Youth Development Officer - Barwon Prison | Geelong

Job Description

• Drive the development, implementation, and co-ordination of the youth response at selected prison locations.
• Fixed term, Full time opportunity until 30th June 2028.
• VPS grade 4 - $97,955 - $111,142 plus superannuation.

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is seeking a Youth Development Officer to provide a critical role at Barwon Prison.

About the Business Unit

Corrections Victoria is part of the Department of Justice and Community Safety and is responsible for the operation of Victoria's adult corrections system, public and privately operated prisons, and a transitional centre. It ensures that people held in prison are safely and securely contained and aims to rehabilitate people by addressing the underlying causes of offending behaviour.

HM Prison Barwon is a maximum-security prison located 6km north-west of Lara, 20km from the centre of Geelong and about 70km from Melbourne and is part of the Barwon South-west Regional structure.  It is Victoria's major maximum-security prison for sentenced male prisoners. The prison officially opened in January 1990 and currently houses up to 416 men in custody, including high security, long term management, protection (including specialist protection), general mainstream (maximum security) and medium security prisoners.

Corrections Victoria recognises that young adults in custody (typically aged 18–25) represent a distinct cohort whose developmental, behavioural, and rehabilitative needs differ significantly from those of older people in prison. This age group is characterised by ongoing neurological, emotional, and social development, which influences decision-making, impulse control, and responsiveness to rehabilitative interventions. Evidence from both local and international correctional systems highlights that young adults benefit most from environments that emphasise structure, positive engagement, and skill-building, rather than purely compliance-based management.

About the Role

The Youth Development Officer (YDO) is responsible for the development, implementation, and co-ordination of the youth response at select prison locations. The YDO will drive best practice engagement strategies of young people across the prison system and support the facilitation and promotion of development activities, living and vocational skills, sports and recreation programs and activities for young people in custody.

The YDO is a key role within the Offender Services team which is responsible for the co-ordination and delivery of a range of rehabilitation, reintegration and specialist support services. YDOs will work alongside existing prison staff to enhance capability and consistency in working with young adults, embedding best-practice approaches that recognise their distinct developmental and rehabilitative needs. They will also play a key role in connecting young adults to tailored programs and supports, fostering positive identity, family connection, and pathways for successful reintegration into the community.

Some of your duties will include:

• Assess and identify young adult needs, and provide proactive advice, consultation, case co-ordination, guidance and recommendations in relation to the needs of young adults.
• Develop, deliver and coordinate a comprehensive suite of services, programs and engagement activities for young adults in custody, ensuring participation strategies that promote meaningful involvement and respond to individual needs.
• Support people in custody to access relevant services, both in the community and within prison settings.

To learn more about this role before applying, please read the attached position description.

About you

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Demonstrated expertise in the development and support of young adults in the justice system, including comprehensive knowledge of criminogenic needs, risk and protective factors, and evidence‑based intervention frameworks.
• Skills and/or knowledge in applying trauma‑informed, strengths‑based, and culturally responsive approaches to promote pro‑social behaviour, enhance wellbeing, and support positive identity formation.
• Experience or ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to design and implement structured case plans, behavioural interventions, and developmental programs tailored to the unique needs, motivations, and lived experiences of justice‑involved young people.
• Demonstrated ability to engage resistant or complex young adults and build accountability and resilience to support their successful reintegration as positive community members.

Qualifications/requirements

• Relevant tertiary qualification or experience in the field of youth or social work is highly desirable for this role.
• A current Victorian driver's licence is required for this role.

How to Apply

Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) and misconduct screening.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.