Honesty Trust Respect Concern Love

Casual Duty Worker

· Casual

· Roster will include a mix of shifts including weekends, afternoon and overnight (11pm to 7am).

· Based in Lower Plenty.

· $46.1883 - $50.3942 per hour, plus super.

· 17.5% annual leave loading and generous salary packaging options

· Meals provided on-site.

About Odyssey Victoria:

Odyssey Victoria (OV) is a place of hope and positive change for individuals working towards breaking their pattern of addiction. At Odyssey Victoria we believe that every person should have the opportunity to change and grow. Our diverse teams work with individuals, families, and communities to reduce alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, improve mental health, and reconnect people to their family and the community. OV is a dynamic and fast-growing organisation committed to excellence in service provision and innovation in responding to alcohol and other drugs use problems.

About our Therapeutic Community Program:

The Therapeutic Community (TC) is a long-term residential program that works with residents to establish healthier relationships, promote personal change, and support them in their recovery journey. An essential element of the TC is the individual clients’ relationship to the peer community.

Using a therapeutic community model, the program offers a holistic treatment experience for those seeking help for problematic drug or alcohol use. To enhance individual motivation for change, the Therapeutic Community combines meaningful work and recreational activities, with therapeutic group work and skills development, in a physically and psychologically safe environment. An essential element of the model is the individual residents’ relationship to the peer community.

Role Purpose:

The role contributes to the life of the Therapeutic Community (TC) by liaising closely with residents and other staff to foster safe, therapeutic relationships within an atmosphere of mutual acceptance and harmony.

The Duty Worker ensures the operations of the TC are adhered to with regards to both staff and resident activities, as well as providing a supportive structure for the TC. A significant part of this is to role models the TC values and behaviour by using the social environment to maximise peer influence. When necessary, the Duty Worker will liaise with the Senior staff on-call to support TC process.

Prior experience working within a Therapeutic Community Model will be highly advantageous.

Key areas of focus:

· Facilitating the functioning of the residential facility after hours in consultation with the Treatment House Supervisor and Team Leader, and other relevant on-call staff).

· Holding the staff keys and being the first point of contact for resident issues.

· Ensuring the scheduled activities are adhered to or modified as required when unforeseen circumstances arise.

· Communicating relevant information to residents and effectively managing a variety of emotional responses through the application of TC interaction techniques (e.g., Offering support, grounding techniques, assisting conflict resolution).

· Keeping accurate administrative records as required. · Performing a variety of operational tasks related to day-to-day TC life such as handling petty cash, assisting senior residents to manage the schedule, and supporting residents to self-administer medication as prescribed.

· Fulfilling duties of a First Aid Officer performing first aid in the workplace, as compensated through a FAO allowance, attending to basic first aid requirements of residents, organising medical appointments and/or contacting emergency services.

· Undertaking other duties as directed by the Treatment House Supervisor and Team Leader.

· Undertaking Sleepovers as required, sleeping overnight at the TC residence for a continuous period of 8 hours in a separate room at the prescribed allowance rate; performing work during the sleepover where required, as remunerated at the prescribed overtime rate for situations that exceed 1 hour; and working immediately before and/or immediately after the sleepover period, where rostered, for at least 4 hours either side.

· Facilitating group sessions, including managing conflict through the communique process.

· Supporting the organising of house activities for adult residents (e.g., games, music, art, other recreational activities).

· Understanding when an approach with residents should be informal/formal.

· Providing handover to relevant staff and attending hand over meetings where appropriate.

· Modelling appropriate behaviours and boundaries with residents and their families.

A week in the role:

If you were here last week, you would have:

· Support residents through Weekend activities and daily program.

· Work in collaboration with staff, senior residents, and external services to support withdrawal plan.

· Participate in recreational activities, meals and meetings with staff and residents.

· Enjoy daily meals prepared by our onsite kitchen.

· Take residents offsite for planned activities and appointments.

Key Selection Criteria:

We are looking for an experienced and passionate Duty work to help facilitate the day-to-day operations of Therapeutic Community – Lower Plenty.

To be successful in this role, you must…

1. Demonstrated ability to engage residents in dialogue and develop a therapeutic relationship to facilitate a meaningful TC experience.

2. Ability to resolve conflict and work with difficult and demanding clients.

3. Ability to take initiative and capacity to work independently within established procedures, adapting to changing TC needs.

4. A comprehensive understanding of alcohol and drug substance abuse and an understanding of residential rehabilitation services.

5. Strong organisational and highly developed interpersonal and communication skills (both verbal and written) with a consultative approach to addressing issues.

6. Demonstrated knowledge of record keeping methods, administrative procedures, confidentiality, and privacy protocols.

For a copy of the position description which outlines the full list of responsibilities and key selection criteria, please click HERE (http://odyssey.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/POSTC3022-Casual-Duty-Worker-LP.pdf).

What we can give YOU!

In return we are committed to offering you an inclusive and transparent workplace culture where our people can develop to be their very best by:

· Ongoing learning and development opportunities

· Providing work that is meaningful and challenging

· Access to 24/7 counselling through our Employee Assistance Provider (EAP)

In addition to the above, staff will also be provided monthly Clinical Supervision sessions for professional development and personal wellbeing.

Application information

Please apply directly via our careers website (applications via external recruitment websites or via email will not be considered)

Applications should be addressed to Acting Team Leader Operations - LP and include your CV and a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria.

If you have any questions relating to the position, please contact Chris Donaldson, Acting Team Leader Operations - LP on, CDonaldson@odyssey.org.au.

We will be assessing applications on a rolling basis and suitable candidates will be shortlisted immediately. This role will close once a suitable candidate has been selected which may be prior to the application deadline, so please don’t wait to apply!

Our commitment to diversity

At OV we value diversity and believe that a range of backgrounds brings a variety of ideas, perspectives and experiences that will enhance our effectiveness. We promote a workplace that actively seeks to include, welcome and value unique contributions by encouraging people with disability, Aboriginal Australians, LGBTQIA, young people and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to apply for this position.

Safety screening

OV is committed to child safety and is a child safe organisation. All OV employees must undergo Police Records and Working with Children Checks. Any person issued with a negative notice on their Working with Children Check will not be eligible for employment with us.

All Odyssey Victoria sites are smoke free for all employees