Aboriginal Housing Victoria (AHV) is an Aboriginal community organisation responsible for managing more than 1,500 rental properties for Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islander people living in Victoria.

Our vision is to ensure that Aboriginal Victorians secure appropriate, affordable housing as a pathway to better lives and stronger communities.

In addition to being the largest Aboriginal Registered Housing Agency in Australia, AHV is the lead agency for Victoria’s Aboriginal housing and homelessness policy, Mana-na worn-tyeen maar-takoort. As the housing and homeless policy lead in the Aboriginal community, AHV has responsibility to work in partnership with the Government to secure the resources and reforms to implement the policy, while we support sector development to empower Victoria’s Aboriginal community to determine its chosen housing future.

AHV's housing services are targeted to those most in need of support. Through the provision of secure housing by an Aboriginal landlord, AHV helps strengthen and maintain Aboriginal communities and cultural ties. 

Reporting to the Team Leader, Aboriginal Community Home Connect, this position will play a key role in working with Aboriginal children and families. The role will provide client focused, case managed support to AHV and Aboriginal public housing tenants. The program will connect with our client base to maintain positive social connection, prevent escalation of issues by identifying housing, households and personal stressors and ensure that service system support is provided. The incumbent will engage in service planning; coordinate referrals; and work collaboratively with the Aboriginal Community Home Connect team to support risk assessment and planning.

By intervening early and maintaining social and community connection, the project will minimise negative long-term outcomes such as engagement with child protection services, homelessness services and the justice system, while supporting referral and access to health and community services, as required.

The Consultant will be involved with the following areas:

• Undertake welfare checks by phone or internet, including physical and mental health, financial, housing;
• Provide client focused, case managed support to tenants in AHV and Aboriginal public housing tenants;
• Assess the client’s circumstances and safety requirements through informed and confidential discussions;
• Refer, liaise and support the client and family members in assessing appropriate services
• Support the establishment of positive social connection via  phone calls and the ability to have a yarn with Aboriginal social housing households;
• Coordinating the case load of your team in the  Aboriginal Home Community Connect project;
• Provide plain English information on and access to, resources and support;
• Gather information on issues impacting on Aboriginal tenants and providing aggregated data to policy makers and program managers;
• Work with the Team Leader, aggregating monthly data for consideration by the COVID-19 Aboriginal Task Force, so that issues can be identified and action taken;
• Minimise the negative impact on Aboriginal people of post COVID-19 economic contraction.
• Inform future strategies should a COVID ‘like’ event occur in the future;
• Perform other duties as directed that fall within the scope of the position or the incumbent’s knowledge and skills.
• Exercise a duty of care to work, taking reasonable care to protect your own health and safety and that of your fellow workers, volunteers and clients including following safe working procedures and instructions.

We are looking for someone who will bring a client-centred focus to the role and with the following key attributes and skills (KSC):

• Relevant experience within the Community Services Sector specifically the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
• Awareness and appreciation of Aboriginal societies and cultures and an understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal people in contemporary Australia and the diversity of circumstances of Aboriginal people.
• Experience in case management of clients with complex needs;
• Experience in delivering support and or referral of services via telephone will be highly regarded.
• High level interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to work collaboratively within and across teams to ensure the completion of common goals.
• Demonstrated ability to clearly and concisely present information both in writing and verbally, together with the ability to communicate complex concepts to a broad audience.
• Demonstrated analytical, problem solving and negotiation skills, particularly when working with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience in working in crisis response initial assessment, including the ability to remain calm, positive and task focused
• Ability to identify and assess family violence risk; to complete safety planning and priorities safety of women and children. 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants are encouraged to apply. 

A relevant tertiary qualification or experience is preferred. 

A National Police Records Check and a Working with Children Check are required for this position.

This position will be based in our North Fitzroy office when COVID-19 restrictions allow us, but will be working from home until further notice. 

A copy of the Position Description can be found on our website, ahvic.org.au/about/ahv-careers.

Please direct enquiries about the position to Louise Carey on 0491 732 321.