Pastoral Care Practitioner (Spiritual Care)

• Leading not-for-profit, values based organisation
• High performance culture focused on providing a positive and fulfilling ageing experience
• Permanent, part time role working 3 days per week in our Bendigo Aged Care Homes

What you do matters 

Are you looking for a job that truly makes a difference in the lives of others? Join Benetas as a Pastoral Care Practitioner and be a part of our mission to help older Victorians live their best lives.

The Benetas Pastoral Care service is a significant part of our organisations social dividend, and demonstrates our commitment to value the whole person and all aspects of their life. Pastoral, whole of life care, is respectful of all religious faiths and expressions of spirituality, acknowledging the residents beliefs, important relationships and all that is meaningful to them. As a natural people person with a good ear, you’ll support residents and their families with a range of issues, including spirituality and meaning (non-denominational and multi-faith), grief and loss, adjusting to change, palliative care and end stage of life.

Some duties of this role include:

• Managing and responding to Allied Health referrals for Pastoral Care provision, assessing and responding pastorally
• Providing 1:1 and group based inclusive/ non-denominational / multi-faith respectful Pastoral Care including Memorial Services, spiritual reminiscence, spiritual and emotional support
• Implementing individualised, culturally sensitive care to all residents and clients
• Supporting Benetas in the community including fostering Parish Partnerships 
• Communicating and promoting the Pastoral Care Service within the community and within Benetas
• Working collaboratively with all stakeholders including Community Engagement Coordinators (Lifestyle)
• Responding to requests from residents, clients, their families and representatives, Benetas employees and volunteers for services, denominational visitors and local clergy providing chaplaincy, sacramental ministerial/church based services and rituals
• Maintain a caseload of referrals - minimum 20% of allocated resident cohort

To join our excellent team, we’re looking for someone with:

• CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) - minimum 1 unit and eligibility for membership of Spiritual Care Australia (Desirable).
• Prior experience as a professional Pastoral Care Practitioner in an Allied Health role or equivalent (Desirable).
• Experience in effective documentation management, including spiritual assessments and progress notes, using systems and electronic records
• Organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage competing tasks
• Strong interpersonal skills to develop effective working relationships, and build rapport with residents and their families
• Demonstrated resilience and compassion when dealing with complex spiritual care needs, such as grief and loss
• The annual flu immunisation and willingness to obtain each year to help keep our residents safe

To work in Residential Aged Care you will need to have an NDIS Worker Screening Check. The NDIS Check lasts for 5 years and can be used with any organisation / employer. You can find out more information about it here. You can still apply for a job if you do not have the Check already, but you will need to receive it before you can start working. 

Why Benetas?

• Permanent part time hours, working 45.6 hours per fortnight across our Bendigo Residential Homes at Eaglehawk and Kangaroo Flat  
• Not-for-profit salary packaging for $15,900 per year for general bills and expenses, plus an additional $2,500 for meals and entertainment - offering you more take home pay with less tax!
• A strong learning culture with paid training hours to build your skills
• A proven history of internal career progression and opportunities for you to move within Benetas so your story with us continues

What do we do? We care – in a big way!

Benetas is a leading not-for-profit organisation dedicated to actively working with older Victorians. We make a difference - We have been caring for older Victorians for over 70 years, providing a safe and supportive services that cater for all.

By working with our values in mind – Respect, Responsibility, Community, and Spirit, we are able to care for and celebrate every client and resident for being the incredible individual that they are. Not only do we celebrate our residents, but we celebrate each other.

If you are an enthusiastic and experienced admin professional with a passion for helping people, then join Benetas to have a meaningful career where the work that you do will really matter. 

We are proud to provide an inclusive workplace - with a diverse workforce that reflects the client base. We respect and value differences and encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to apply.