Staff Wellbeing & Mental Health Practitioner

Backtrack Youth Works

Date posted: August 29, 2026

Closes: Nov 08, 2026


About BackTrack

BackTrack supports disadvantaged and at-risk young people in
the Armidale region. Our work spans education programs for young people at risk
of disengaging from school, a transition program that builds life and
work-ready skills, and a social enterprise that offers real work. Our people do
demanding, emotionally complex work — often alongside young people who’ve
experienced significant adversity.

About the role

This is a new, first-of-its-kind role at BackTrack,
dedicated entirely to the wellbeing of our staff (it’s separate from our
Wellbeing Team, who focus on the young people in our programs).

It goes well beyond a traditional EAP. You’ll be a visible,
mobile and approachable presence — offering support as part of everyday
interactions in the teams you support, not only from a clinical office. A big
part of the role is helping our people recognise and manage vicarious trauma,
and building healthy, sustainable boundaries with the young people they
support.

Confidentiality is at the heart of it. Our staff need to
know you’re a genuine “vault” — someone who holds what’s shared in
strict confidence and only steps outside that when there’s an unacceptable risk
to someone’s safety.

What you’ll do

  • Provide
    confidential, short-term, solution-focused wellbeing support and
    psychoeducation — woven into everyday work, not just formal appointments
  • Respond
    to critical incidents and facilitate team and group debriefs after
    high-intensity shifts
  • Design
    and deliver short, practical training that builds staff and manager
    capability to manage exposure to trauma — and bring in subject-matter
    experts where needed
  • Help
    staff build and maintain healthy professional boundaries with young people
  • Coach
    and support managers (in partnership with HR) to look after their teams
  • Champion
    a positive, proactive wellbeing culture and role-model safe and healthy
    work practices
  • Maintain
    trusted referral pathways to the EAP and external services

What you’ll bring

  • A
    recognised qualification and current registration/eligibility in an
    appropriate mental health discipline — e.g. AASW-eligible Social Work
    degree, registered Psychologist (AHPRA), Accredited Mental Health Social
    Worker, Mental Health Nurse, or accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist
  • A
    minimum of three years’ post-qualification experience
  • Experience
    supporting people in trauma-exposed, high-stress or emotionally demanding
    work, and a strong understanding of vicarious trauma
  • A
    proven ability to hold strict confidentiality and navigate the tension
    between confidentiality, duty of care and the employer’s WHS obligations
  • Experience
    designing and delivering short training or capacity-building sessions
  • Comfort
    providing support as part of everyday interactions, not only in a
    clinical, office-based setting
  • The
    ability to work independently and exercise sound judgement
  • A
    current (or willingness to obtain) Working with Children Check and
    National Police Check

Why join us

  • Three
    years of funding certainty, growing to full-time in Year 3
  • SCHADS
    Level 5 base plus 12% super and NFP salary packaging to boost your
    take-home pay
  • Local
    sites and minimal travel
  • A
    competitive package of salary and benefits, including additional annual
    leave and paid leave over the Christmas closedown
  • Genuinely
    meaningful work with a respected organisation, shaping a brand-new role
    from the ground up

How to apply

To apply, please submit your resume and a short cover letter
addressing the “What you’ll bring” criteria by hitting apply now or send to [email protected] by 22 July 2026. For a copy of the full position description or a confidential chat about the role, contact Toni, HR Manager, 0437 088 450 [email protected]

BackTrack is committed to the safety and wellbeing of
children and young people, and all appointments are subject to relevant
background checks. We are an equal-opportunity employer and warmly welcome
applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with
disability, and people from all backgrounds and communities.

Apply for this role

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