The Department of Human Services plans, funds and provides health, housing and community services for the State of Victoria. This means that the department is an incredibly vibrant and diverse place with the work we do impacting on all Victorians, especially people who are disadvantaged and vulnerable.
Of the 13,000 or so people employed in the department, most work in our one of eight regions and most work directly with people. These jobs, which we call direct care jobs, include working as a child protection worker, working with children or adults with a disability, working with young people who have broken the law and are now involved with the youth justice system and working with people who receive housing assistance. People working in those direct care jobs have qualifications in social work, youth work, justice, welfare work, disability certificates, psychologists and other allied health degrees.
For a comprehensive overview of the department, including details of the objectives, mission statement, annual report, our Ministers and more, visit the DHS home page.
Our Values
We look for staff who can comfortably embrace our values and model these within the workplace.
The Department of Human Services has a set of organisational Values that aspires to have:
- Client Focus - We work towards improving the health and wellbeing of our clients and community.
- Professional Integrity & Respect - We treat all people with dignity and respect.
- Quality - We always strive to do our best and improve the things way we work.
- Collaborative Relationships - We work together to achieve better results.
- Responsibility - We commit to the actions we take to achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients and community.
What are Values?
Values influence the choices we make and are central to our decisions and actions, both within and outside the workplace. Values convey to our stakeholders what the organisation stands for, the way we expect to treat each other and the way we conduct our business.
- Download the departmental values booklet [PDF, 110kb]
Why Identify Organisational Values?
Values provide a framework against which people make decisions and take actions which ultimately affect the performance of their organisation. Values have been increasingly recognised as providing an essential foundation and framework for guiding individual and organisational behaviour in large organisations.
Divisions of department
The department consists of nine program divisions:
Portfolio Services & Strategic Projects - provides a cross program focus for research, policy analysis and strategic planning to support the Departmental Executive in determining portfolio priorities to ensure that they are delivered in a coordinated and collaborative manner. The Division has central office responsibility for development of strategic priorities and policy direction for the department.
Metropolitan Health & Aged Care - is responsible for the full range of health and aged care services in metropolitan Melbourne, covering acute, sub-acute, ambulance and hospitals.
Rural & Regional Health & Aged Care - has State wide policy and program direction responsibility for aged and home care, primary health, dental health and public health.
Operations - The role of Operations Division is to facilitate a whole-of-department perspective on operational policy and direct service delivery. Operations Division is responsible for managing day-to-day operational issues in regions and the three youth justice centres. It also has responsibility for state emergency recovery (under Regional Operations Performance branch) and human resources.
Housing & Community Building (Office of Housing) - Oversees the delivery of secure, affordable and appropriate housing and homelessness assistance to low income Victorians, including emergency and transitional accommodation, long term rental housing, private rental and home ownership assistance.
Children Youth & Families - Focused on the health, safety and wellbeing of children, young people and families in Victoria.
Disability Services - responsible for funding and providing a range of supports and services for people in Victoria with intellectual, physical, sensory and dual disabilities, neurological impairments and acquired brain injury.
Financial & Corporate Services - Delivers internal services to the department such as finance, capital management, administration and information services.
Mental Health & Drugs - Supports the mental health and wellbeing of the Victorian community through education, prevention and early intervention strategies.
The department manages a range of diverse programs from eight major regional centres. Three in the metropolitan area and five in the rural areas of Victoria.
Regions in the department
What the Melbourne CBD area offers
The head office for the department employes just over 2,700 people so there exists a lot of opportunity for careers and advancement.
Melbourne is set around the shores of Port Phillip Bay. The city itself, laid out in a large rectangle and boasting a lively and cosmopolitan pulse, sits on the northern banks of the Yarra River, about five kilometres from the bay.
For those who enjoy the city life, Melbourne provides it all. Office life, shopping, bountiful coffee locations and dining and a growing supply of apartments and town houses for city living. Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne boasts great festivals and shopping, a passion for food and wine, and fabulous arts.
In Melbourne, there is something on each month of the year. Whether your interest is motor sports, comedy, food, fashion, theatre or the arts, you’ll find a festival or event for you.
Victoria offers cuisines of all types and nationalities. With ideal growing conditions and a mix of ethnic cultures from around the globe. In Melbourne alone you’ll find over 3,000 restaurants, cafes, bistros and bars, not only reflecting the cosmopolitan nature of the city, but also dishing up the world on a plate. Thai, Chinese, French, Spanish, Greek, Vietnamese, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Mexican and Vegetarian – no matter what your tastes, you’re sure to find it here.
Metropolitan regions
- Eastern (main office in Box Hill)
- North and West (main offices in Fitzroy and Footscray)
- Southern (main office in Dandenong)
Rural regions
- Barwon-South West (Geelong area)
- Gippsland (Traralgon area)
- Grampians (Ballarat area)
- Hume (Wangaratta area)
- Loddon Mallee (Bendigo area)