine occupational qualification specified under section 14 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).
About Wayside Chapel
Wayside Chapel has provided unconditional love, care and support to the most
marginalised people on and around the streets of Sydney since 1964. Our mission is to create a community with no ‘us and them’, and address underlying issues of inequality, wellbeing, and loneliness.
From our centres in Kings Cross and Bondi and through outreach teams, we offer a range
of support services that place dignity, respect, and love at the heart of what we do.
Every day, we walk alongside people facing homelessness, addiction, mental health challenges, and isolation. We provide care that is trauma-informed, respectful, and human.
Purpose of Position
The Community Services Worker provides frontline support to visitors by creating a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment. The role involves engaging with individuals experiencing vulnerability, assessing immediate needs, delivering practical assistance, and providing crisis support and referrals.
Working within a trauma-informed and harm minimisation framework, the position promotes dignity, independence and wellbeing while managing visitor flow and maintaining safety across shared spaces. In collaboration with staff, volunteers and external services, the Community Services Worker supports effective, person-centred service delivery and positive community outcomes.
You would be required to work a mixture of shifts across 9AM – 9PM. This role full-time – 7.6 hours per day, 38 hours per week.
Key Responsibilities
Working with visitors
- Greet visitors, assess needs and coordinate access to services
- Provide information on available services and refer to internal and external supports as appropriate
- Deliver practical assistance including meals, clothing, showers and essential items.
- Provide crisis support and respond to immediate visitor issues such as lack of housing, mental health crises and other health emergencies
- Promote dignity, independence and self-determination through one-on-one and community engagement activities
Service delivery
- Maintain adequate supplies required to provide visitor support
- Collaborate and work effectively with volunteers and with other programs within Wayside for
the advancement of visitor care objectives
- Utilise a trauma informed care and harm minimisation framework approach to all interactions with visitors
- Support the triage of needs to ensure appropriate care is provided to visitors
Visitor focus
- Maintain a safe and inclusive environment through monitoring visitor behaviour and managing incidents as they arise
- Manage challenging behaviours including dealing with aggression, substance use, overdose, suicidal ideation, complex and co-occurring mental health presentations
- Support behaviour management across shared spaces including café and retail areas
- Liaise and maintain contact with the op shop team, managing any incidents or visitor behaviour on op shop premises
- Monitor use of facilities, such as bathroom and shower, to ensure visitor safety and well-being
- General cleaning of bathrooms and showers, where appropriate
About you
- TAFE level qualifications in Community Services Work, Mental Health, Alcohol and Other
Drugs or other relevant area, and/or extensive experience in the areas of addressing the needs of disadvantaged populations
- Experience working with at-risk populations and understanding of related issues, both practical and systematic (including but not limited to Juvenile Justice, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, CALD, trauma, homelessness, mental health, alcohol and other drugs)
- Knowledge of and ability to operate with regard to trauma informed principles
- Initiative, flexibility and the ability to work in a demanding environment
- Ability to work as part of a team with a commitment to sharing knowledge and expertise and
supporting Wayside culture
- Understanding of community-based model of care and commitment to the mission, vision and
values of Wayside.
What We Offer
- Five weeks Annual Leave
- $15,900 of your annual salary tax-free through generous NFP salary packaging
- 3x Flex Leave days
- Access to monthly External Clinical Supervision
- Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Next Steps
Please submit a cover letter and CV with your application.
We will shortlist applicants as they come through, and we strongly encourage you to apply early.
Wayside is an Equal Opportunity Employer that provides an inclusive work environment and
embraces the diverse talent of its people.
We value people of all cultures, languages, capacities, sexual orientations, gender identities and/or expressions. We are committed to achieving a diverse workforce and strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Prior to an offer of employment, candidates will be required to complete pre-employment checks, including a Police check, reference checks and Working With Children Check.
