About the Service:

Samaritans WA is proud to partner with Ruah and Telethon Kids Institute to design and deliver an innovative new service that will save the lives of young Western Australians. The Youth Suicide Sanctuary (YSS), the first of it's kind in Western Australia will offer help to young people experiencing thoughts of suicide. YSS will be a residential centre providing early intervention for up to five people aged between 16 and 24 at a time. The program is based on an international model, operated by Maytree UK, which has been working successfully for 20 years. Currently, young people experiencing thoughts of suicide have no choice but to end up in a hospital emergency department which is an inappropriate option for the young person and places added pressures on our hospital system.

Who you are:

The Support Counsellor supports the delivery of the Youth Suicide Sanctuary (YSS). Operating within the Samaritans WA model, Support Counsellors will provide emotional support and informal counselling for young people aged 16-24 who will be based within YSS for the purposes of exploring their thoughts of suicide. Creating safety through appropriate role modelling and boundaries, the Support Counsellor will actively participate in structured and unstructured group activities, as well as work one-on-one with young people.

Key tasks:

• Engage in reflective conversation and provide emotional support for young people
• Support and/or co-facilitate selected individual or group activities
• Assist in preparation of mealtimes, and encourage coming together
• Answering enquiries about the service over the phone
• Work alongside YSS staff to supervise young people

Commitment:

To ensure effective delivery of services, Support Counsellors will attend a regular shift in the form of:

• Four 4-hour day shifts per month;
• Two 8-hour overnight shifts per month; or
• Two 4-hour day shifts and one 8-hour overnight shift per month. Support Counsellors will also be required to attend monthly 1.5 hour group supervision sessions, as well as engage in ongoing reflective practice. It is expected that all Support Counsellors will engage within the service for at least six months following completion of training.

Selection criteria:

Essential: It is expected that the applicant will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Self-reported comfort in engaging in conversation with others
• Passion for providing inclusive and approachable services for young people experiencing thoughts of suicide
• Ability to identify when support is needed, and what is most helpful at those times (for self and others)
• Commitment to personal/professional development and reflective practice
• Desirable:*
• It would be desirable for the applicant to be able to demonstrate the following:
• Relevant mental health or community-based experience and/or training
• Required Compliance Documents before commencement:*
• WA Working with Children Check
• National Police Certificate (valid within 6 months)

Training Dates:

The 7 training sessions will take place on the below dates, with all dates being mandatory:

• 27th May
• 29th May
• 30th May
• 3rd June
• 5th June
• 10th June
• 12th June