Baabayn Aboriginal Corporation seeks to appoint a friendly, capable, resourceful person to coordinate our weekly gathering for young mums who are members of the local Aboriginal community. We’re looking for someone who would excel at planning and delivering a weekly program of skill-building activities, who has insider knowledge of Aboriginal culture, and who has the life experience to be able to serve as a role model for young Aboriginal women in the Mt Druitt area.

The Young Mums group meets on Wednesdays from 10:00am to 2:00pm during the school term for a structured program of talks and activities aimed at building the Mums’ knowledge, capability and confidence. Like all our work at Baabayn, this program is strengths-based. It is designed to nurture self-esteem and pride in identity and culture. It is intended to encourage healthy aspiration, and to empower the mothers both to give their children a good start in life and to gain the skills and self-confidence to pursue their own desired pathways. We affirm participants’ resilience, and we seek to nurture their abilities and talents.

The program equips the mums with knowledge about the support available from relevant service-providers and the confidence to access such support. It encourages peer support and puts direct assistance with practical needs in the Mums’ reach at our Centre. A key underlying purpose is to build young mothers’ ability to avoid the intrusion of the child protection authorities in their lives by supporting them to be the good parents they want to be.

The mums are all either Aboriginal or the non-Aboriginal mothers of Aboriginal children. They bring their children, ages 0 to 5, to Baabayn on Wednesdays. We’re not an Early Learning Centre, but we still give the jarjums a weekly experience of play-based learning while their mums do their own program. While the babies usually stay with Mum, the other children are minded by qualified educators.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Your main duty will be planning and delivering the program described above. This will include;

• Programming and planning weekly group sessions for the Mums for each school term, ensuring an appropriate balance between different types of relevant activity.
• Making arrangements in advance for all the necessary resources, including guest instructors and facilitators, to be available for each session.
• Managing the recruitment and intake of new participants.
• Attending and contributing to each weekly session while monitoring the program for quality and smooth delivery.
• Engaging supportively with program participants and referring them appropriately when they need specialist assistance.
• Fulfilling evaluation and reporting obligations.

For a detailed statement of the specific tasks that will be required, please check out the full position description available below.

KEY CHALLENGES

• Maintaining confidentiality and professional boundaries within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
• Balancing the competing demands of delivering a culturally safe, relevant service and meeting organisational and administrative requirements.
• Building trust and positive relationships with the Mums, your colleagues, external service providers and other members of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
• Exercising initiative, resourcefulness, sensitivity, adaptability and flexibility in planning and delivering the program.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The minimum qualifications and core competencies we will require you to demonstrate in your written application and/or at interview:

• Identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person
• Strong understanding and/or lived experience of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultures and communities
• Demonstrated ability to work with young Aboriginal mothers in a culturally appropriate and empowering manner
• Certificate IV in Community Services or a related area (or ability to demonstrate relevant skills and competencies to an equivalent standard)
• At least one year of relevant work experience
• Understanding of, and commitment to (a) cultural safety, and (b) trauma-informed and strength-based practice
• Excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing
• Demonstrated understanding of the issues facing young Aboriginal mothers and mothers of Aboriginal children in the Mt Druitt area
• Demonstrated administrative and organizational ability, including ability to prioritise
• Basic computer literacy and knowledge of basic office applications such as Word
• Friendly, approachable, empathetic and helpful manner
• Ability to work both independently and in a team environment
• Insider knowledge of and commitment to Aboriginal culture
• Current unrestricted Class C NSW Driver’s License

A current, valid NSW Working With Children Check clearance will be a condition of employment. Any offer of employment will also be subject to the provision to Baabayn of evidence of your relevant qualifications and a satisfactory National Police Check certificate.

You will be expected either to hold a current First Aid Certificate and Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid Certificate or to acquire these as soon as possible after appointment.

The filling of this position is intended to constitute a special measure under section 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth).

Baabayn Aboriginal Corporation considers that being Aboriginal is a genuine occupational requirement for this position under Section 14 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).

Baabayn Aboriginal Corporation considers that being a woman is a genuine occupational requirement for this position under Section 31 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).

PAY, CONDITIONS & DURATION OF EMPLOYMENT

If you are the successful applicant, we shall pay you at a pay-point that reflects your qualifications and experience within the Level Four range of the Social, Community, Home Care & Disability Services Award pay scale. Other conditions and benefits will be in accordance with the National Employment Standards and the above award. Salary packaging can be negotiated with our financial manager, preferably before your first payday with Baabayn.

Your contract will expire on Friday 16 July 2027. Extension of employment may be considered subject to funding, your performance, on-going need for the position and applicable legislation.

A position description is attached.