Our Staff
At Wundarra we believe that any agency is only as good as the quality of its workers. The employment of appropriately skilled and experienced support workers is particularly important when they are the people primarily responsible for the day to day care of children and young people.
When a child or young person enters the care of Wundarra Services, they will be cared for by suitably qualified and trained community services professionals who provide ongoing support and management.
All Wundarra Services staff must hold a Senior First Aid Certificate or be willing to attend first aid training. They are also required to attend arranged training courses to ensure they are equipped to meet the needs of the children and young people in their care.
Areas covered in the training package include:
- Child Protection
- Mandatory Reporting Procedures
- Role Modelling
- Mentoring
- Managing children and young people with challenging behaviours
- Basic Self Defence
- OH&S
- Suicide Prevention
- Case Management
Training is mandatory for all new staff and is to be completed within 6 months of undertaking the staff induction process. Included in the training package are face to face sessions as well as ‘take home’ activities to ensure compliance. Staff training is offered by accreditated training providers.
In addition to our support staff, Wundarra Services specialised staff include:
- Manager Casework
- Residential Services Manager
- Caseworkers
- Field Officers
- Psychologists
- Educators
- Counsellors
- Nursing Staff
- Sporting Trainers
- Financial consultants
- Administration personnel
All staff are cleared with the
Working with Children Check before commencement of employment, as defined in the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998, No. 157.
Casework Manager and Caseworkers
Wundarra’s Casework Manager and Caseworkers oversee service delivery and client management. The Casework Manager provides support and supervision to caseworkers and the Cultural Program Advisor as well as overseeing staff in the residential program. The Casework Manager and Caseworkers have experience working with youth in multi-disciplinary fields. Past work histories include Community Services, Police, Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation, Juvenile Justice. Youth Justice Conferencing and management of non-government youth agencies. Tertiary qualifications held by our management team cover welfare, supervision and management and caseworker development training through Community Services. They also bring a wealth of life experience, professional sporting success and strong Aboriginal ties and heritage.
Residential Services Manager
The efficient management and co-ordination of Wundarra’s residential care service in accordance with the stated aims and philosophies of the agency. Provides regular supervision of Support Staff.
Cultural Program Advisor (CPA)
Our Cultural Program Advisor brings a range of qualifications, skills and experiences that complement the case management of our Aboriginal clients. The CPA is experienced in the areas of Aboriginal cultural processes and protocols.
Field Staff—Support Workers
Wundarra’s field staff are drawn from a broad range of ages, cultural backgrounds and experience. Many of whom have had extensive involvement in areas related to youth eg youth drop in centres, youth refuges, youth justice conferencing and Department of Juvenile Justice correctional facilities.
In line with our pending application for accreditation through The NSW Children’s Guardian, we are committed to providing referring agencies with the best staff available. This means that field staff are required to complete appropriate training programs, especially in the area of child welfare and protection.