• Are you looking for a rewarding opportunity to contribute to social change in a values-based organisation?
• Are you an organised and energetic person who can work autonomously and in a team?
• Part-time 0.4EFT, 6 months position with a view to extend
• SCHADS Award 2010, Level 5 plus superannuation
• 5 weeks annual leave (pro-rata) and access to salary packaging
• Offer of employment subject to a six-month probationary period
• Equal Opportunity Act 2010 – Human Rights List - Exemption - to employ Women Only (No: H154/2017). Please note, Flat Out holds an exemption to employ women only however this exemption is applied with discretion and Trans and Gender Diverse people are also welcome to apply.

ABOUT US

Flat Out is a state-wide advocacy and support service for women (cisgender and transgender) and other trans and gender diverse people (and children in their care) who have been criminalised. We are an independent, not-for-profit, community-based organisation that aims to prevent people from entering and returning to prison. We provide outreach support to Victorian prisons and work with those who have experienced incarceration, homelessness, family violence, mental health, and alcohol and other drug use.

Flat Out receives government funding and project funds from various sources to provide high-quality, innovative, and effective services and advocacy. We are committed to providing support at the highest professional standard and within a holistic person-focused, proactive, feminist, de-carceral, and advocacy framework.

Flat Out leads and participates in research and education to the broader community about a person’s right to live free from trauma, injustice and violence, and the issues that occur for women (cisgender and transgender) and other trans and gender diverse people (and children in their care) in the criminal justice system.

Flat Out is a feminist organisation that seeks to be accessible and accountable to women, non-binary and gender diverse people with lived experience of criminalisation. A volunteer Board provides strategic oversight and governance. We maintain a strong voice in the prison abolition movement in Australia and are positioned as a socially and economically viable alternative to prison.

POLICING and family Violence ProJECT

The position is funded through the Policing Family Violence: Changing the Story project, an integrated project working at the intersection of interpersonal and state-based gender violence. The project works specifically to respond to harm related to family violence policing and to intervene in and prevent criminalisation of survivors.

The Policing Family Violence: Changing the Story project provides specialist legal assistance, casework, and other support to people impacted by family violence policing. It also works to drive collaborative, sector-based strategic advocacy for police accountability, and to build capability within the legal sector to improve responses to survivors.

THE POSITION

This position will work closely with other Flat Out program staff, reporting to the Advocacy Coordinator – Policing and Family Violence, and will work closely with workers at partner organisations including the Police Accountability Project (Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre), the Law & Advocacy Centre for Women, Inner Melbourne Community Legal and St Kilda Legal Service where appropriate.

The Family Violence Outreach Support Worker works independently, under limited direction, and assists in the development of operational policies and practices. A high level of personal skill is required.

Based in Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. Some flexible working arrangements at partner organisations may be negotiated.

This position will require some travel to attend meetings, outreach, training etc.

Travel costs will be reimbursed. If a private car is used, then comprehensive insurance is required.

ROLE DETAILS

• Provide social work support to people who are supported by the ‘Policing Family Violence: Changing the Story’ project
• Maintain regular contact with each person identified for outreach assistance (including those in custody) and provide appropriate support and referrals, including assistance with family violence safety planning, risk management and other support
• Actively support and facilitate contact between people supported through the project, partner legal services/lawyers, and any barristers, where engaged
• Co-advocate with people we support in communications with other agencies, where possible
• Actively assist people to get to court, appointments with doctors, counsellors, support workers, and advocacy engagements
• Assist people to collect documents when required, for example, evidence-gathering for legal matters, legal aid applications/fee waiver applications; documentation for Flexible Support Packages
• Maintain succinct file notes of communications in relation to each person supported, and provide these for confidential and de-identified project review, systemic advocacy, or reporting if required
• Be present in meetings with project lawyers who visit people we assist in their homes or at other locations as requested

• Keep people up to date with their cases and relevant Policing Family Violence project information, and campaign events or groups that might be of interest to them
• Attend case review and case conferencing meetings regarding outreach support work
• Actively identify and foster connections with other support services to conduct warm referrals
• Conduct occasional outreach and training to project partners and relevant support services, detail support work and practice through the project and facilitate intake referrals

KEY SELECTION CRITERIa

1. Demonstrable experience in family violence support work
2. Strong and demonstrable commitment to social justice, community development, and the aims of the project
3. Demonstrated understanding of and an ability to work in an abolitionist framework and practice strength-based or response-based approaches when working with criminalised people and people experiencing family violence
4. Ability to assess client support needs, identify risk and enact basic safety planning as required;
5. Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team and an ability to work collaboratively as well as independently
6. Ability to organise time, set priorities, work with minimal supervision, and seek secondary consultations and support when required.

A full Position Description is attached.

For further information please contact Lauren - [email protected], using the subject line: Family Violence Outreach Support Worker enquiry via EthicalJobs.