Information Package

Occupational Therapist

Work as part of a supportive and passionate team

Help make a real difference to the lives of children living with a disability and their families

Increase your skills and knowledge working in a transdisciplinary team

Firstchance Inc. is an innovative and responsivenot for profit organisation based in Mayfield.

Firstchance runs its supports with a combination of:

  • National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) funding provided to individual children
  • Government grants from Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC) and the Department of Education (DEC) and
  • Money raised through fundraising activities and sponsorship

We currently operate the Early Childhood Intervention Program (ECIP) for children 0-9 years who live in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens Local Government Areas (LGAs).

We are looking for a skilled and passionate Occupational Therapist to work in our Firstchance team.We have a full-time, permanent position availableworking in our Early Childhood Intervention Team. There is also the opportunity to work in a job share arrangement if this better meets your availability.

Please refer to the Occupational Therapist position description for details about the role and the essential criteria that needs to be addressed in your application.

Remuneration is offered at above award rates, currently similar to the NSW Health Professionals Award. Salary Packaging is also available. Employment Conditions are under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award (2010).

All Firstchance employees are subject to a 6 month probationary period.

Please phone Linda Rolland on 4910 3130 for further information about the role or

Email:

Applications post to: General Manager

Firstchance

PO Box 542

Hunter Region Mail Centre 2310

Or email:

Closing date:5pm, 31st August 2017

Firstchance would like to acknowledge all the traditional owners of the land and recognise the strength, resilience and capacity of Aboriginal people in this land

Applicants must:

  • Address all selection criteria as outlined in the job description (Section 4). Applications that do not address all the selection criteria will not be considered.
  • Complete the Firstchance Employment Application Form (see below)

Please Note: If successful, the following must be obtained before commencing:

  • A current Working with Children CheckID Number or Approval Number
  • A First Aid Certificate

Pre-Employment Checks

This position will be subject to pre-employment checks under the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012and the Disability Inclusion Act 2014.

All child-related employees are responsible for applying for his or her own Working With Children Check. An employer can not apply on behalf of a worker. Further information and how to apply can be found at:

Firstchance workers are required to have National Criminal Record Check. Firstchance will organise this for successful applicants.

Inherent Requirements

The Firstchance Employment Application Form asks whether, after reading the position description, you have any injuries, illnesses or conditions which would prevent or impinge on your ability to undertake the inherent requirements of theposition you are applying for. The inherent requirements of the position referto the primary duties and tasks that are essential to performing the positioneffectively and safely.

Firstchance has a duty of care to maintain the safety of staff, clients and the general public. For this reason, Firstchance encourages you to disclose any injuries, illnessesor conditions you have that may affect your ability to perform the inherent requirements of the position. If you have an injury, illness or conditionit does not mean employment will be automatically denied. Each casemust be reviewed on an individual basis and it is illegal to discriminate onthese grounds except where the injury, illness or condition prevents youfrom performing the inherent requirements of the position.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, Firstchance strongly supportsdiversity and encourages all applicants with any type of injury, illnessor condition to notify Firstchance of this upon offer and acceptance of a position. This is so we can ensure that the correct supports are put in place so the employee can succeed in the role.

Firstchance Incorporated

Firstchance is a not for profit organisation which supports families of children and young people with disabilities and delay. We offer family centred programs which include early childhood intervention, school age family support, training and skill building, occupational, physiotherapy and speech therapy support, family support, case management, group programs and professional development. The children we support range in age from birth to 9 years.

All families involved in the programs are encouraged to become members of Firstchance and to participate in our activities. Firstchance Board meetings are held once a month and the Annual General Meeting is held in December at which time the new Board is elected.

Early Childhood Intervention Program

How does Firstchance work with families?

At the core of all Firstchanceprograms isa family-centred and strengths-based approach. We know that the majority of children’s learning occurs in the home environment and the most significant teachers in a child’s life are their parents. This belief is central to Firstchance’ practices.

Families have the best understanding of their children. They know what their child can do well and what they struggle with. Firstchance can provide families with further information about their child’s development but primarily we will work with families to support their child in the areas that you have the most concern. This means that we:

  • Recognise the family as the most important influence on the child
  • Share our knowledge and skills with families to further enable them to support their child’s development
  • Maximise the use of everyday family situations to support children’s potential development
  • Help build the family’s capacity to provide learning experiences and opportunities to support their child’s development
  • Require that all aspects of our programs operate in the context of viewing the child as part of a family whose goals, needs and preferences are to be respected
  • Support families and their children to be active participants in the community including their school or Early Childhood Education and Care setting.
  • Maintain open communication and mutual respect as part of this process
  • Respect privacy and confidentiality as key elements of our service provision

Firstchance is committed to safeguarding children and young people from abuse and neglect. We engage in child safe practices and have appropriate systems in place to minimise the likelihood that we will recruit a person who is unsuitable to work with children or young people.

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EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION FORM

Thank you for your interest in working with Firstchance. Please complete this form and return it with your application (addressing selection criteria and resume). Before sending in your application, please refer to the First Chance Information Package.

POSITION DETAILS
Position Name: / Closing Date:
PERSONAL DETAILS
Name: / Street Address:
Suburb: / State: / Postcode:
Email:
Phone: / Home: / Work: / Mobile:
Emergency Contact: / Name: / Relationship to you:
Best Phone Contact No: / Second Contact No:
APPLICANT DECLARATION
Do you hold a current driver’s licence? If Yes, what class? / Yes / No
Do you have a current Working with Children approval number?
(you will need to provide this for child-related positions) / Yes / No
Are you willing to complete a consent for a Criminal Record Check Certificate? / Yes / No
After reading the Firstchance Information Package and the Position Description for the role you have applied for, do you have any injuries, illnesses or conditions which would prevent or impinge on your ability to undertake the inherent requirements of the position? / Yes / No
I ______declare that the above information provided by me on the Employment Application Form is true and correct.
Signature:______Date: ______
APPLICANT CHECKLIST
Please check you have included the following before submitting your application:
The Position Name for the position you are applying for
Phone number/s for where we can contact you or leave a message
A copy of your resume – a summary of your academic and work history
The name of 2 work related referees, one of whom supervised you in the last 12 months
Have you fully completed and signed this application form
A cover letter that outlines your motivation for applying and summarises your key skills and strengths
A document addressing the selection criteria – stating how your skills, knowledge and experience specifically meet each criteria outlined in the position description
A photocopy of the following items (which you will need to provide originals for sighting at time of interview:
  • Drivers Licence
  • Relevant Qualification (if stated as Selection Criteria)
  • Working with Children Approval Number letter or APP number (for child-related positions)
  • Current First Aid Certificate (including Anaphylaxis/Asthma Management)

FIRSTCHANCE USE ONLY
Interview:  Yes  No / Interview Date: / Interview Time: / Invite Confirmed:
Ref Check:  Yes  No / Verify WWC and CRC / Employment Recommended:  Yes  No
Notification: / Successful Unsuccessful / Date: / Notified by Letter Email  Verbal /  ROA Updated
EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT DETAILS (see Position Description to confirm all other details)
Hours: Casual Other ___/week / Start Date: / End Date:
Award Grade: / Award Classification: / Hourly Rate:
Items to be arranged: Name Badge Email Address Access Keys

Firstchance is committed to safeguarding children and young people from abuse and neglect. We engage in child safe practices and have appropriate systems in place to minimise the likelihood that we will recruit a person who is unsuitable to work with children or young people.

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