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Sustainable Cities Community Organiser

Friends of the Earth
  • Work Type/s: Contract, Part Time
  • Duration: Nine months
  • Classification/s: Sustainable transport, Environment and sustainability,
  • Advocacy and campaigns
  • Sector/s:Not for Profit
  • Location: Melbourne, Victoria

About Us:

Friends of the Earth (FoE) Melbourne is a not-for-profit community-based organisation working for a socially equitable and environmentally sustainable future for more than 45 years.

Friends of the Earth Melbourne is an anti-hierarchical organisation and a local member group of the national federation known as Friends of the Earth Australia, which in turn is the country member of Friends of the Earth International. The broader FoE International network has over 5,000 local branches across the globe and is the world's largest grassroots environmental network with over 2 million members and supporters around the world.

FoE campaigns from the local to the global on today's most urgent environmental and social issues; challenging the current model of economic and corporate neoliberal globalisation, and promoting solutions to create environmentally sustainable and socially just societies.

This role is being partly funded by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA). The PTUA is a non-profit volunteer organisation, representing passengers of all forms of public transport in Melbourne and Victoria. Founded in 1976 as the Train Travellers Association, the PTUA lobbies governments and public transport authorities in the interest of all users of public transport, works with other bodies and through the media to promote public transport and educate the community about the benefits of sustainable transport policies, and undertake research into transport policies which will improve services and make Melbourne and regional Victoria a better place to live.

The PTUA is committed to a sustainable economy, a healthy ecology and an equitable society, in which Victorians can go anywhere, anytime, using a community-controlled public transport system that is convenient, efficient and safe.

About The Role

The Sustainable Cities community organiser is based at Friends of the Earth and would implement a broad campaign strategy designed by the Sustainable Cities collective (a team of staff, transport experts, and volunteers). The organiser will work with Friends of the Earth supporters, existing organisations, community members, and other stakeholders in the western suburbs to demonstrate strong public support for an improved bus service.

The organiser will implement a strategy to build community support for a state government commitment to improved frequency and reliability of buses in the western suburbs; upgrade the 25 worst Public Transport connection points; and full electrification of the state’s bus fleet by 2030.

Key Responsibilities:

The organiser will:

  • Organise five community meetings in key suburbs to educate the local community about transport solutions and test interest in participating in a community campaign.
  • Activate Friends of the Earth’s support base and participants in a recent CrowdSpot survey to attend local community meetings (at libraries or community centres) to attend events and identify local champions;
  • Work with Friends of the Earth’s campaign coordinator and the collective to promote academic research that builds the evidence base for government action (i.e: On social media, media, email communications, etc);
  • Convene and co-facilitate a community strategy session for local champions in the western suburbs;
  • Draw on the FoE network to facilitate skill share sessions and capacity building opportunities for local champions;
  • Support community-driven tactics to put transport on the agenda and secure commitments from political parties ahead of the November state election (i.e: meetings with local MPs and candidates, creative stunts, flyering at train stations and transport interchanges, etc);
  • Convene a weekly meeting for the Sustainable Cities collective (staff and volunteers involved in the campaign).
  • Identify local spokespeople and work with a videographer to capture people’s experience with Public Transport and hopes for an improved system (TBC).
  • Attend FoEM weekly Campaign Coordinator and monthly Strategy meetings when possible; and,
  • Contribute a community organising perspective on the evaluation of the campaign once complete.

Accountability:

The organiser will be accountable to the Friends of the Earth Sustainable Cities collective and FoEM Strategy Collective.

The organiser will be supported on a day-to-day basis by the FoE campaigns coordinators, Leigh Ewbank and Cam Walker.

Salary & Conditions:

The organiser would be employed under the Friends of the Earth Melbourne workers agreement. Friends of the Earth Melbourne has a policy of wage equity and as such all workers are paid at the same hourly rate.

The current commencing pay rate for this position is $35.90 per hour or $74,672.00 per annum, pro rata, plus superannuation and entitlements. The organisation pay rate will be increased from 1 July 2022 to $38.90 per hour or $80,912.00 per annum, pro rata, plus superannuation and entitlements.

It is hoped the role will continue beyond the initial nine month period, subject to funding.

Hours of work:

This is a 4 day a week position (0.8 EFT) for six months and a 2 day per week position for three months (December onwards). At Friends of the Earth Melbourne we consider a working day to be 8 hours (including 1 hour paid lunch break), with the option of flexi time within a working day.

Selection Criteria:

Essential:

  • Some experience as a community organiser and the delivery of issues-based advocacy campaigns.
  • Proficiency using the Nation Builder, Zoom, Slack, Google Suite, and social media platforms.
  • Ability to attend night time and weekend meetings in the western suburbs.
  • Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
  • Excellent presenting and public speaking skills.
  • Proven ability to manage time effectively (i.e: well organised, work to campaign timelines, and meet deadlines).

Desirable:

  • Familiarity with the western suburbs of Melbourne.
  • Experience working with linguistically diverse communities.
  • Knowledge of sustainable transport, urban planning, and climate policy.
  • Understanding of the campaign, advocacy, and political landscape in Australia and Victoria in particular.

next steps:

For any further information please contact Leigh Ewbank on 0406 316 176.

To submit your application, click Apply Now.

A position description is attached.

How to apply

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