About the Organisation

Life Without Barriers is a leading social purpose organisation of 7,300 employees working in more than 440 communities across Australia. We partner with people (including those with a disability, in out of home care, experiencing homelessness, drug and alcohol misuse, who may suffer mental illness, are refugees and older persons) to change lives for the better.

We want to employ people who reflect the diversity of our clients to ensure we can support each client's individual needs and wants. We encourage people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background and people with disability to apply.

About the role

Life Without Barriers is seeking an Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing Worker, Aboriginal specific position, to provide assertive and targeted outreach support to people referred to the innovative Assertive Outreach Drug and Alcohol Program, Next Steps.

This new service is rolled out in Port Augusta and the contract on offer is full-time until 30 June 2022.

We are looking for a highly skilled and motivated person with a background in alcohol and other drug to be part of our new team in Port Augusta.

In this role you will ensure that participants who have a history of reluctant engagement with treatment services are encouraged into assessment and treatment for their alcohol and other drug concerns. The role is to provide assertive and targeted outreach support to people referred into the Next Steps Program.

The Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing Worker is responsible for the provision of counselling, case management, outreach and community support with a focus on youth and adults with alcohol and or drug related concerns, with a specific focus on working with Aboriginal people and their communities. There is a requirement for the role to provide education, innovative and flexible health solutions, and health related interventions to clients in an assertive outreach community-based setting.

Key Responsibilities

• To provide holistic and person-centred assertive support to people who are living with complex alcohol and other drug related concerns
• To develop and implement treatment plans with people engaged in the Next Steps program
• Provide advocacy and assertive referrals on behalf of people where appropriate
• Provide cultural consultation to the team and to liaise with community agencies to ensure that all services are culturally appropriate and sensitive
• Provide information, education and practical assistance to people in the program to support them to reduce the harms associated with their substance use
• To work with families impacted on by a family members alcohol and or drug misuse 

Skills & Experience 

• Must be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander decent.
• Certificate III or Certificate IV in Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Island Health Worker Primary Health Care (Practice) or higher.
• Current Drivers licence.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate effective and appropriate intervention with complex clients; including the capacity to develop individual treatment plans and continuing support.
• Previous experience working from an assertive outreach framework and or drug and alcohol counselling, education advocacy or support would be an advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to provide information and educational activities to the Aboriginal Community on the issues associated with drugs and alcohol.
• Demonstrated understanding of the issues associated Alcohol and Drugs and their effects on the Aboriginal community.
• An understanding of the complexity of needs demonstrated by those experiencing complex Alcohol and Other Drug use concerns.
• Ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of agencies, both mainstream and community, to develop appropriate protocols, networks, advice and advocacy.

Successful candidates will be required to clear probity checks including National Criminal History Record Check and Working with Children Check (where relevant to the role).

Benefits 

• Work within a team passionate about facilitating positive changes for people
• Generous salary sacrifice benefits increasing your take home salary
• Ongoing training, support and career opportunities 

How to Apply

Include your resume and covering letter, click 'Apply' and follow the prompts.

For any enquiries including persons with disability that require adjustments, contact Manon Timmermans at [email protected], using the subject line: Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing Worker, Alcohol and Other Drugs - Port Augusta enquiry via EthicalJobs.

We are dedicated to playing our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and bring continuity of care and support to our clients. With this in mind, if you are successful, we will discuss with you an alternative to a face to face interview.