ORGANISATIONAL BACKGROUND

Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is an international Catholic organisation with a mission to accompany, serve and advocate for the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced people. JRS works in situations of greatest need, where people are most vulnerable, where there are gaps in services and where partnerships can be formed to better serve people seeking safety. 

In Australia, JRS works to uphold the rights of refugees and people who are in the process of seeking asylum and aims to support people to empower themselves, to live meaningful and dignified lives while feeling welcomed and connected to a more fair and just community. 

As an independent, not-for-profit, non-government organisation JRS Australia undertakes the following activities: 

• Supports women seeking asylum to increase their understanding of domestic and family violence and sexual and gender based violence, its drivers and their rights, as well supporting women to access support and referral pathways.
• Supports and accompanies community-based people seeking asylum and refugees through a holistic programme of casework, financial assistance, community activities, food bank, English classes, an employment program, a women’s program, workshops and drop-in programs provided through our drop in centre in Westmead and JRS’s Community Centre in Parramatta.
• Supports and accompanies people seeking asylum who are held at detention facilities across Australia and those who have been in detention in the past or who have been transferred from Manus Island or Nauru.
• Raises awareness with young people and others in the community through schools, community centres and other stakeholders about forced displacement, social justice, human rights, the situation of people seeking asylum in Australia, the barriers that they face, and ways to get involved.
• Undertakes research and advocacy with and on behalf of people seeking asylum and refugees in Australia in order to advise government and non-government organisations (NGOs) on policy and program responses.
• Supports JRS projects and activities overseas, for example, through regional and international advocacy and campaigns.

About the role

Jesuit Refugee Service is seeking a SGBV Caseworker for its Finding Safety program with a passion for and a commitment to ensuring the rights of people seeking asylum, particularly the rights of women who have experienced or who are at-risk of experiencing domestic and family violence and other forms of sexual and gender based violence. The SGBV Caseworker will support the Finding Safety and JRS Casework teams to meet the urgent needs of women seeking asylum and other migrants in vulnerable situations who have experienced or who are at-risk of SGBV.  The position is SCHADS 4.1 and part-time (0.8 FTE) and is contracted to 30th June 2020, with the possibility of extension.

The JRS Finding Safety project aims to support asylum seeking and refugee women to increase their understanding of domestic and family violence, its drivers and their rights. The project is seeking to recruit a new role to provide specialised GBV case management to assist asylum seeking and refugee women experiencing violence or at-risk of experiencing violence in accessing appropriate support during the COVID-19 crisis.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential Requirements:

• Tertiary qualifications in social work, psychology, welfare or another relevant discipline, or equivalent experience.
• Extensive casework experience, preferably focussed on working with women who have experienced or who are at-risk of SGBV, including conducting assessments, providing information and referrals, and managing complex cases.
• Demonstrated understanding of the issues faced by people seeking asylum and refugees living in Australia, particularly women seeking asylum.
• Demonstrated understanding of issues related to domestic and family violence and other types of sexual and gender based violence
• Capacity to manage competing deadlines, prioritise workload appropriately and work in a flexible manner.
• Excellent oral, written, interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills. 
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Competent in using MS Office and online database/reporting systems.
• Commitment to gender equality and women’s rights.
• Commitment to working within current EEO, WH&S, and child protection legislation.

Desirable:

• Direct experience working with women seeking asylum or refugees, especially those who are affected by sexual and gender based violence      
• Direct experience working in NSW DFV (Domestic and Family Violence) sector     
• Proficiency in a relevant community language.
• People with lived refugee experience are strongly encouraged to apply.

A position description is attached.