Youth Outreach and Engagement Practitioner

Are you the kind of practitioner who can build trust with a young person who has little reason to trust services?

RAYS is looking for a resilient, responsive and relational Youth Outreach and Engagement Practitioner who believes meaningful support begins with genuine human connection. You’ll actively seek out young people who are disconnected from traditional services, meet them in the places they already spend time, and provide practical and psychosocial support shaped around what matters to them.

You’ll help young people address immediate needs, build trust in support and prepare to connect with the broader Asha program when they’re ready. 

About the role

As the Youth Outreach and Engagement Practitioner, you’ll actively seek out and build relationships with young people who are disconnected, at risk or unlikely to seek support through traditional pathways.

This is not a desk-based, waiting-for-referrals role. You’ll work flexibly across community settings, maintain a visible presence in places young people already use, and develop strong local networks to identify and connect with young people who may be missing from conventional support systems.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide assertive outreach across community settings, using flexible and non-traditional approaches to connect with at-risk young people in places they already spend time, including shopping centres, skate parks, drop-in spaces, schools and the local court.

• Build relationships with disengaged and disconnected young people who may be wary of services, inconsistent in their contact or unlikely to seek help through traditional pathways.

• Engage with school guidance counsellors, Child Safety, Youth Justice and local services to develop referral pathways and identify young people who may benefit from support.

• Hold an active caseload of approximately 10 to 15 at-risk young people, providing practical and psychosocial support focused on immediate needs, stabilisation and building trusted relationships.

• Coordinate activities and informal support in RAYS’ drop-in space, creating opportunities to engage and build connections with young people.

• Complete strengths-based needs assessments with young people to identify their needs and priorities, shaping engagement and support around what matters to them.

• Help young people navigate systems such as housing, Centrelink, Youth Justice, Child Safety, education, mental health and alcohol and other drug services.

• Build and maintain relationships with relevant local networks and interagency partners to strengthen referral pathways, coordination and community connection.

• Work closely with the broader RAYS and Edu Space teams to identify and support potential Asha participants.

• Prepare and support young people to make safe, coordinated transitions into the broader Asha program or other appropriate services when they’re ready.

• Maintain timely, accurate case notes and data entry to support continuity of care, effective communication and accountable practice.

• Share evidence and practice insights about emerging needs, barriers and service gaps to support team learning and service improvement.

• You’re energetic, socially confident and authentic, and comfortable approaching young people rather than waiting for them to ask for help. 

• You bring unconditional positive regard and genuine care to your work with young people affected by trauma, poverty, homelessness, substance use, statutory systems and social exclusion. 

• You remain curious, respectful and consistent. You understand that behaviour makes sense in context and that trust must be earned through a relationship built on honesty and consistency. 

• You’re emotionally steady and deeply self-reflective. You can manage the uncertainty and emotional demands of outreach work, seek support when needed and examine how your own assumptions, responses and use of power affect the relationship.

• You’re creative and adaptable, but also dependable. You’ll try a different approach when the usual one isn’t working, while maintaining sound boundaries, accurate records and accountability to the young person and your team.

• You understand the inter-connectedness of young people, families, communities and systems. You can respond to immediate practical needs while keeping sight of safety, belonging, connection and longer-term well-being.

• You want to contribute to something meaningful. Your alignment with RAYS’ purpose and values is visible in how you work, how you treat people and how you contribute to the culture around you.

You’ll bring:

• Demonstrated skill engaging disconnected young people who aren’t actively seeking support, particularly young men who may not respond to traditional clinical or service-based approaches.

• Experience working with young people affected by homelessness, poverty, interpersonal or inter-generational trauma, substance use, statutory systems or social exclusion.

• Demonstrated ability to work respectfully and culturally safely alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, families and communities.

• Working knowledge of relevant service systems, including housing, Centrelink, Youth Justice, Child Safety, education, mental health and alcohol and other drug supports.

• Skills in motivational interviewing, psycho-education, harm minimisation, emotional regulation and strengths-based psychosocial support.

• Sound judgement about risk, safety, consent, confidentiality, professional boundaries and when specialist or clinical support is needed.

• The confidence to work independently in the community while remaining connected and accountable to your team.

• Consistent follow-through and timely, accurate documentation. 

• Capacity for deep self-reflection, a commitment to personal and professional growth, and a passion for actively contributing to a positive organisational culture.

• Proven experience working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.

• Flexibility to deliver services outside traditional business hours.

• A clear commitment to child-safe practice, including listening to young people, respecting their rights and boundaries, recognising and responding to concerns, and helping create an environment where safety is everyone’s responsibility.

• Relevant qualifications in youth work, social work, psychology, counselling, community services or a related field are welcomed but not essential. We value capability gained through relevant practice experience and community knowledge just as highly as formal qualifications. 

Appointment is subject to RAYS’ child-safe recruitment and screening requirements, including relevant reference and background checks. You will also need:

• A current Queensland driver licence 

• A current Blue Card or the ability to obtain one.

• A current First Aid and CPR certificate or willingness to obtain these.

About RAYS

RAYS is a place-based community organisation working alongside young people and their families across the Redcliffe and Moreton Bay region.

Our work is grounded in relational care, trauma-informed practice, social inclusion and community connection. We understand that meaningful change rarely happens in a straight line. Strong relationships, practical support and a genuine sense of belonging are central to helping young people strengthen their well-being and life pathways.

RAYS is committed to creating environments where children and young people are safe, respected, listened to and able to participate in decisions that affect them. Everyone who works with us shares responsibility for upholding children’s rights, safety and well-being and is expected to actively contribute to our child-safe culture. 

What we offer you:

• Competitive salary, negotiable based on experience, plus superannuation.

• Salary packaging benefits of up to $15,900 annually.

• Five weeks of annual leave each year.

• Flexibility and autonomy to shape your approach around what works for each young person.

• Meaningful work where relationships, practical support and genuine human connection are valued as core parts of practice.

• A connected, multidisciplinary team where responsibility is shared and different perspectives are welcomed.

• Regular reflective practice, learning and opportunities to strengthen your professional capability.

• A supportive, values-driven culture committed to your personal and professional growth and wellbeing.

RAYS welcomes applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, neurodivergent people, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ people and people with relevant lived experience. We can make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

If you’re looking for a role where you can reach young people traditional services often miss, and make a tangible difference in people’s lives, RAYS could be your next home.