Families Worker – Youth AOD

📍 Rowes Bay, Townsville | 💼 Full-Time Permanent | 📋 SCHADS Level 5

Make a Difference. Strengthen Families. Change Young Lives.

This isn’t just a case management role. You’ll be a specialist voice, a trusted guide and a catalyst for meaningful change.

Our Youth AOD services provide more than treatment — we create safe, supportive spaces where young people can feel heard, valued, respected and empowered to move forward.

As the Families Worker – Youth AOD, you’ll play a key role in strengthening the connections around young people, helping families better understand trauma, substance use, family dynamics and safety.

You’ll work alongside young people and their families through some of life’s most challenging moments — helping them reconnect where possible, establish boundaries where needed and create safer pathways forward.

Why this role matters

The Salvation Army (Salvos) is one of Australia’s largest providers of alcohol and other drug (AOD) programs including withdrawal management, residential and non-residential rehabilitation, and harm reduction programs. Salvos services go beyond addressing the core issues and challenges associated with problematic substance abuse and provide participants a place of hope, compassion, and dignity to recover safely.

About the Role

You’ll provide specialist therapeutic and family-focused support within the Townsville Youth AOD Service.

Your expertise will help shape how the service responds to complex family relationships, trauma, risk and recovery. You’ll work closely with Case Managers and the broader team to ensure family involvement is purposeful, safe and aligned with each young person’s goals.

Every day will be different. Every conversation will matter.

What You’ll Do

• Deliver specialist interventions that promote safety, recovery and engagement for young people.
• Explore the impact of family history, trauma and relationships on substance use and wellbeing.
• Engage families, carers and kin to build understanding, communication and safer support networks.
• Navigate complex family dynamics including conflict, estrangement, reconnection and family violence.
• Use your professional judgement to determine when family involvement is safe and beneficial.
• Support complex and high-risk family engagement, including situations involving coercive control.
• Provide specialist advice and contribute to integrated care planning.
• Champion family-inclusive, trauma-informed and culturally safe practice across the service.
• Support continuous improvement and strengthen the way the program works with young people and families.

What You’ll Bring

You’ll bring a combination of professional expertise, emotional intelligence and a genuine commitment to helping young people and families create positive change.

You’ll have:

• A tertiary qualification in Social Work, Psychology, Family Therapy or a related discipline.
• 3–5 years’ experience working with young people and/or families experiencing complex challenges.
• Strong knowledge of trauma-informed practice, adolescent development and family systems.
• Confidence working with high-risk, sensitive and complex relational situations.
• Experience working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong systemic and therapeutic practice capability.
• A current Driver’s Licence.
• A current Working with Children Check.

💥 Ready to Make Your Impact?

If you’re looking for a role where your professional expertise can strengthen families, empower young people and influence better outcomes, we’d love to hear from you.

What we offer

The Salvos offer eligible employee's a well-balanced package of meaningful benefits including: 

• Salary packaging up to $15,900 tax free + $2,650 meal entertainment benefit.
• Generous Paid Parental leave for primary (12 weeks) & secondary carers, Purchased Leave Scheme (up to 8 weeks) and 5 days paid leave per year to experience working in other TSA programs or activities.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Access to EAP and health & wellness initiatives incl Fitness Passport
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander supports such as: Burra Burra Network (pastoral care network), Cultural Events, Sorry Business and Ceremonial Leave (up to 10 days)
• Ongoing training and development opportunities that enhance on the job skills and proficiency.
• Rewarding and fulfilling purpose driven careers that have positive and sustainable / social impacts.

About us

The Salvation Army (Salvos) is a Christian movement and one of Australia's largest and most-loved charities.  We believe in doing good that transforms lives and futures for the better. It is this belief which drives us to find new ways and places where we can make a difference. From times of personal crisis to moments of national grief, the Salvos are always there providing support, safety, community, and opportunity.

How to apply

If you’re passionate about making a difference and ready to join a team dedicated to creating positive change, please submit your resume and cover letter detailing your alignment with the requirements of the role.  Together we can build a brighter future.

Applications will close as soon as a suitable candidate is secured.

The Salvation Army is an Equal Opportunity Employer who provides an inclusive work environment and embraces the diverse talent of its people. We value people of all cultures, languages, capacities, sexual orientations, gender identities and/or expressions. We are committed to achieving a diverse workforce and strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Salvation Army is a child safe organisation and is committed to protecting children and young people from harm. All child facing roles will require the successful completion of a Working with Children Check. Applicants for all roles require a mandatory Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check.

We value Integrity, Compassion, Respect, Diversity, and Collaboration