School Link Coordinator

School Link Coordinator at NSW Health

The School Link Coordinator plays a crucial role in developing and maintaining a comprehensive approach to improving mental health and preventing mental health problems among school-aged students. This position involves coordinating training for both health and education staff and implementing preventive programs within schools across the Northern Sydney Local Health District.

You will be responsible for liaising extensively with various key stakeholders including Child and Youth Mental Health Services (CYMHS), broader Mental Health and Community Health services, the Department of Education, Senior Psychologists Education, TAFEs, and Catholic and independent education offices.

What You'll Be Doing

As the School Link Coordinator, you will maintain and further develop vital relationships between educational facilities, Child and Youth Mental Health Services, and other organizations that provide interventions for children and young people who are at risk of, or already experiencing, mental health problems or disorders, along with their families. Your core responsibility is to uphold a comprehensive strategy aimed at enhancing mental health and proactively preventing the onset of mental health issues in school-aged students. This involves facilitating early recognition, appropriate management, and improving access to and coordination of care across health and education service providers.

A significant part of this role includes the coordination of training for health and education staff and the implementation of preventive programs in schools, in close collaboration with Mental Health - Child and Youth Protection (MH-CYP). You will lead the coordination of planning, implementation, and evaluation of all school link initiatives within the Northern Sydney Local Health District, working in consultation with CYMHS, Mental Health and Community Health Services, the Department of Education, Senior Psychologists Education, TAFEs, and Catholic and Independent offices.

Who We Are

NSW Health is a health service that profoundly impacts thousands of lives across the Northern Sydney Local Health District. We are a passionate, driven team, united by our shared purpose and equipped with the skills and knowledge to deliver exceptional patient care and create the best possible services. Our teams engage in meaningful, interesting, and rewarding work every day. We foster a challenging yet nurturing environment, encouraging knowledge sharing and experience to continuously improve care for everyone. There is a strong sense of belonging here, as we deeply value and respect the voices of our patients, employees, and teams. You will experience a real privilege being a trusted caregiver within the lives of our patients, their families, carers, and our communities.

NSLHD prides itself on its diverse and inclusive workplaces, where health care professionals can thrive and feel a sense of belonging. We are committed to ensuring all our people feel respected and participate safely within a work environment free from aggression, sexual harassment, discrimination, and racism. People of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background are strongly encouraged to apply.

Where You'll Be Working

This position is based at Macquarie Hospital Mental Health, located in Ryde.

Candidate Criteria

• Relevant tertiary qualifications or equivalent experience.
• Working knowledge of the concepts of promotion, prevention, early intervention, and evidence-based practice in mental health.
• Demonstrated experience in leading, planning, and managing evaluation projects and experience in developing educational programs.

Key Skills/Competency

• Mental Health Promotion
• Preventive Programs
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Program Coordination
• Training Delivery
• Evaluation Management
• Early Intervention
• Child and Youth Mental Health
• Relationship Building
• Evidence-Based Practice