Classroom Teacher - Mental Health & Wellbeing Leader (2025)

Department of Education VIC – Tallygaroopna VIC
1 day ago, from Department of Education & Training Victoria
Tallygaroopna Primary School, with a 2024 enrolment of 71 students, is situated 17 kms north of Shepparton. Students come from the township of Tallygaroopna and surrounding farms.
The entire school community works in a caring and supportive environment to promote success as the result of partnership. The philosophy of 'consider the feelings of others at all times' has been strongly endorsed within the school. A dedicated, hard-working staff provides a comprehensive curriculum in all learning areas of the Victorian Curriculum.
Our classes are based on the Kagan philosophy where teamwork and cooperation is integral to learning. All classes have individual names and in each class group work is paramount. Tallygaroopna Primary School has a strong emphasis on Social & Emotional Learning and our Respectful Relationships and Resilience Project Programs complement this. This year our school was successful in securing funding to employ a Student Wellbeing worker two days per week, as well as a Chaplain one day per week. Our school values are used to support our students, teachers and parents in becoming positive citizens within their community. These values are: Inclusion, Respect and Honesty.
Tallygaroopna Primary School enjoys a family atmosphere and values greatly the strong parental commitment in all aspects of school life. Parents are encouraged to be a vital link in the overall school's curriculum management. Apart from the committee involvement at School Council and Parents' Club, many parents assist with reading, sport and excursions. The strong relationship parents promote with the school augurs well for the future. There is a high level of communication between home and school - information nights, barbeques, parent/teacher nights, written reports and informal chats are but a few of the many communication features. Our school uses the Skool Loop and Class Dojo apps to send information to communicate with families.
We are committed to providing the highest quality education for all in an environment that cares for our students, staff and parents. This commitment is demonstrated by encouraging students to:
reach their full academic, social and physical potential in a fair, positive and consistent environment
display a commitment to improving their learning outcomes
develop a sense of self-discipline in their work and their play
respect the rights of other students, staff and visitors
develop a good understanding of all key learning areas, particularly literacy and numeracy
provide equal opportunity for all members of the school community
develop qualities and life skills such as responsibility, communication, independence, inquiring minds, problem solving, team skills and creativity
prepare themselves for their next stages of learning by building on their strengths and experiences
Selection Criteria
SC1 'Content of teaching and learning'. Demonstrated ability to inform and influence the work of others involved in the engagement, mental health, wellbeing or learning of children and young people.
SC2 'Teaching practice'. Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies relating to mental health, wellbeing or learning.
SC3 'Assessment and reporting of student learning'. Demonstrated ability to support a student's mental health, wellbeing or learning by developing and maintaining connection with external services.
SC4 'Interaction with the school community'. Demonstrated high level interpersonal skills and communication skills. Demonstrated high level of capability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with students, parents, other employees and the broader school community to focus on student learning, wellbeing and engagement.
SC5 'Professional requirements'. Demonstrated ability to influence and negotiate by gaining buy-in and ownership for ideas, gaining agreement to proposals, or involving experts or other third parties to strengthen a case.
Role
The Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System highlighted that primary schools provide opportunities to identify children with mental health and wellbeing challenges, who can then be referred to treatment, care and support.
The Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative is being expanded to every government and low-fee non-government primary school in Victoria. Scaling up across the state from 2023, by 2026 every primary school will be able to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader to implement a whole-school approach to wellbeing.
The Department of Education has been piloting the Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative in Victorian schools since 2020 in partnership with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. Evaluation of this pilot initiative has shown that 95 per cent of Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders consider the Mental Health in Primary Schools model has improved their school's capacity to support students' mental health and wellbeing needs.
Participating schools receive funding to employ a
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader , a qualified teacher, to work across the school to implement a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing for students, staff and families based on a broad knowledge of the needs of the school community.
The role of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader is to:
build capability of the whole school with regard to mental health and wellbeing (identification, promotion and prevention),
provide support to staff to better identify and support students with mental health needs,
establish clear pathways for referral for students requiring assessment and intervention, and monitor and evaluate student progress.
The role provides a proactive focus for the promotion and prevention of mental health and wellbeing through assessment and implementation of context-relevant programs, approaches and initiatives based on a broad and extensive knowledge of the needs of the school.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader role is not a clinical role and is not designed for direct intervention. The role is seen as a key conduit in creating referral pathways once a teacher or other staff member identifies a concern in the classroom.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders are provided training in mental health literacy, supporting emerging needs, and building school capacity and receive ongoing support and professional development through structured and regular Learning Communities Training is developed and facilitated by the Faculty of Education at University of Melbourne, supported by Murdoch Children's Research Institute.
Responsibilities
Operating in collaboration with their school, leadership and wellbeing team where relevant, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader will:
Promote a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing to students, staff and families
Support teachers and school staff to expand their capacity to embed evidence-based mental health strategies, interventions and programs and build mental health literacy to identify and support primary school students with mental health concerns.
Collaborate with school staff to inform, influence and provide input into teaching and learning relating to mental health and wellbeing. Provide support to schools staff and classroom teachers to build their capabilities to embed mental health into the classroom.
Work with school leadership and wellbeing teams to embed whole school approaches to mental health into school planning and strategic processes. Coordinate clear referral pathways internally (within school) and externally (to community services) for students identified as requiring further assessment and intervention.
Proactively work with and support regional staff, school wellbeing and leadership teams, teachers, parents/carers and other external agencies to coordinate targeted mental health support for primary school students.
Contribute to the school's existing wellbeing team.
Who May Apply
Teachers currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach and/or have demonstrated experience in the curriculum area(s) specified for the position.
EEO AND OHS Commitment
Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment-free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via ******
Child Safe Standards
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:
Child Safe Standards Policy
DE Values
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:
Department Values Overview
Other Information
Please ensure that your application includes:
a resume including relevant experience as well as personal details (name, address and contact numbers, business and home)
a section addressing the selection criteria and the requirements for application under the Who May Apply section
names and contact numbers (telephone and email if possible) of two referees
Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action.
Conditions of Employment
All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at
HR Website
VIT LANTITE
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements. This condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.
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