Counsellor Advocate

Our Vision

Healing the past, nurturing the future.

Our vision is for refugee survivors of persecution to live lives liberated from the harms of torture, trauma and human rights injustice. We exist to nurture meaningful futures by assisting refugee survivors to heal, belong and thrive in our community.

Our Values

Kindness: We care. Survivors of torture and trauma come first in all our work.

Optimism: We believe in meaningful futures. We understand that healing is a journey of growth with infinite possibilities.

Perseverance: We don’t give up. We know that recovery takes time, patience, and courage.

Fairness: We seek justice. We believe that healing is a human right.

Honest: We understand the importance of trust. We act openly and ethically

Role Purpose

The primary purpose of this role is to provide recovery-focused therapeutic intervention for children, young people, adults and families who are refugee survivors of torture and/or trauma. The role of a Counsellor Advocate involves assessment, counselling, psychoeducation, client focused advocacy and therapeutic group work. This also includes engagement and consultation with key stakeholders who are involved in optimising the recovery and well-being of clients.

Character

We are looking for a Counsellor Advocate who is passionate about recovery from trauma for individuals and their families from a refugee background, with experience working with children. We value the ability to engage clients in healing across mind, body and spirit. You will be compassionate, patient and courageous in managing a range of vulnerabilities experienced by our clients and their families. We believe in cultural respect. We are looking for someone who is comfortable working with clients from many cultural and religious backgrounds, as well as sexual orientations and who can flexibly and thoughtfully adapt their practice to suit client needs. We are looking for someone who enjoys developing their practice by making use of QPASTT’s supervision, internal training, team building and professional development opportunities

Responsibilities

1. Deliver developmentally appropriate assessment and therapeutic counselling (incorporating a range of modalities) to promote healing and recovery across the lifespan, including with children. This includes providing therapeutic dyadic interventions for children together with their parents/carers;

2. Deliver family-focused therapeutic brief interventions and/or counselling utilising a range of therapeutic approaches which are trauma informed, recovery oriented and culturally sensitive. This includes providing therapeutic dyadic interventions for infants/young children together with their parents/carers;

3. Deliver appropriate client related advocacy which supports healing and the opportunity to thrive and belong in the Australian community;

4. Conduct regular review of therapeutic progress for clients and/or families, inclusive of family members’ needs, to recognise when treatment goals require further co- design or when to initiate case closure;

5. Provide psychoeducation to enable clients to understand and develop strategies for recovery;

6. Deliver group-based therapeutic interventions including the planning and co-facilitation of groups as well as, providing support to QPASTT community events and as well as support in training delivery;

7. Provide assessment and intervention that is accessible, trauma informed and culturally sensitive to the needs of survivors of torture and trauma. This requires flexibility in service delivery, which involves meeting clients at QPASTT offices, and/or in other community locations;

8. Work collaboratively with the system that sits alongside the family and individual, including community leaders, community agencies and other stakeholders;

9. Manage risk with clients with complex and/or crisis presentations in accordance with organizational processes and supports;

10. Ensure quality service delivery including accountability with contractual and organisational requirements. This includes the writing of case notes and client related professional reports;

11. Ability to abide by the vision and values of QPASTT including our Code of Conduct as well as the policies and procedures of the organisation;

12. Support research and evaluation initiatives of the organisation.

Requirements

1. Degree level qualifications in Social Work, Psychology, Counselling or Occupational Therapy or relevant expressive therapies. Eligibility for membership of the relevant professional body;

2. Good conceptualisation and ability to articulate refugee trauma recovery frameworks and the ability to apply these to therapeutic work across the lifespan. This includes an understanding of key theories related to trauma recovery, development across the life span and attachment;

3. Two years + of professional therapeutic experience in counselling provision, preferably in a refugee trauma recovery context and/or work with children and young people.

4. Ability to build trusting, safe and respectful relationships across all ages to respond to their varying psychosocial needs;

5. Ability to deliver culturally safe therapeutic support;

6. Ability to identify client-related risks and implement ways to reduce risk;

7. Ability to document assessment and intervention as well as write professional reports based on therapeutic intervention;

8. Desirable – experience in working with parents and/or families

Conditions of employment

1. Current Positive Notice Blue Card and provision of an annual federal police check.

2. Current Queensland C Class driver’s licence.

3. Occasional out of hours work. Occasional travel to other QPASTT offices.

4. The period of probation will be six months.

Application Process

To apply, please email your application to ••••@qpastt.org.au with the following documents by 10am on Monday 28th September 2026.

1. Your resume detailing professional experience and education, along with details of 2 referees.

2. Please include a cover letter of no more than two A4 pages length maximum to address the following:

• Outline the capabilities, experience and skills you could bring to this role?

• How will your character fit the role?

For further information please contact Vivienne Braddock at ••••@qpastt.org.au.