• Reporting to: Executive Officer, Client Services
• Award Classification: Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (SCHADS). Positions will start at a Crisis Accommodation Level 2 (depending on experience and role) plus superannuation and salary packaging.
• PWS is an Australian Service Excellence Standards Accredited Shelter.
• We follow a feminist approach and offer flexible and supportive work arrangements.

Who we are

Women’s Community Shelters is a network of nine shelters for homeless women accompanied by children across NSW. We are recruiting for a team to work in our shelter in the Cumberland LGA.  Parramatta Women’s Shelter is a crisis accommodation service for women with or without dependent children, who are experiencing homelessness due to domestic violence or family violence. PWS is opening its first Core & Cluster service.

The shelter is staffed 7 days a week (reporting to the EO of Client Services during office hours) 

Women’s Community Shelters are dedicated to supporting and empowering women to take control and move on with their lives. Our clients are supported with client-centred and trauma-informed case management and are supported to secure more permanent housing options and pursue other support goals.

About the role

The Core & Cluster model allows for the expansion of Parramatta Women's Shelter. The shelter provides crucial supported accommodation services to women, with or without children who are at risk of homelessness or domestic and family violence through crisis accommodation and rapid rehousing. We are building a new team including a Team Leader, Case Workers and Child and Youth Specialist Workers. Join our supportive, skilled team for this exciting new project.

Women’s Community Shelters are dedicated to supporting and empowering women to take control and move on with their lives. Our clients are supported with client-centric and trauma informed case management and are supported to secure more permanent accommodation and pursue other goals, such as, studying, re-training, legal, employment, financial, family, and recreational. 

An understanding of the homelessness sector, awareness around current issues and practice in domestic violence and good knowledge of housing pathways are key skills for this role. The ability to work an on-call roster, including some weekend work is required.

Essential Skills

• Social Work, Psychology, Community Services and/or a related Human Services field. Prior experience in a domestic and family violence service or related role will be looked upon favourably.
• Demonstrated understanding of client-centred and trauma-informed practice.
• The ability to work with limited supervision and exercise judgement and initiative in a new role, with developing practices and processes.
• A demonstrated understanding of the varying needs of women who come from diverse backgrounds and present with multiple and complex needs.
• Provide a case coordinated service model for women with complex needs.
• Broad knowledge and understanding of family violence, including the impacts on women and children.
• Strong administrative skills, including excellent written and oral communication skills and confidence with the MS Office applications.
• High-level organisational skills, the ability to set priorities and ensure adherence to service standards in a fast-paced and changing environment.
• Ability to think innovatively and creatively to develop tailored client solutions.
• Ability to work autonomously and as a part of a multidisciplinary team.

Desired Skills

• Experience in the Not For Profit sector.
• Ability to use online case management system, CIMS.
• Understanding of current issues in women’s homelessness, including current practices of responses to domestic and family violence and homelessness.

Essential Requirements

• Current first aid certificate or capacity to acquire one before commencement.
• Current NSW driver’s License.
• The right to live and work in Australia with Ability to provide proof of Eligibility to Work in Australia
• National Police Check
• Working With Children Check
• COVID-19 vaccination

 What’s on Offer

• Purpose with a mission to help shape and lead a positive impact contributing to homeless women and children.

• A flexible workplace.
• Salary Sacrifice Fringe Benefit available.
• Feminist organisation embedded in strong foundational practice frameworks.
• Supportive learning culture with career development and training opportunities. 
• An inclusive organisation, member of ACON’s Welcome Here Project
• Access to free counselling through our Employee Assistance Program.
• External Team Supervision bi-monthly, additional support when required.

Employment is subject to satisfactory background checks, which include National Police Checks, Working with Children Checks and Reference Checks.

We seek a workforce that is as diverse as our society, in race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexuality and cultures that will reflect the communities we work in. We strongly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to apply. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require a copy of the position description.

We consider being a woman is a genuine occupational qualification for this position under section 31 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) and sections 30 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth).