Are you an enthusiastic Social Worker who wants to work with a like-minded, passionate team to provide holistic, trauma informed and culturally safe legal services to residents of the Gold Coast? If so, we want you as part of our team! 

Gold Coast Community Legal Centre (GCCLC) is a NFP community legal centre providing free legal and other social justice services to residents of the Gold Coast region. We assist across a wide range of areas of law, as well as having a social work team to work alongside solicitors to support and further assist clients facing vulnerabilities and challenges. 

In 2024-25, we provided over 16,500 services to the Gold Coast community, demonstrating our impact and significance in the work we do. If you want to be part of this positive impact and make a difference to those in need, join our team! 

GCCLC Offers: 

• Up to a 30-hour working week
• Four weeks of annual leave, plus additional paid leave over the Christmas period
• Above Award paid leave options, including paid parental leave
• Flexible working arrangements
• Salary packaging and novated leasing options to increase your take-home pay along with a competitive salary well above award rates, with attractive salary sacrifice options
• A dedicated training and external supervision budget, plus access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with confidential counselling services available to support you and your family’s wellbeing
• Regular internal training opportunities and all-staff days
• A collegiate, collaborative and inclusive work environment
• Career progression support and opportunities for people looking to grow and interested in continuous learning and self-development
• Free parking, office in close proximity to public transport, cafes, and Australia Fair
• Quality coffee machine and office amenities on site 

Salary packaging options 

• GCCLC offers staff SCHADS Award rate plus a professional retention payment above Award rate.
• This position is advertised as the complete equivalent annual package (Award rate plus professional retention payment for a 12 month contract). 

Job description 

The successful candidate must be empathetic and willing to work with vulnerable and disadvantaged communities while being supported by a professional, friendly team of co-workers. 

Overview & Purpose of Position 

The GCCLC acknowledges that many clients of our service are experiencing multiple factors when presenting to the service. The GCCLC social worker’s role is to enhance our client’s well-being. The social worker works in partnership with solicitors to enhance service delivery and outcomes for clients. The Social worker promotes social justice through advocacy, referral and crisis intervention. 

The social worker has a role in promoting the service to the community and raising awareness of the challenges clients of GCCLC may be experiencing. 

A core objective of the role is to contribute to maximise the successful resolution of clients’ legal matters through the integration of legal and social work services to highly vulnerable people who have multiple, significant and complex barriers to successfully resolving their legal matters. The area of focus is working across the generalist services the Centre provides as needed, including but not limited to clients experiencing domestic violence sexual harassment, discrimination, mental health concerns, homelessness, unemployment, lack of access to necessities, isolation and grief. 

This includes the provision and undertaking of: 

• Direct client services, including casework services and support including crisis intervention, court support, client advocacy, information and referrals 
• Working with social work students placed at the Centre
• Community education, awareness raising, networking and promotional work
• Social policy work; and
• Service development and other work functions/activities as required from time to time 

Qualifications and Prerequisites 

• Bachelor or Master of Social Work Degree
• Eligibility for membership of AASW
• Class C driver’s licence, and ability to travel as required. 

Essential Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Qualities 

• Practical experience as a social worker (can include placement experience as a social work students) with demonstrated skills and knowledge in responding to client needs, including risk assessments, crisis interventions and referrals.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, particularly the ability to work effectively across all levels of the team
• Commitment to social justice and social change
• Ability to practice independently and make complex practice decisions autonomously
• Proven ability to engage with a wide variety of stakeholders and work effectively within the community sector 

Working under supervision and general direction from the Centre’s Principal Solicitor and Supervising Social Worker, you are required to undertake a range of duties and work functions/activities requiring you to: 

• have knowledge of organisational programs, policies and activities
• have knowledge of the role of the organisation, its structure and services
• undertake a range of functions within the organisation requiring the application of a high level of knowledge and skills to achieve results in line with the organisation’s goals
• adhere to established work practices, although you may be required to exercise appropriate initiative and judgment where practices or direction are not clearly defined
• set priorities and monitor work flow in your area of work
• plan and organise your work, as well as of administration and volunteer workers as required
• carry out and be responsible for implementing moderately complex projects and/or functions
• undertake publicity assignments of limited scope and complexity, as required.
• provide reports on progress of activities as required.
• exercise a high level of interpersonal skills in dealing with the public and others 

Duties 

To undertake the following across each of the Centre’s service programs as required: 

Direct Client Services 

To be responsible for the provision of information, referrals and ongoing casework and support services for clients that aims to improve the safety and well-being of vulnerable and disadvantaged clients, including: 

• attending appointments including via regular weekly clinics; and outreach locations, home visits and other safe locations as required
• undertaking comprehensive intake and needs assessment
• preparing, developing and implementing client support plans which seek to address identified client need
• provision of short term counselling,
• undertaking advocacy work for clients including but not limited to liaison and negotiation with government agencies and non-government service providers and other stakeholders
• preparation and completion of forms, applications and other documents
• preparation and maintenance of appropriate and accurate records of client work, including case management plans and assessments as appropriate
• provision of information and referrals that ensure clients are provided with the most appropriate information and resources that meet their needs a holistic service

Team engagement 

Foster a collegiate, supportive and productive team environment, including to: 

• monitor and facilitate a positive working environment
• foster teamwork and co-operative behaviours
• model and promote effective communication between professional staff and other workers
• identify and resolve conflict involving professional staff as required
• act as a role model for the Centre’s organisational culture 

Community legal education, awareness raising, promotional work, networking, service development and related activities 

To identify, initiate, prepare and develop community education, awareness raising, publicity, promotional and related resources and materials, including: 

• PowerPoint presentations
• handouts
• fact sheets
• articles
• editorials; and 

• other resources and materials as required. To identify, initiate, organise, provide and deliver community education, awareness raising, publicity, promotional and related activities, including: 

• • talks, presentations, workshops and other group activities
  • stalls
  • meetings; and
  • other activities as required via face to face, online or other mechanisms. 

To establish, maintain and further develop and strengthen the Centre’s professional and organisational networks and relationships, including: 

• attendance and active participation at regular professional and other networks
• attendance and active participation at ad hoc networks and events
• working co-operatively with other organisations to provide effective services and improve service responses for the benefit of clients 

About GCCLC 

Please view our recent Annual Report on our website for a detailed outline of who we are, the services we provide and impact we have on our local community: www.gcclc.org.au/about-us/annual-reports 

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Operations and HR Officer by phone on 07 55329611 or email at [email protected] using the subject line: Social Worker enquiry via EthicalJobs.