About Us

Down Syndrome Victoria is a not-for-profit organisation established in 1978 to provide support, information and resources to people with Down syndrome, their families and the broader community.

We work alongside people with Down syndrome and their families to reach their potential and live the lives they choose.

About the opportunity

Adult Support Manager

DSV provides whole-of-life personal support to individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

The Adult Support Manager is responsible for providing families and adults with Down syndrome (18 years+) with evidence-based information, emotional support, and advocacy, enabling them to make informed choices, build resilience, and connect with mainstream and specialist support services.

By working collaboratively with stakeholders and partner organisations, the role aims to remove barriers and enhance access to essential services, creating meaningful, long-term positive outcomes for both families and the community that support them.

Support includes emotional care through peer support and supportive counselling, practical help and evidence-based information on development, daily living, and navigating systems like health, education, and the NDIS.

Through advocacy, skill-building, coordinated referrals, and regular follow-up, adult support ensures families are connected, informed, and empowered at every stage.

This role is a part-time position, 22.8hrs per week

Key Deliverables

• Create a safe, compassionate space for families to express and process their emotions without judgment. Refer parents to appropriate psychological support services and peer support services that share similar experiences. Support may be provided through a variety of platforms such as phone, social media, community, home visits and peer support groups
• Offer up-to-date, evidence-based, objective, non-directive information across adult life stages and transitions.
• Help families navigate systems and services
• Deliver education through training for families, adults with Down syndrome, health and community service providers
• Identify and escalate systemic issues and service gaps, sharing insights with DSV leadership and alliance
• Support the management of the Down syndrome Victoria parents' closed Facebook group as an administrator
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders across disability, health, and community sectors, strengthening pathways and awareness of DSV supports
• Support the delivery of the Fiona McBurney Match Day Experience program in Victoria, as well as other projects and grants as required

Essential Skills & Experience

• Tertiary qualifications in social work
• Experience of either raising a child with Down syndrome or an intellectual disability or the lived experience from a sibling or close family member
• Ability to understand, engage and work with both formal and informal community networks and systems, particularly family-centred engagement.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and relevant Australian legislation, including the Disability Discrimination Act and other disability-related Acts. Ability to apply a rights-based approach when working with people with disability to promote inclusion, dignity, and equal opportunity.
• Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills
• Experience and understanding of providing support and services for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families.
• Experience and knowledge of NDIS, health, disability, and the community service system.
• Experience in facilitating and presenting training and information sessions.
• Effective use of Microsoft Office suite and social media platforms.

Additional Requirements

• NDIS Worker Screening Check and Working With Children Check

A position description is attached.