The Sydney Counselling Centre provides a range of employment services to the community. We are committed to helping clients find and keep the right job.

Our counsellors will assist in the following areas:
- identifying and working through issues which may be preventing you from gaining employment (eg low self-esteem, anxiety, drug and alcohol issues)
- identifying employment areas of interest to you
- preparing a professional resume
- teaching you how to market yourself
- developing interview and telephone techniques.

In some cases, we are able to provide these services free of charge. This is the case if Centrelink regards you as eligible for either of the following programs.

Special Training and Employment Placement Service (STEPS)
STEPS is an employment service that was set up to help people with psychiatric illness to gain and maintain employment in the general work force. The service has been providing employment support to people with disabilities since 1989 and is funded by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

To be eligible for this program, individuals must meet the following criteria:
- Have a diagnosed psychiatric disability.
- Live within a nominated catchment area.
- Be well and largely free of symptoms.
- Be regularly seeing a mental health worker.
- Be ready and motivated to pursue at least 8 hours of work a week.
- Be able to travel to and from work.
- Be free of illicit drug use or alcohol dependency, or receiving specialist drug/alcohol counselling.


People who join the STEPS program are assigned an Employment Counsellor, who works one-on-one to address issues relating to both obtaining and maintaining employment. Once clients are working, STEPS can provide support for as long as is required.

Click here for a S.T.E.P.S. referral form.
If you cannot view the form, click here to download Acrobat Reader

Personal Support Program
The Personal Support Program was introduced in May 1998 and is designed to assist eligible job seekers access services to overcome their barriers to employment. The program helps participants access counselling, stable accommodation, drug or alcohol rehabilitation programs and other activities to address debilitating personal development.

To be eligible for this program, participants must be:
- Receiving Newstart Allowance
- Receiving Youth Allowance
- Receiving a Disability Support Pension
- Receiving Parenting Allowance (single or partnered)
- Receiving Mature Age Allowance
- Receiving Partner Allowance
- Receiving Widow Allowance, Widow Pension or Widow B Pension
- An unemployed person aged 15 to 20, registered with Centrelink and not in receipt of income support.

Participants of the Personal Support Program are assigned a Psychologist/Employment Counsellor, who works one on one with them to address barriers to employment. These barriers will usually be in combination and may include:
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Homelessness/social isolation
- Very long term unemployment
- Psychiatric or psychological problems, including depression and anxiety
- Repeated periods in custody
- Torture and trauma experience
- Domestic violence
- Sexual abuse
- Motivational problems/ self esteem issues
- Inadequate literacy/numeracy skills
- Mild intellectual disability.

For more information about these programs and our Vocational Guidance services, call the Sydney Counselling Centre on (02) 9415 2223.