Counsellor - Lilydale / Belgrave

• Max Term Part-time 0.6 EFT, Counsellor Mental Health, Lilydale
• Community-Based Counsellor with Mental Health & Wellbeing Focus
• Not for Profit, salary packaging benefits, flexible work life balance

About Us

Access Health and Community (AccessHC) is a leading not-for-profit healthcare provider with over 150 years of experience delivering inclusive, person-centered care across Melbourne’s inner and outer east and northeast.

With 600 staff and 200 volunteers across 17 locations, we offer a wide range of integrated services to support diverse communities. Following our May 2025 merger with Inspiro, we’ve expanded our reach into the Yarra Ranges and strengthened our commitment to accessible, high-quality community health services.

We are proud of our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), strong Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, and our respect for the rights culture and contributions of First Nations peoples. At AccessHC, we are united by compassion, collaboration and community-led care to help people live healthier lives.

About the role

Access Health and Community is seeking a qualified and compassionate Counsellor to join the Mental Health, Wellbeing and Engagement team. This is a Max term part-time role (3 days/week) until July 2027- reporting to the Team Leader Mental Health based at our Lilydale and Belgrave sites and may require the flexibility to work across AccessHC sites within the region.

In this role, you will provide responsive, flexible and evidence-based therapeutic counselling and psychological interventions for adults aged 65 years and under who are experiencing mental health challenges. The role includes comprehensive assessment, treatment planning, risk assessment and management, and the delivery of person-centred interventions that support improved mental health and wellbeing.

Working within a multidisciplinary, trauma-informed and recovery-oriented framework, the clinician collaborates with clients, families where appropriate, referrers and service partners to develop care plans, build coping strategies and resilience, and support clients to achieve their treatment goals.

What you will be doing:

• Work in partnership with individuals to conduct thorough psychosocial assessments acknowledging their strengths, needs and experiences, utilising a trauma-informed approach
• Provide counselling services at the preferred location of the participant, including office based or telehealth
• Collaboratively develop individualised wellbeing plans with clients that reflect their goals and preferences in a way that promotes self-determination and empowerment
• Implement a range of evidence-informed interventions such as ACT, DBT and mindfulness, tailored to the unique needs of each individual while respecting their personal choices
• Provide practical tools and strategies to empower clients in managing symptoms, enhancing emotional regulation, and navigating challenges, with the aim of promoting self-efficacy and overall well-being
• Work actively to embed consumer perspectives and lived experience into the model of care
• Facilitate open and respectful communication within families and relationships, cultivating healthy connections and addressing conflicts constructively
• Work with individuals holistically and contextually, considering systems, institutions, families, cultures, communities, and ethnicity

What you will bring Key responsibilities

You are an experienced Counsellor who is passionate about holistic care and understands the complex relationship between mental and physical health. You bring clinical expertise, a compassionate approach, and a commitment to participant-led practice.

• Tertiary qualification in psychology, social work, counselling, or a mental health discipline
• Current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) as a Psychologist, or eligibility for accreditation with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) as a Mental Health Social Worker
• For counselling-qualified applicants, current registration or eligibility for registration with a recognised Australian counselling professional body, such as the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA), is required
• Demonstrated experience in mental health assessment, formulation, treatment planning and delivery of individual and group interventions
• Sound understanding of clinical governance, risk assessment and risk management frameworks
• Demonstrated ability to maintain client records in accordance with relevant legislation, standards and organisational requirements, including the use of electronic data systems for reporting and service planning

Compliance Requirements:

• National Police Check, Working with Children Check
• Evidence of the right to work in Australia and a valid Driver’s Licence

Legal working rights in Australia

Attributes we value:

We actively encourage applications from people with:

• Strong collaboration skill: the ability to work effectively both independently and within a multidisciplinary team
• Proficient in management of electronic health recordsystems (e.g., TrakCare) and Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
• Lived/living experience of mental health or addiction
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds
• CALD, LGBTIQA+, neurodiverse, or disabled communities
• Authenticity and Integrity: Bringing your whole self to support participants and community
• Compassion: Approaching care with empathy, curiosity, and understanding
• Respectful Collaboration: Working in partnership with participants, carers, and colleagues
• Commitment to Equity: Promoting inclusive, safe, and culturally sensitive practices
• Quality and Safety Focus: Ensuring participant safety and high-quality outcomes
• Courage and Honesty: Leaning into challenges and opportunities for growth
• Commitment to Reconciliation: Supporting culturally safe care for First Nations communities

Access Health and Community Culture and Benefits

At AccessHC, we offer more than just a fulfilling career; we provide an environment where you can thrive in a culture of collaboration and support. Our team members share commitment and passion to make a positive impact, and this ethos creates a range of benefits for our people from opportunities for personal and professional growth to a sense of purpose and belonging. Our culture promotes an environment of success and fulfilment.

The position encompasses an extensive range of benefits:

• Supportive and values-based culture and engaged workforce
• Culture of trust and empowerment for people to grow and thrive
• Commitment to a work-life balance with flexible working conditions
• Focus on staff wellbeing and health - Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Commitment to ongoing professional development and career growth
• Paid parental leave and opportunity to purchase additional leave
• Annual leave loading
• Generous salary packaging opportunities that reduce tax payable on income (up to $15,990 per annum + $2,650 meals/entertainment expenses)

Read more about our culture and benefits: https://accesshc.org.au/culture-and-benefits

Apply Now

Please click 'Apply now' to submit your application including your resume and cover letter addressing the selection criteria.

Please refer to the position description attached below for the key selection criteria information.

Please contact, Team Leader Wellbeing, Margaret Theologou if you would like further information about the role: margaret.theologou@accesshc.org.au using the subject line: Counsellor - Lilydale / Belgrave enquiry via EthicalJobs.

What’s in It for You?

• Be part of real reform and a new, values-led model of care
• Collaborate with sector leaders in a genuinely co-designed service
• Work with a supportive, multidisciplinary team
• Enjoy flexible hours and outreach-based engagement
• Access ongoing professional development, supervision, and career growth
• Make a lasting difference in people’s lives and your local community

Apply now so you do not miss this opportunity, as we will be assessing applications when submitted. No Agencies please.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Access Health and Community is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing an inclusive working environment that embraces and values all people, regardless of cultural background, age, gender identity, sexuality or lived and living experience.

We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, people with disability, people of all genders and sexualities, and people with lived and living experience.

We recognise the strength, resilience and ongoing contributions of First Nations peoples and are committed to advancing reconciliation through our employment, service delivery and organisational practices.

All compliance requirements will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, and a criminal history does not automatically exclude an applicant from employment. All applications will be treated confidentially.

Position Description (also attached below)