• Reports to: Detention Advocacy Manager
• Full-time position until 30 June 2019
• Hours: 38 hours per week (1.0 EFT)
• Classification: Level 5 under the SCHCADS Award
• Location: Based at 214-218 Nicholson St Footscray

Organisational Context

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) is the largest aid, employment, health and advocacy organisation for people seeking asylum in Australia. The ASRC provides a range of direct services as well as participating in law reform, campaigning and lobbying. 

ASRC Detention Rights Advocacy Program

The Detention Advocacy program focuses on individual and systemic advocacy for people in detention and on Nauru and Papua New Guinea. This includes individual intervention, referral and support, private and public advocacy strategies for groups and individuals, dealing with media requests, highlighting conditions of detention (onshore and offshore, including Nauru and Papua New Guinea) assistance with complaints to human rights and other complaints bodies and support for strategic litigation.

Specific Duties

The Detention and Offshore Caseworker will be responsible for undertaking the following duties:

• Ongoing casework support and advocacy for the rights of people seeking asylum and refugees detained in Australia and on Nauru and Papua New Guinea, in collaboration with the Detention Advocacy Manager and the Detention and Offshore Casework Coordinator;
• Manage a caseload of clients in onshore immigration detention and regional processing centres;
• Complex casework, critical incident intervention and suicide risk assessments with clients as required;
• Ensure casenotes, data collection and other documentation and client files are up to date;
• Coordinate appropriate referrals to the Human Rights Law Program, other legal organisations and refugee organisations;
• Collect and provide accurate information to the Detention Advocacy Manager and the Advocacy and Campaigns team to form effective campaigns and advocacy around systemic issues faced by people in detention and offshore;
• Build and maintain networks and information sharing processes with key stakeholders including organisations and refugee advocates working around Australia;
• Attend regular internal and external meetings and conferences including community consultation meetings and other forums;

Selection Criteria                               

Essential:

1. Extensive knowledge of and demonstrated experience in advocating for the rights of people seeking asylum, particularly people in immigration detention;
2. Demonstrated experience in complex casework;
3. Demonstrated experience in suicide intervention and critical incident management;
4. In depth knowledge of the refugee sector and migration processes for people seeking asylum;
5. Exceptional time management skills and demonstrated ability to prioritise tasks in an under resourced environment and often in stressful circumstances;
6. Demonstrated resilience and resourcefulness and excellent crisis and conflict management skills in similar work setting;
7. Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
8. Current Australian driver’s license and access to own car.

Desirable:

1. Tertiary qualification in law, policy, social work, psychology or other relevant area;
2. Experience working within a not for profit community organisation;
3. Experience working with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds;
4. Experience working with survivors of torture and trauma;
5. Experience working with people in regional processing centres on Manus Island and/or Nauru.

Conditions of Employment

Terms and conditions of employment will be based on the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 or its successor agreements.

All offers of employment are subject to a satisfactory Criminal History Check and provision of a valid Working with Children Check prior to commencement.