Youth Worker (Residential) | Full-time Permanent

Closes: 21 August 2026

Classification: Youth Worker 1/2
Salary: $78,755 - $93,416 plus superannuation
Position No: 22783,Several
Directorate: Health and Community Services
Advertised (Gazettal date): 07 August 2026
Contact Officer: Salesi Tuli on CYFRecruitment@act.gov.au or (02) 6207 4732

Details: Youth Worker (Residential)

Youth Justice and Adolescent Services is recruiting energetic and committed Youth Workers to join the team.

Youth Workers play an important role in supporting and supervising young people at the Youth Justice Community Residential Services.

Working in youth justice is about empowering young people to steer their lives in a more positive direction. If you are passionate about changing lives for the better, becoming a youth worker is the ideal place to start.

As Youth Workers, we act as role models by:

• establishing healthy routines and working to a daily structure
• redirecting anti-social and challenging behaviour to the positive standards expected by the community
• engaging young people in education and training through ongoing encouragement and mentoring
• helping young people to develop positive family, community and peer relationships
• facilitating support from other community services including health and mental health providers, educators, employment and training providers and disability organisations
• Maintain a safe, healthy, caring, and supportive environment for young people residing at a YJCRS property with a strong focus on promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, protocols, and practices.

While care, supervision, safety and support form the foundation of the role, you will also need strong interpersonal and communication skills. We look for people who are:

• Passionate about working with young people – you strive to engage and empower them to change their lives for the better.
• Dedicated and resilient – you are committed to following procedures, can deal with confronting situations and thrive on challenges.
• Proactive – you are constantly thinking of new ways to solve problems and address issues.
• Culturally responsive - You demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to fostering culturally safe and inclusive practices for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, ensuring respect, dignity, and culturally responsive support in all interactions.

If you are mature and open-minded, your life experiences will enable you to connect and communicate with young people from many different backgrounds. Working intensively with young people every day means there’s no end to what you can learn and how you can grow in your career.

Youth Workers are required to work shift work and provide direct supervision and support to young people and management of their daily routines and behaviours.

Children Youth and Families is committed to addressing the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the child protection and youth justice systems and is committed to meeting the cultural needs of young people we work with.

Children Youth and Families acknowledges the significant contribution that individuals with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage and experience bring to improving outcomes for young people. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have the appropriate background, experience, and capability.

Successful applicants will be provided with paid induction training that covers topics including legislative obligations, Human Rights, trauma informed and therapeutic practice, de-escalating strategies and behaviour management.

Health and Community Services Directorate is an inclusive employer where all people are respected and valued for their contribution. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, People with Disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, veterans, mature age workers and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQA+) people.

Eligibility/Other Requirements:

• Completion or partial completion of the Youth Worker Level 3 or 4 certification or qualification in the behavioural sciences is desirable, though not mandatory.
• This role may work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and young people, cultural awareness, and capacity to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is highly desirable.
• This position does require a Working with Vulnerable People Check. For further information on Working with Vulnerable People registration refer to - Apply for or renew a WWVP registration - Access Canberra
• This position does require a First Aid Certificate.
• Driver’s license is essential.

Note: A merit pool will be established from this selection process and may be used to fill vacancies over the next 12 months.

How to Apply: Please submit following items:

• A supporting statement addressing each of the Selection Criteria should be limited to 400 words per criterion outlining your knowledge, skills, and experience, in carrying out the duties outlined in the Position Description.
• Names and contact details of at least two referees, including your most recent/current supervisor or manager.
• A current curriculum vitae.

Applications should be submitted .

Note: Under the ACTPS employment framework you may be placed in another role where required for the efficient administration of the service.

The ACT public service is committed to closing the gap, underpinned by the belief that when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a genuine say in the design and delivery of policies, programs and services that affect them, better life outcomes are achieved. More information can be found here ACT Closing the Gap Implementation Plan - ACT Government Transparency Portal.

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