At Lives Lived Well, we’ve been treating and supporting people whose lives are affected by alcohol and other drugs for over 50 years. We also support people with mental health and gambling concerns and those transitioning from correctional centres. We’re growing fast and building a reputation as a trusted, innovative provider, focused on clinical excellence… and we’d love you to be part of it.

If you share our belief in recovery, think in a curious and critical way, and thrive on learning and change, join us and do your best work here!

We are committed to celebrating the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We offer ceremonial and NAIDOC leave and have established a support network for our First Nations staff, to build relationships, share knowledge and debrief.

The Service

In a peaceful area based in Mareeba (Cairns), Shanty Creek is our Indigenous alcohol and drug residential treatment and recovery program. It provides support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women, aged 18 years and over, who are experiencing alcohol or other drugs dependency or misuse and mental health concerns. The program is dedicated to acceptance, compassion, respect and trust. It is an environment where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women can find solutions to their drug and alcohol problems. Shanty Creek provides a safe and supportive environment, to assist clients in reaching their goals and reduce the harm of drugs or alcohol.

Your opportunity

As an Access and Intake Worker, you’ll engage, screen, assess, referrals to our Shanty Creek Residential Therapeutic Community and provide recommendations on intake to our Team.  You will be the first point of contact for prospective clients, their families or referral agencies, and the general community with enquiries relating to admission to the Shanty Creek Therapeutic Community, based in Mareeba.

Reporting to the Team Leader, the role will work in close collaboration with the Shanty Creek team to ensure that residents’ needs are addressed in a holistic manner, to achieve optimal recovery and health outcomes for residents.

Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Conduct bio-psycho-social intakes and risk assessments of referrals and provide recommendation for entry to Shanty Creek based on the results of assessment, screening and risk assessments (e.g. suicide risk, withdrawal risk)
• Recording initial contacts, answering phone calls, enquiries and written referrals, screening and assessing needs, prioritizing and making appropriate follow up appointments and referral
• Undertaking initial telephone assessments to determine suitability for full assessment
• Coordinate the entrance for new residents on their first day, confirming or organising Transport support and timing with the Shanty Creek team
• Provide regular updates to Shanty Creek team in the lead up to new resident admission date

This is a full time maximum term role, to 1 January 2024.

What you’ll bring

As an Intake and Assessment Officer, you will demonstrate a passion to customer service, program outcomes, and commitment to continuously improving service delivery and program outcomes.  Your ability to maintain effective working relationships and work efficiently with key stakeholders will be a driving factor for success in this role. To succeed in this role, there are some essentials you will need:

• As this is an Identified position, you must be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background
• Tertiary qualifications in a related area health services discipline or equivalent experience
• Applied knowledge in contemporary evidence based AOD counselling practice, case management and intake and assessment
• Knowledge of mental health, evidence-based interventions and clinical practice
• Demonstrated experience in the provision of client centered care
• Understanding of working within culturally secure programs and a clear articulation of these values
• Ability to undertake initial screening activities and comprehensive bio-psycho-social assessments
• You’ll be able to show us the difference you’ve made working with clients with AOD issues/concerns, applying your knowledge of contemporary evidence-based AOD counselling practice, case management, intake and assessment.
• A National Criminal History Check, along with a Working with Children Check (e.g. Blue Card).

What matters most is that you’ll live and breathe our values, which means:

• You are humble, human and full of hope.
• You show up and share.
• You ask: Why not? And what’s next?
• You leave a positive wake.

Why? We believe that through these values, we do our best work - for each other, for clients, and for the communities we work in. And it’s a promise we make to you about the kind of experience you will have working for us.

Why work for Lives Lived Well?

Well, it’s about people, purpose, impact and growth.

You’ll love working with talented people who share our values. Our services and treatments are as diverse as the communities we work in. And we’ve grown significantly in the past few years, with no plans of slowing down.

So, what does that mean for you? A real opportunity to go further!

• You’ll grow as a person and as a professional, extending your knowledge and skills beyond the norm.
• You’ll be trusted with autonomy in a supportive, respectful environment.
• You’ll make a lasting impact - on clients, the community and a team that cares as much as you.

But it’s more than that.

You’ll join a curious team that thinks differently and seeks new ways. We look to the evidence. We explore new ideas. And when we reach “better”, we ask, “What’s next?” Which means you’ll need to be comfortable with change - you’ll enjoy variety, the agility, and the opportunity to achieve more, faster.

And while you support others, we’ll support you with some great benefits, including: An extra five paid leave days per year to support your wellbeing and work-life balance.

• Salary packaging to increase your take-home pay
• Paid parental leave of 8 weeks.
• Regular clinical supervision, case conferencing and debriefings.
• An employee assistance program (EAP) for you and your family, including emotional, psychological, financial counselling and wellbeing services.
• Fitness Passport to access a wide range of gyms, pools, and fitness and leisure centres across Australia, at a discounted rate.
• Portable Long Service Leave if you work in Queensland, click this link for more information about this benefit.
• Wellspring Discounts, saving on everyday items such as groceries, petrol, clothing, and leisure activities through Wellspring discounts and rewards.

Are you ready to imagine the possibilities? Click Apply now!

Check out more employee benefits for you and your loved ones on our careers page.

Applications close : 26 September 2023

To perform this role it is essential that the person is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person. It is therefore a genuine occupational requirement under section 25 of the Anti Discrimination Act 1991.

Lives Lived Well is an equal employment opportunity employer. We encourage applications from a diverse range of social, cultural and gender backgrounds that reflect our community including First Peoples.

Confirmation of employment will be subject to candidate's possession of a Current Australian Drivers Licence, Working with Children Check and completed Australian Criminal History Check and provision of COVID-19 vaccination certificate, in line with the LLW vaccination Policy.