A range of qualified staff are employed at Dunlea Centre across a variety of positions brought together into a multidisciplinary framework.
These qualifications include teaching, psychology, counselling, sport and recreation, social work, conflict resolution, ministry, finance and residential care. Other training that some staff have pursued include, yoga and mindfulness, trauma informed teaching practices and lifestyle management.
Currently, there are 10 qualified teachers, six counsellors, five life skills / social educators and eight residential workers. Fifteen staff members hold post-graduate qualifications, seven are graduates with a further fourteen holding TAFE or equivalent qualifications related to their position. Ten staff members are working towards higher qualifications in teaching, counselling, social work, administration & finance, psychology and complementary medicine. Two staff members are currently completing their provisional registration internship. Average attendance rates of staff were above 95%.
Dunlea Centre values the development of professional networks and training that contribute to improvement and the development of staff skills. In 2016 this included:
Child Protection Investigation Training, Mental Health First Aid, Risk Management, Domestic Violence, Managing Suicides & Attempts, Fire Safety, Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI), First Aid, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Governance training as well as regular employee inductions.
Professional exchanges and experiences as well as visits to other Non-Government Organisation’s (NGO’s) and associated agencies, such as the Association of Independent Schools (AIS), Association of Chidren’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA), Marist Youth, Redbank House, Flexible Learning Centre Towradgi, The John Berne School Lewisham and several Department of Education alternative settings. The Executive staff continue to maintain professional links with Lund University Sweden, Ulster University Belfast, St Patrick’s School Malta and closer to home, St Dominic’s College Glenorchy. Additionally, the Executive Director has re-established professional links with Boys Town Omaha, which will serve as a unique learning opportunity for staff on opposite sides of the Pacific.
