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.
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.
ABOUT THE ROLE
- Greet visitors, build rapport, conduct basic assessment of need and direct visitor flow through the service
- Provide crisis support and respond to immediate visitor issues such as lack of housing, mental health crises and other health emergencies
- Manage the provision of practical assistance including allocation of showers, toiletries, emergency clothes and emergency meals
- Promote independence, self-determination and self-worth in visitors through one-to-one and community engagement
- Utilise a trauma informed care approach to all interactions with visitors
- Operate within a harm minimisation framework when working with visitors engaged in high- risk behaviours
- Maintain a safe environment through monitoring visitor behaviour and managing incidents as they arise, including dealing with aggression, challenging behavioural issues, substance use, overdose, suicidal ideation, complex and co-occurring mental health presentations
- Collaborate and work effectively with volunteers and with other programs within Wayside for the advancement of visitor care objectives
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 as part of a team in a demanding environment
ABOUT WAYSIDE
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 low 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.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
- Five weeks’ annual leave
- Flexible/hybrid working options
- 3 days flex leave
- $15,900 of your annual salary tax-fee through generous NFP salary packaging
- Paid cultural and ceremonial leave for First Nations employees
- Cultural loading allowance
- Employee Assistance Program – free, confidential counselling service
- Access to monthly External Clinical Supervision
- Wayside is a registered portable long service leave employer
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, submit your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your
relevant experience and why you’re passionate about this opportunity.
For any questions about this role, please email recruitment@waysidechapel.org.au
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.
Before an offer of employment, candidates will be required to complete the
pre-employment checks, including reference checks and a background check.
