Case Managers - Community Correctional Services and Youth Justice

About this role

• Now recruiting new case managers, as well as advanced, specialist, youth justice and Aboriginal case managers.
• Work in a team dedicated to helping people make positive changes to their lives.
• Enjoy generous leave entitlements, including parental, study and cultural leave.
• Earn $83,333 - $103,725 per year (plus super) in a Victorian Public Service role full of future opportunities. 
  

About Community Correctional Services and Youth Justice Community

Community Correctional Services (CCS) is a state-wide service that manages offenders on court orders, serious sex offenders on post sentence supervision and prisoners on parole.

Evidence suggests that, when a person's risk profile allows it, community-based rehabilitation is more effective at addressing offending behaviour than time in custody.

CCS staff are based out of justice service centres across Victoria, and are dedicated, compassionate and supportive role models to the people they work with.

If an offender is young and doesn't pose a clear threat to the safety of Victorians, it is preferable to help them complete their sentences while living in the community. And that's where our Youth Justice Community team comes in.

Our team of case managers take charge of the supervision and coordination of services for young people subject to statutory court orders. They're great listeners, and they're even better planners and negotiators.

Why we love this work

If you join our CCS and Youth Justice teams, you will work closely with a diverse array of offenders. These are people who have made unfortunate decisions in challenging situations. Often, their actions have been incited by traumatic life experiences.

In your work, you will hear another person's story. You will come to understand their world view. And you will hold them accountable for their decisions. You will be part of giving offenders a second chance to make a more positive contribution to the community.

Your job won't always be easy, but with a strong work ethic and a belief in what you're doing, you will be able to take pride in your work and will know what it's like to make a genuine difference in someone else's life.

The way progress is measured will differ with each person you work with. However, some examples of moments when staff report feeling like they've made an impact include when an offender:

• successfully completes their parole
• handles a stressful event without reacting with anger
• finds employment thanks to skills developed or facilitated through community corrections.

Read about how you will be supported in your role with CCS

What a case manager does

As a case manager, you will help a caseload of offenders meet their court and parole conditions. You will also help connect them to community programs and services.

Your objective is to reduce the risk of your caseload reoffending. There are a range of ways you will do this, including:

• conducting risk assessments
• preparing case plans
• providing interventions
• attempting to address the underlying causes of offending.

Learn more about what a case manager does

In addition to case managers, we are also recruiting:

Aboriginal case managers and Aboriginal advanced case managers to work with a caseload focused on Aboriginal offenders.

Advanced case managers who are responsible for applying evidence-based case management practices to offenders with complex needs and those who have committed serious offences.

Specialist case managers to work primarily with sex and violent offenders.

Youth Justice Community case managers and advanced care managers to work primarily with young offenders.

What's in it for you 

✔ A fair salary – enjoy great work conditions and salary sacrificing options. Case managers report high satisfaction in their wages.

✔ Generous leave entitlements – provisions for many forms of leave; including personal, parental, carers, study, cultural, compassionate and sick leave.

✔ Transparent performance framework – approach your work with confidence in how you're tracking, working to professional development plans agreed on by you and your manager.

✔ Employee Wellbeing support – you are encouraged to use this short-term, confidential counselling service if you're experiencing emotional stress, relationship problems, conflict with others or personal issues. It is also available for financial counselling and retirement planning.

✔ Secondments and promotions – becoming a member of the Victorian Public Service opens up a world of career opportunities, including the first priority to apply for many secondments and new roles in other business units and departments.

What we're looking for in new case managers

At CCS, we regularly give new opportunities to promising candidates moving from other workplaces and similar industries, and we also support current staff to advance their careers.

When appointing new case managers, we evaluate how your professional experience and personal qualities set you up to thrive in the job.

We look for:

• a demonstrated understanding and/or practice of effective case management practices
• excellent verbal communication skills and confidence in dealing with people exhibiting challenging behaviours
• a proven ability to model pro-social behaviours to a caseload of individuals
• empathy, patience and resilience.

If you've read this far and feel like you would be an effective community corrections or youth justice case manager, please apply now stating your preference in your application.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply. 

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is continually working towards increasing our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) workforce. The Aboriginal Employment Team aims to attract, recruit and retain Aboriginal staff in a number of roles, including prison officers, community corrections officers and field officers. This support includes a culturally appropriate attraction and recruitment process. To learn more, click here or email aboriginal.employment@justice.vic.gov.au

The department is no longer required to review or collect candidates COVID-19 vaccination information as part of the recruitment process. The department is continuously committed to providing and maintaining a working environment which is safe and without risk to the health of its employees consistent with the department's obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic).

CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.