Community Engagement & Youth Participation Officer

• Remuneration SCHCADS level 5 dependent on qualifications and experience + superannuation
• Up to $15,900 for living expenses + up to $2,600 towards meals and entertainment can be tax-free through NFP Salary Packaging

About us

Youth Support + Advocacy Service (YSAS) is one of Australia’s largest and most comprehensive, youth specific community service organisation that enables young people experiencing serious disadvantage to access the resources and support they require to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.

YSAS is a Child Safe organisation. We actively promote the safety and wellbeing of young people, and are committed to protecting young people from harm or abuse who come into contact with and/or access our service.

At YSAS we are committed to people of a diversity of backgrounds and identities being included, represented, and having the opportunity to participate equally in the life of our organisation and the communities in which we provide our services. We strive to create the conditions where people feel safe, enfranchised and valued. We value lived-living experience wisdom, insight, and knowledge.                                                                                                                   

About the position

Community Engagement & Youth Participation Officer (CEYP) role is integral in supporting access and engagement of young people and families to the services and programs offered at headspace and partner agencies.  This role is based at Frankston, and coordinates in-centre and outreach-based community engagement activities, information, resources and help. This role is responsible for coordinating community engagement activities, health promoting and awareness raising communications via our headspace Frankston website and social media channels; facilitation of our Youth Advisory Committee and establishment of a new Family & Friends Advisory Committee in collaboration with headspace Rosebud CEYP Officer.

As a service that works closely with our community, the Community Engagement role serves as a link with local young people, families, groups, agencies and schools and works collaborative with key youth workers and other team members within our team.  Activities include health promotion, mental health literacy, fundraising, promotion of help seeking behaviours and the organisation and promotion of events such as Mental Health Week and headspace Day. 

Key Selection Criteria  

1. Demonstrated experience and understanding of Youth Participation frameworks and principles
2. Experience in delivery of brief interventions, health promoting programs and educational materials to individuals, groups and the broader community
3. Demonstrated experience and understanding of young people’s needs in relation to mental health, drug & alcohol, work & study, physical & sexual health
4. Experience in the use of social media to promote, connect and engage with diverse audiences
5. Well-developed written and verbal communication skills, including ability to facilitate group programs and speak publicly in community forums
6. Excellent organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise and manage multiple and competing work tasks and deliver to agreed deadlines.

What our young people request from our workers:

Young people across YSAS have spoken out and given feedback about the qualities that best describe a good YSAS worker:

• “A good worker takes the time to understand your interests and doesn’t treat everyone the same.”  
• “Young people believe that a good YSAS worker is empathetic and good at actively listening in a non-judgmental way, is relatable, down-to-earth and able to build trust and rapport in a consistent manner”.
• “It takes time to trust someone, but it’s worth it when you know they’ve got your back”.
• Young people have also raised that genuine human connection is an important quality, “being authentically human”, while having a holistic, flexible, and adaptable approach that considers the entire context of a young person’s life and their intersectionalities.
• “It’s about making sure workers don’t just tick boxes but genuinely want to see us thrive”

Regardless of where they are based or what position a worker has, everything we do at YSAS is about young people and their families. 

For full details of the position and more about YSAS benefits please visit our employment website.

Why work with us?

• YSAS has a true commitment to flexible working, ensuring that individual, team and client needs are met
• YSAS offers additional leave entitlements such as gender affirmation, ceremonial leave for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, fertility leave, blood donors leave, a generous Parental Leave Scheme and the ability to purchase additional leave.
• Access to learning and development opportunities
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 

Please Note:

1. As part of our Employment screening process you will be required to undertake a National Criminal History check and have a current Working with Children Check.
2. You must have Australian work rights to apply for this position. 

Further Enquiries

For a confidential discussion about the position, please contact Esther Benz, Team Leader, on 0418923578 regarding Community Engagement & Youth Participation Officer, Recruitment Ref. Number – 056_2026.

• YSAS is an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome applications from all sectors of the community.
• YSAS has a zero tolerance for child abuse and is committed to the provision of a child-safe organisation.

A position description is attached.