An exciting opportunity exists for an experienced and passionate secondary teacher to join Y Community School in Epping – an independent alternative school dedicated to re-engaging and empowering disadvantaged and disengaged youth.

The Y Community School was established in 2024 to respond to the needs of young people who are disengaged or at significant risk of disengaging from mainstream education. The school is part of Y Whittlesea, a not-for-profit that happens to be part of the oldest youth organisation in the world (YMCA) and oldest social enterprise, where all profits go back into our communities. The Y School is a fresh initiative, crafting a safe and inclusive learning environment for young people aged 15-20 who may have faced disengagement from education. We're all about providing support, services, and programs to empower individuals to achieve their goals.

Teachers at the Y Community School play a crucial role in assisting students to re-connect with education, helping them discover their interests, needs, goals, and personalised learning plans. They develop and deliver dynamic and engaging learning materials and activities. Teachers actively guide students to attain learning outcomes and progress along their educational paths, with the ultimate objective of empowering students to take an active role in their learning and transition to successful life paths.

Teachers at the Y Community School strive to deliver a high-quality educational program focussed on the whole person and on supporting individualised education in the academic, wellbeing and vocational domains. Our approach is to reengage students through specially tailored programs, curriculum and structures focussed on supporting students to progress to employment and / or further education and training.

As a teacher at the Y Community School, you will make a meaningful difference in the lives of disadvantaged and disengaged young individuals, guiding them towards discovering their future pathways, fostering recovery, and igniting hope.

 Relevant knowledge and skills:

• Knowledge of the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) and VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM).
• A Teaching degree, and current registration with the VIT as a classroom teacher.
• Experience in planning, implementing and evaluating individualised educational programs for young people.
• Knowledge of the issues that impact on the education of young people with wellbeing or mental health difficulties and experience in promoting positive student wellbeing.
• Strong interpersonal skills including self-awareness, self-management and awareness of others in communication and problem solving.

All applicants must be registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching, be qualified to teach, and have demonstrated experience in the knowledge and skill area(s) specified for the position.

This position will ideally commence as soon as possible in Term 4, 2025. 

Want to know more about our School? Visit our website (copy link into your browser) – https://whittlesea.ymca.org.au/y-community-school/

How to apply

Applicants are invited to submit a resume and cover letter by clicking on the 'Apply Now' button.

For a detailed position description, visit this link (copy link into browser): https://ymac.worldmanager.com/go/gJ67DQ 

For further enquiries about the role, please contact Sarah Abbott, Campus Principal on 03 9407 6229 or email sarah.abbott@yschool.vic.gov.au. You can also email recruitment@ywhittlesea.org.au (we manage applications via our online portal, so please be sure to apply via the website and not by email. Thanks for your understanding).

Applications close date:  27 September 2025

We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible, as screening and interviews may begin as applications are received. This position may close early if a suitable candidate is identified before the official closing date.

Safeguarding Children and Young People

At the Y, we are committed to empowering all Children and Young People to feel safe and be safe, at the Y, in their families and in their communities. As such, we ensure that all of our candidates are appropriately screened (including police checks) to make sure that the right people are in the right roles.

To learn more about our screening processes, click here to view our Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy (copy link into your browser):

https://ymca.org.au/about-us/safeguarding-children-young-people/safeguardingresources/

The Y is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to the safeguarding of children and young people.