The Position:

Legal Educator - Transformative Community Legal Education Project

The Project:

Transformative Community Legal Education. This project is a collaboration between the National Justice Project, King & Wood Mallesons and Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research.

Status:

Full Time (1 year contract with possibility of extension)

Location:

UTS Ultimo

Reports To:

George Newhouse, Director, National Justice Project

ABOUT THE PROJECT PARTNERS:

NATIONAL JUSTICE PROJECT, KING WOOD AND MALLESONS AND JUMBUNNA

The National Justice Project (NJP) is a not-for-profit legal service and civil rights organisation. We use the law, advocacy and education to tackle systemic injustice and promote government accountability. We primarily represent and support First Nations peoples and asylum seekers/refugees who have been harmed and discriminated against within the justice and health care systems. We advance human rights by representing and supporting our clients to have their voices heard. We advocate for the reform and development of law, and a justice system that is fair, just and equitable, taking on the most challenging cases that will create systemic change.

We work across Australia and in the Pacific. Our head office is based in Sydney and is a small and busy workplace. We recognise and pay our deepest respects to all sovereign First Nations Peoples as the traditional custodians of the lands on which we work. NJP recognises that throughout history the Australian legal system has been an instrument of violence and oppression against First Nations Peoples, as well as other minority groups. NJP seeks to strengthen and promote dialogue between the Australian legal system and First Nations laws, governance structures and protocols.

We are committed to reconciliation, and achieving social justice by ensuring everyone has the right to equal access and status under the law. We work collaboratively with community partners to identify and advocate against systemic injustices. We are a small team of both legal and non-legal staff who all work flexibly and cooperatively, to achieve positive outcomes for our clients, strategic outcomes in Australia’s legal landscape and enhance rights awareness within the community.

ABOUT KING & WOOD MALLESONS

King & Wood Mallesons is an international top tier law firm. Through its social impact practice, Community Impact, King & Wood Mallesons work in trusted partnership with community-led organisations, emerging leaders and respected advocates to further strengthen communities through strategic legal, justice & advisory projects, holistic pathways programs and targeted grants. The vision for Community Impact is ‘Strong communities where young people thrive’. The focus of Community Impact is First Nations young people.

ABOUT JUMBUNNA INSTITUTE FOR INDIGENOUS EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

The Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research aims to produce the highest quality research on Indigenous legal and policy issues and to develop highly skilled Indigenous researchers.

We are committed to practical innovation and to the development of impact-driven research that benefits industry and the broader Indigenous community, helping shape the world we live in.

Our Vision is to promote, support and embody the exercise and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sovereignty and Self-Determination.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

LEGAL EDUCATOR, TRANSFORMATIVE COMMUNITY LEGAL EDUCATION PROJECT

This newly created and exciting role has been created through collaboration between King & Wood Mallesons, the National Justice Project and Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education.

The role will be fulfilled as a position with NJP, with legal work supervised by NJP.

Key Responsibilities:

• Community Legal Education: (a) convene a project working group of relevant stakeholders to identify innovative approaches to community legal education, in particular with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and Community-Controlled Organisations; (b) co-develop a strategy for the piloting of a transformative Community Legal Education project; (c) facilitate the delivery of the pilot project both face to face and online; (d) create an online educational resource to support the programme; and (e) support an evaluation of the pilot and development of further project phases
• Continuing Professional Development: (a) convene a project working group of community legal centres and other aligned services to develop a bespoke CPD course to support best practice in the legal assistance sector, (b) lead the delivery of the CPD project and online; and (d) create an online educational resource to support the programme.
• Induction and Governance: (a) convene a project working group of community legal centres and other aligned services to develop resources and a framework to support the legal assistance sector to (i) induct staff volunteers and the leadership group, and (ii) to provide high quality governance; (b) develop a framework for an online educational resource to support the Induction and Governance programme.

Work outside ordinary business hours may be required as needed for community legal education seminars, external committee meetings or other organisational activities.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Relevant degree
• Strong, dynamic and innovative project management expertise
• Demonstrable success in the design and development of transformative training or educational programs
• Excellent communication skills
• Inspirational and inclusive project leadership with proven capacity to work well with a range of stakeholders; actively involve and keep stakeholders engaged and informed throughout
• Dynamic and results oriented; proven ability to establish priorities and meet project milestones and deadlines
• Able to work efficiently and independently as well as take responsibility for project deliverables
• Able to exercise sound judgment, negotiate and influence positive outcomes and proactively address complex problems as they arise
• Committed to advancing First Nations
• Passionate supporter of social justice and human rights, with experience working with First Nations organisations and communities highly regarded.

Desirable Skills and Experience:

• Experience delivering innovative educational and training projects, developed on time and within budget
• Background in adult education pedagogy or equivalent competency gained through any combination of education/training or experience
• An understanding of the not-for-profit community legal sector
• An interest in online learning and familiarity with best practice curriculum design for online and blended learning will be highly regarded

Key Candidate Considerations:

• Some travel may be required;
• The successful candidate will apply their legal or educational training, together with lived experience and knowledge, to practical and innovative ways to deliver Community Legal Education to assist in seeking justice and accountability for our clients and the wider community; and
• The successful candidate will also be required to provide reflective reports over the course of the year.

Personal Responsibilities, Including:

• Undertaking work and other activities with integrity whilst upholding the organisation’s values and ensuring a people-first approach across our staff, volunteers and clients;
• Supporting team cohesion in a flexible and friendly manner;
• Protecting and enhancing the reputation of the organisation;
• Executing the tasks that are assigned to you to a high standard;
• Collecting data to evaluate your work and regularly reporting on it;
• Meet objectives and deliverables in a timely manner; and
• Maintaining positive relationships with partner organisations and the wider community.

A position description is attached.