• Supporting newly arrived migrants and refugees
• Part-time position
• Salary packaging available
• Bendigo location

Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services (Multicultural Services) is a leading independent organisation that helps people from migrant and refugee backgrounds build positive lives in regional Victoria.

Position summary

Multicultural Services is seeking a dynamic and experienced settlement worker to deliver its Settlement, Engagement and Transition Support (SETS) Program. SETS is funded by the Federal Department of Social Services and seeks to:

• Support clients to become self-reliant and participate equitably in Australian society
• Increase social participation, economic and personal wellbeing

Multicultural Services will be delivering SETS as part of the Victorian Regional Network Consortium, along with three partners: Diversitat, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council and Sunraysia Ethnic Communities Council. The Victorian Regional Network is a consortium focusing on innovation, best-practice and high quality outcomes for new arrivals settling in regional Victoria.

The Victorian Regional Network’s SETS Program will deliver a strength-based, flexible case work service as well as group activities. Clients will be permanent residents on eligible visas who are less than five years in Australia, including youth, families and adults.

Multicultural Services’ SETS is one of three SETS Programs being delivered in the Bendigo region and wherever possible will work to compliment and collaborate with other SETS Programs as well as Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) providers, both in Bendigo and across Victoria.

Key Duties:

Community development activities:

• Engage newly arrived communities
• Provide settlement support as needed for community members including refugees, asylum  seekers and migrants
• Provide general casework to settlement and non-settlement eligible clients
• Support the planning and implementation of community-driven responses
• Provide information sessions and group work sessions based on community need
• Support community consultations to identify issues and needs
• Provide support, mentoring, case management and advocacy to multicultural community in Loddon Campaspe region
• Build and maintain good working relationships with stakeholders to support work
• Undertake administrative requirements
• Write reports, policy and advocacy documents as required
• Represent Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services at stakeholder meetings
• Manage the client intake process with LCMS programs.

 Organisational responsibilities:

• Participate in training as agreed between supervisor and employee
• Work from a culturally sensitive, community development framework
• Develop and sustain professional networks
• Participate in regular supervision
• Participate in organisational meetings and activities
• Work collaboratively across the organisation to meet community need
• Work from a culturally sensitive, community development framework using rights based, trauma informed and strengths based approaches
• Supervise volunteers and students
• Undertake other duties as required

Key Selection Criteria

Essential

1. Bachelor/Diploma of Social Work, Community Development Work, Community Services, Psychology or similar
2. Minimum 3 years experience working with refugee communities
3. Experience in caseworker and settlement roles
4. Demonstrated ability to facilitate group work/training sessions in an engaging and participatory manner
5. Strong understanding of the needs of new arrivals, at both the individual and community level
6. Strong understanding of, and experience in, working from empowerment and capacity building frameworks
7. Ability to build a warm connection to local emerging communities
8. Excellent spoken and written English, including the ability to write reports
9. Ability to undertake occasional evening and weekend work
10. Ability to network effectively with multicultural communities and stakeholders

Desirable

1. From a culturally diverse background
2. Ability to speak a community language.

Benefits of working with Multicultural Services

In addition to being part of an organisation that makes a truly positive impact on people's lives, you'll also have access to:

• Family friendly workplace with flexible work arrangements
• Salary packaging
• Positive workplace culture and supportive team environment
• A richly diverse team of staff and volunteers from all around the globe
• Community focused staff with a shared passion for improving opportunities for migrants and refugees