Counsellor (REAL Program) – Alice Springs

Join Our Team as a Counsellor at Saltbush!

Are you a compassionate and culturally aware Counsellor committed to supporting meaningful change Saltbush is seeking a dedicated professional to deliver culturally safe trauma-informed counselling that strengthens wellbeing builds resilience and supports lasting change.

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 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 strengthens pathways to education training and employment and supports reconnection with family community and culture.

The Counsellor provides individual and group therapeutic interventions to REAL program participants supporting emotional stability healing behavioural change and resilience during the transition from justice to community.

The role delivers targeted evidence-based psychological interventions for young people and adults ensuring therapeutic approaches are outcome-focused and aligned with best practice.

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

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

To ensure success in your role as a Counsellor you will:

Therapeutic Assessment and Intervention

• Deliver early intervention and prevention counselling including therapeutic and psychosocial assessments aimed at reducing mental health risks and long-term impacts.
• Provide individual counselling addressing trauma grief emotional regulation and coping strategies.
• Facilitate or co-facilitate group sessions including Footsteps Forward programs in custodial and community settings.
• Deliver therapeutic support to participants pre-release release and post-release supporting transition from custody to community.

Case Management and Coordination

• Contribute to Transitional Case Plans and Therapeutic Personal Plans ensuring alignment with participant goals and program objectives.
• Coordinate referrals to external clinical specialist and community services.
• Identify and respond to clinical risk participant welfare issues and safeguarding concerns.
• Ensure all critical processes are followed and the established framework adhered to regarding the referral/intake treatment and throughcare of participants.
• Develop and maintain relationships with a range of providers such as AOD mental health health and related services including networking with organisations and proactively seeking to partner in service delivery for referrals and in the throughcare phase.

Documentation and Compliance

• Maintain accurate confidential and up to date clinical documentation.
• Ensure all counselling and case management activities comply with Saltbush policies Child Safe Standards and relevant legislation.
• 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 Counselling Psychology Occupational Therapy or Social Work with current registration with a professional body relevant to your qualification/s.
• Experience delivering counselling to people with complex trauma.
• Demonstrated experience with trauma-informed and culturally safe practices.
• High level experience working with clients predominantly youth who have co-existing and complex needs and an understanding of strength-based approaches.
• Experience working with justice-involved cohorts.
• Ability to work in custodial and community environments.
• Demonstrated experience in providing high quality support to clients and families including group work.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain collaborative working relationships with service providers and relevant stakeholders with a particular focus on mental health services.
• Comprehensive knowledge and experience of the issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• High level organisational skills and self-motivation with the ability to take initiative when working alone and able to interact and work in a team.

Highly Desirable Criteria:

• Experience working with custodial or justice environments.
• Experience in employment reintegration youth services or community-based programs.
• Knowledge of the Northern Territory justice and parole systems.
• Experience working with families youth or communities impacted by intergenerational trauma.
• Experience supervising multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience in group counselling and one-on-one facilitation experience.
• Local knowledge of Central Australia services.

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