Macarthur Legal Centre

Macarthur Legal Centre is a not-for-profit Community Legal Centre (CLC), based in Campbelltown (NSW), which provides free legal advice, referrals and assistance to people living in our catchment (which currently includes the Macarthur region and various LGA’s in regional NSW). We firmly believe that professional legal services should be available to ALL members of our community, regardless of social, cultural, or economic background. We work collaboratively with our internal specialist domestic violence, tenancy, youth, and Aboriginal workers to provide vulnerable clients with wrap-around legal and quasi-legal support services. In addition to our client-focused services, we also work to increase awareness of everyday legal/social issues, via community education, and use our coal-face experience to help inform positive legal/policy reforms in our main areas of practice.

Family & Domestic Violence Focused Financial Counsellor

MLC has recently received Commonwealth family law/family violence funding to deliver financial counselling services to MLC clients experiencing, impacted by, or at risk of domestic and/or family violence (to help improve financial, social, and legal outcomes for this vulnerable client group).

We are looking for an accredited Financial Counsellor to work with MLC 3 days per week (42 hours per fortnight), with a permanent part-time rate of $49.07/hour (Level 6, pay point 1, Social, Community, Home Care & Disability Services Industry Award (SCHCADS)), plus super and Public Benevolent Benefits (Salary Sacrificing). This position is currently funded until 30 June 2025, with the position also otherwise subject to availability of funding.

The primary functions of the family violence focused financial counsellor are to:

• Provide financial counselling and casework assistance to clients experiencing, impacted by or at-risk family/domestic violence and/or those with complex family law issues (E.g., assist women leaving domestic violence relationships with separation related debt management, etc.).
• Work collaboratively with MLC’s legal and auspiced services, including our Aboriginal Legal Assistance Program (ALAP), Children’s Court Assistance Service (CCAS), Macarthur Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (MWDVCAS) and our South West Sydney Tenant’s Advice and Advocacy Service (SWSTAAS), to provide vulnerable, mutual clients with holistic wrap-around support.
• Contribute and advocate within MLC, and the community more broadly, for the advancement the financial wellbeing for survivors of domestic/family violence.
• Attend relevant interagencies in the Macarthur region, if required, to promote MLC’s services and help inform best practice.
• Establish and maintain a reliable network of relevant specialist workers for warm referral purposes.
• Liaise more broadly with workers in the CLC sector and related sectors, to assist with service promotion, targeted service delivery, etc.
• Provide information, referrals, and support for MLC clients.
• Provide ongoing non-legal casework services to MLC clients.
• Complete admin and related tasks, as required (e.g., properly documented advice/casework, accurate data entry, ongoing reporting, documented case studies etc.)

Selection Criteria

Applicants must meet the following selection criteria:

• Relevant qualifications, accreditation, and experience in financial counselling.
• Current and ongoing Working with Children Check Clearance.
• Demonstrated understanding of the role and functioning of Community Legal Centres.
• Demonstrated understanding of domestic/family violence and it’s impacts on survivors, including children, and ability to work effectively and compassionately with this client group.
• Understanding of the possible impacts of vicarious trauma, which may be experienced in this role, and willingness to engage with internal supervision arrangements, if required.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to social justice issues and those experiencing economic, social, and cultural disadvantage and lack of access to legal/non-legal services.
• Demonstrated understanding of cross-cultural factors across a broad range of social issues.
• Good oral and written communication skills including advanced ability to work in an electronic environment.
• Capacity to develop and deliver community education materials, relevant to financial counselling issues.
• Ability to network effectively, with a range of service providers.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Capacity to work unsupervised.
• Demonstrated high-level interpersonal skills, and ability to work as a member of a team.
• Demonstrated ability to comply with MLC COVID-19 vaccination policy, and willingness to comply with MLC vaccination policies and/or policies of partner services, as they may apply from time-to-time.
• Driver’s licence, and access to vehicle with comprehensive insurance cover, for work travel purposes.

Applications

If you’re interested in applying, please submit your application via the form below, including your resume, and a cover letter addressing the required selection criteria.

Applications and questions should be sent to [email protected] using the subject line: Financial Counsellor - Family Violence Focus enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Further information about our services can be found here.