Farm Gate Counsellor (Multi Discipline) - Location Negotiable
Welcome to Southern
Employment Type: Permanent Full Time
Location: Negotiable within SNSWLHD
Position Classification: Dependent Upon Qualifications
Remuneration:
Counsellor Level 3: $121,568 to $125,507 per annum
Snr Psychologist: $128,933 to $139,712 per annum
Social Worker Level 3: $121,568 to $125,507 per annum
Welfare Officer Level 3: $121,568 to $125,507 per annum
Hours Per Week: 38
Requisition ID: REQ695448
Applications Close: 3 October 2026
Interview Details: Scheduled within 10 days of closing
About the service
Community Mental Health Clinicians - Making a Real Difference in People’s Lives
Are you passionate about supporting mental wellness in the community?
At Southern, our Community Mental Health Clinicians provide expert assessment, therapy, and care coordination for individuals navigating mental health challenges - right where they live. You’ll be part of a compassionate, multidisciplinary team committed to promoting recovery and resilience.
Make a real difference - support mental health recovery where people live, work, and thrive.
Support for
- Working within SNSWLHD
- Sustainable Healthcare: Together towards zero
- Salary packaging options
- Health and Wellbeing benefits including Fitness Passport, and annual Influenza vaccinations
- A team that values your expertise, invests in your development and supports your lifestyle
Moving to the area? Visit The Welcome Experience | NSW Government
What you'll be doing
Farm Gate Counsellors work with and support individuals, families, communities and groups within the broader agricultural and primary industry who are experiencing severe distress due to natural disasters (including drought).
To provide outreach and evidence-based psychological treatment, access and assessment to those living in rural and remote areas experiencing psychological distress while working in collaboration with other agencies and networks.
Selection Criteria
- Preference will be given to applicants of Aboriginal Heritage under S21 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977. Aboriginal applicants must demonstrate Aboriginality in addition to addressing the selection criteria. Non-Aboriginal applicants will be considered if there are no suitable Aboriginal applicants.
- Tertiary qualifications in the relevant discipline (social work, counselling, welfare) and eligibility for membership in an appropriate Australian Professional Association, OR Current Registration with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) as a Psychologist. Social Worker, Counsellor and Welfare Officer with at least 5 years full-time equivalent post graduate experience; Senior Psychologist or eligible for senior Psychologist grading (with no less than 12 months service at the 9th year of service and thereafter rate); with substantial clinical experience and demonstrated advanced knowledge, practice skills and professional reasoning in mental health.
- Demonstrated experience of living and/or working in rural and remote communities and awareness of the impact that natural disasters, drought, and other rural adversities can have on rural individuals, family relationships and communities.
- Demonstrated capacity to provide contemporary specialist mental health care, crisis assessment, care management, consultation and liaison service with minimal supervision and ability to work collaboratively as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
- Applied understanding of the principles of person-centred care, family-inclusive, and culturally-appropriate trauma-informed care and recovery in the context of supporting people who have experienced adversity.
- Demonstrated high-level written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills with the proven capacity to negotiate, influence and develop relationships with stakeholders and develop referral pathways to promote access to a range of services.
- Demonstrated high-level organisational skills, time management, competency in Microsoft computer applications and the ability to effectively prioritise and organise own work/caseload across a regional area.
- Evidence of a current unrestricted driver's licence and the ability to maintain. Ability and willingness to drive/travel as the role requires. This may involve driving long distances and overnight stays.
We look forward to learning more about you and what you can bring to our team
Information for applicants
Southern NSW Local Health District is committed to closing the gap in health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As part of this commitment, the Stepping Up website has been developed to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander job applicants through the NSW Health recruitment process. The site provides guidance, resources, and tools to help applicants confidently apply for roles and build meaningful careers in health.
This is a Category A position. Recommended applicants will be reviewed for compliance with NSW Health policy directive PD2026_004: Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination against Specified Infectious Diseases for Category A positions prior to offer. All new employees must agree to comply with the requirements outlined in the policy.
Southern NSW Local Health District is dedicated to fostering a child-safe environment that respects and upholds the rights of children and young people, aligned with NSW Health’s commitment to implementing the Child Safe Standards. We aim to ensure that children and young people feel safe, supported, and included in their care. All current and prospective staff are expected to prioritise the safety, welfare, and well-being of children and young people, actively working to protect them from harm and abuse.
At Southern NSW Local Health District, we’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering a workplace where diversity is celebrated, inclusion is part of everyday practice, and our people are supported to succeed. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, LGBTIQ+ people, and others who bring diverse experiences and perspectives to our workforce. For more information, click here.
If you require any accommodations or adjustments to the recruitment process, please let us know when you apply or at any stage of the process. We will work with you to meet your needs and create the best possible experience. Please contact Dani.Mcparland@health.nsw.gov.au for confidential support to ensure an equitable, barrier-free application process.
To be eligible for permanent employment in this position you must be an Australian Citizen, or a permanent resident of Australia, or a New Zealand citizen with a current New Zealand Passport. For more information, please see www.immi.gov.au
Need more information?
1) Click here for the Position Description
2) Find out more about applying for this position
For role related queries or questions contact Omolewa Erinle on Lola.Erinle@health.nsw.gov.au or phone: 0439 887 472
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