Social Worker (REAL Program) – Alice Springs

Join Our Team as a Social Worker at Saltbush!

Are you a compassionate culturally aware Social Worker passionate about making a difference Saltbush is seeking a dedicated professional to provide culturally safe trauma-informed support that enhances wellbeing builds resilience and fosters positive lasting pathways forward.

Position Details:

• Employment Type: Full-time Fixed Term 1 April 2026 to 30 June 2030
• Location: Alice Springs (with outreach to Barkly Region and Correctional facilities)
• Excellent Remuneration: $95k 12% super salary packaging 5 weeks annual leave
• Reporting to: REAL Program Manager
• Hours: Normal business hours with flexibility for additional hours as needed
• Travel: Occasional travel to other Saltbush service locations as required

About Saltbush: Saltbush Social Enterprises is a place where stories of strength and resilience come together. We are a not-for-profit organisation based in the Northern Territory dedicated to supporting individuals as they walk towards brighter futures. Our mission is to uplift and empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through meaningful employment and community-driven programs.

The Role: The Reconnection Employment and Learning (REAL) Program Tracks to Tomorrow supports First Nations people aged 15 years and over transitioning from custodial settings to community. Delivered across pre-release release and post-release phases the program provides personalised culturally safe and trauma-informed support that strengthen pathways to education training and employment and fosters reconnection to family community and culture.

The Social Worker provides specialist case management psychosocial assessment and therapeutic support for REAL participants ensuring services are clinically sound culturally responsive and aligned with best practice in justice throughcare.

This role empowers participants through culturally safe trauma-informed support working directly with individuals to develop personalised support plans conduct needs assessments and coordinate access to specialist services. By fostering early engagement and meaningful connections the Social Worker contributes to resilience self-determination and long-term wellbeing outcomes for participants.

A key focus of the role is to build and maintain partnerships with service providers supporting a holistic integrated and sustainable support framework for participants transitioning from custodial settings to community life.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

To ensure success in your role as a Social Worker you will:

Participant Support & Relationship Building

• Establish and maintain trusting long-term relationships with participants ensuring a safe and supportive environment.
• Conduct comprehensive strengths-based needs assessments to identify challenges and develop personalised culturally appropriate support plans.
• Deliver targeted early intervention strategies that build resilience improve emotional well-being and promote self-sufficiency.

Assessment and Case Management

• Conduct holistic psychosocial wellbeing and risk assessments.
• Develop and review Transitional Case Plans and Therapeutic Personal Plans ensuring alignment with participant goals and program objectives.
• Facilitate effective case coordination ensuring seamless integration of support services including mental health substance abuse housing and employment services.
• Develop and implement participant engagement strategies that improve program retention participation and overall success.
• Maintain accurate detailed case records and reports documenting progress challenges and measurable outcomes while upholding confidentiality and compliance requirements.

Therapeutic Support

• Provide short-term culturally safe trauma informed therapeutic support within scope of practice.
• Facilitate family and cultural reconnection and engagement where appropriate.

Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement

• Coordinate participant engagement with health housing AOD and mental health services.
• Support justice release planning and post-release stabilisation and community reintegration.
• Strengthen partnerships with external service providers to ensure holistic integrated and sustainable support frameworks

Team Collaboration and Compliance

• Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team contributing to reflective practice and shared case planning.
• Maintain accurate confidential and up-to-date client records and documentation.
• Work within an ethical and legal framework and ensure services are provided in line with legislation policy and procedural requirements including but not limited to Child Safety Standards.

Essential Selection Criteria:

• Tertiary qualification in Psychology Social Work Occupational Therapy or Counselling with current registration from a recognised professional body. A commitment to ongoing professional development is highly regarded.
• Demonstrated experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.
• Experience in justice reintegration or complex case management.
• Demonstrated trauma-informed and culturally safe practice.
• Strong assessment documentation and communication skills.
• Proven ability to build trusting relationships with individuals who present with multiple and complex needs.
• Sound understanding and application of trauma-informed culturally safe approaches to support and mentoring.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise tasks meet deadlines and work effectively both independently and within a team.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills including the ability to engage via email social media phone presentations and reports.

Highly Desirable Criteria:

• Experience working with custodial or justice environments.
• Experience in the not-for-profit sector particularly within Social Services.
• Experience in employment reintegration youth services or community-based programs.
• Experience working with families youth or communities impacted by intergenerational trauma.
• Knowledge of the Northern Territory justice and parole systems.
• Experience supervising multidisciplinary teams

Ready to Make a Difference Were looking for someone whos ready to start this journey with us. If that sounds like you wed love to hear from you.

Interviews will begin as soon as we find the right people so dont wait reach out today.

Employment is Subject to Providing the following:

• National Police Clearance (no more than three months old)
• NT Working with Children (OCHRE) Card
• Current Drivers Licence
• Current First Aid

How to Apply: Share your resume and answer all Employer Questions or provide a one page Cover Letter.

Contact Us: If you have any questions or want to talk more about this opportunity give us a call onor email