Secondary Teacher | Entrepreneurship & Social Impact Guide

Young people have far greater capacity than we give them credit for.

What might happen if we gave young people the time, trust, support and resources to do something meaningful with that capacity?

At Global Village Learning, that’s a question we explore every day.

We are a Montessori-inspired, learner-led, adult-supported and future-focused learning community with a vision of empowering learners to build communities that positively impact the world.

And we’re looking for another great human to join us.

This isn’t your usual teaching role

Our Entrepreneurship & Social Impact Developmental Learning Hub is home to learners aged 11–16 who are increasingly ready to take ownership of their learning, explore big ideas and make things happen.

They might launch an enterprise.

Develop a social impact project.

Pitch an idea.

Work alongside a local business or community organisation.

Find a problem worth solving and actually do something about it.

Along the way, they develop literacy, numeracy and technology skills, alongside Collaboration, Community Connections and the confidence to participate meaningfully in the world.

At GVL, teachers are Guides.

That means knowing when to teach, when to coach, when to ask a great question, when to open a door to an expert or opportunity, and sometimes, when to get out of the way.

What you’ll do

You’ll work alongside learners to:

• create engaging, personalised and purposeful learning
• guide EDventurous Projects, Personal Interest Projects, enterprises and social impact initiatives
• connect literacy, numeracy and technology to meaningful real-world learning
• build relationships with businesses, community organisations, experts and mentors
• develop learner Agency, Mastery and Community Connections
• facilitate Learning Huddles, goal setting and portfolios
• create a safe, inclusive and connected Developmental Learning Hub where young people are known, supported and challenged.

You won’t need to have all the answers.

You will need to be curious enough to explore them alongside young people.

Who might thrive here?

You might be a teacher who loves working with young people but wonders whether education could be done differently.

You might love project-based learning, entrepreneurship, design thinking, community connection or giving learners more genuine ownership.

You’ll be curious, empathetic, adaptable and collaborative. You’ll understand the importance of structure and freedom within limits, while being comfortable when learning doesn’t follow a perfectly predictable path.

Experience in entrepreneurial, project-based or community-connected learning is highly regarded, along with an understanding of Self-Determination Theory and how Agency, Mastery and Community Connections can help young people thrive. Understanding of disability inclusion, cultural safety and trauma-informed practice is also valued.

Child safety and wellbeing

GVL is a child safe organisation and has no tolerance for child abuse.

We are committed to the safety, wellbeing, participation and inclusion of every young person in our care.

Guides must uphold GVL’s Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and Child Safe Code of Conduct, maintain clear professional boundaries, create safe and inclusive environments, listen to and act on concerns raised by young people, and identify, respond to and report child safety concerns in accordance with legal obligations and GVL procedures.

This includes appropriately managing child safety risks associated with Offsite Learning, community partners, mentors, enterprise activities and online environments.

What you’ll need

• Current VIT registration, or eligibility to obtain it prior to commencement, where required for the position.
• Experience building positive, appropriately boundaried relationships with young people aged 11–16.
• Understanding of the Victorian Child Safe Standards and Ministerial Order 1359.
• Working knowledge of mandatory reporting obligations and the PROTECT Four Critical Actions.
• Capacity to identify and manage child safety risks in community-connected and project-based learning.
• Sound judgement and willingness to identify, report and escalate concerns.
• A commitment to inclusive, learner-led and community-connected learning.

Why GVL?

No traditional year groups.

No expectation that everyone learns the same thing, in the same way, at the same time.

Learners move through our Developmental Learning Hubs according to their development and readiness.

We believe in Agency, Mastery and Community Connections. In mixed-age learning. In freedom within limits. In hands-on, minds-on experiences. In authentic problems. And in treating the world beyond GVL as somewhere learning actually happens.

We also believe adults can learn from young people.

If you’re looking for a conventional teaching position, we’re probably not it.

But if you love teaching and you’re curious about what education could look like when young people are trusted with greater ownership, we’d really like to meet you.

Before you apply

All appointments are subject to appropriate registration and child safety screening, proof of identity, verification of qualifications and referee checks that specifically address suitability to work with children and any history of child-safety-related concerns.

GVL screens all roles for child safety suitability. Appointment will only proceed where GVL is satisfied that an applicant is suitable to work with children and contribute to our child safe culture.

GVL’s Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and Child Safe Code of Conduct are available on the GVL website. Applicants are expected to read these before applying.

Sound like your kind of place?

Tell us who you are.

Tell us what you could bring to our village.

And tell us what you think young people are capable of when we stop underestimating them.

Bring your experience. Bring your curiosity. Bring your ideas.

And be ready to learn too.