Vươn lên (VL) (means To Rise in Vietnamese) will offer fortnightly peer group support and social learning assisting young people in the Southern Region of Melbourne to take part and be more fully included in the community. It also has a connected parent support component to further assist the young people and families.

VL is a sub program of a large capacity building Project being undertaken by Extended Families Australia and Vietnamese Families with Special Needs (VFSN) Inc. across 2020-2022.

The Facilitator will work directly with families and individuals and will be responsible for co-facilitating a fortnightly peer group for youth aged 15-18 years starting in May 2021. The Facilitator will be an integral member of VL Team that includes the Program Coordinator, other Facilitators, Peer Leaders and Volunteers.

The role is ideally suited to someone with experience in the disability services sector, working with youth in peer groups or inclusion support experience. It will involve travel to community venues and visiting participants in their own homes. We are preferably seeking some fluent in Vietnamese, so they can facilitate the parent support component as well.

The position is 10 to 12 hours a fortnight.

(NOTE: This position can be combined with the Extended Families My Time Facilitator (Vietnamese Speaking) which would make the position 20 hours fortnight. Please refer to our other advertisement for that position)

Extended Families Australia

Community Inclusion staff at Extended Families support people with a disability and their families to build individual capacity through skills development, devise solutions to overcome participation barriers and create connections between people and the communities they live in. For many individuals, achieving genuine community participation can feel daunting and sometimes beyond their reach. Extended Families has an excellent reputation in service innovation, quality practice and provides a highly supportive team environment. Our focus is on helping children and young adults with disability of diverse backgrounds to find and experience genuine inclusion.

WHO

The VL Group Facilitator will have

• Knowledge of the disability and community service sector with insight into the opportunities and connections available (disability specific and mainstream) that support inclusion
• An understanding of peer group facilitation and / or service coordination and previous professional experience in disability services
• Knowledge and experience in working with people to empower and build their individual capacity
• An understanding of and a commitment to social justice principles and the human rights of people with a disability
• Awareness and appreciation of cultural and linguistic diversity
• A holistic practice orientation with an understanding of the complex interactions between social and economic factors, the environment and personal circumstances that impact on an individual’s health and well-being
• Excellent communication, organisation, flexibility and empathy and ability to engage with families and co-workers
• Strong administration and computer skills

We are looking for a person with qualifications (or an individual working towards gaining qualifications) in Community Development, Community Service Coordination, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Psychology or Welfare. This is a contract position concluding July 2022, with the possibility of extension.

WHAT

The VL Program follows on from and seeks to further build upon the outcomes achieved in the VL pilot that was successfully implemented by Extended Families and the VFSN in 2019 and 2020.

VL South East Youth will assist 8-10 young people and their families who are experiencing difficulties engaging in meaningful community activity and who have not been able to overcome inclusion barriers through existing services.

The program will provide tailored, group based support to help participant’s develop their community interests, strengthen daily living skills, grow in confidence, increase resilience and motivation, experience social connection and access community participation experiences.

The VL Group Facilitator will

• Work alongside other members of the VL Team consisting of the VL Program Coordinator, a Peer Leader and a Volunteer to deliver a regular schedule of fortnightly peer group meetings for 8-10 participants

• Work with participants and families to assess their inclusion support needs and form individual Participation Plans that will guide the development of group activities

• Support the VL Program Coordinator in developing a package of interactive learning resources and opportunities for participants
• Assist individuals to implement their Participation Plans, monitor and evaluate their progress in the VL program
• Support participants to identify, build up and maintain strong community relationships and local interests
• Assist the VL Program Coordinator and Project Manager in program evaluation and reporting processes

Orientation, training and ongoing support will be provided to the Facilitator by the VL Coordinator and by the Project Management Executive Team

Email and phone enquiries to Julia Klieber, Project Manager, [email protected] using the subject line: Vươn lên Group Facilitator - South - Youth Peer Group enquiry via EthicalJobs or M 0451 665 057.

A full Position Description is attached.