ABOUT PWDA

People with Disability Australia (PWDA) is a national disability rights organisation. Its membership is made up of people with disability and organisations primarily constituted by people with disability. PWDA was founded in 1981, the International Year of Disabled Persons, to provide people with disability with a voice of our own. PWDA has a cross disability focus – we represent the interests of people with all kinds of disability. PWDA is a non-profit, non-government organisation. We employ over 50 staff with 25% working in regional areas.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Advocate role provides advocacy support to individuals or groups of individuals with disability, and their associates, to promote and protect their human, legal and service user rights in accordance with the National Standards for Disability Services.

PWDA’s Individual and Group Advocacy Service provides short-term, issue-based individual and group advocacy assistance for people with disability and their associates in NSW. It provides information, advice and referral services and intensive individual advocacy assistance.

This is an integral role in delivering PWDA vision of a socially just, accessible and inclusive community, in which the human rights, belonging, contribution, potential and diversity of all people with disability are recognised, respected and celebrated with pride.

This role can be based in our Queanbeyan Office, however with COVID-19 we are currently working from home. This is a part-time role of 21 hours per week (0.6FTE). It will be a maximum term contract role until 30 June 2021, with a possibility of extension, dependent of funding. Award Classification is Level 5 under the Social, Community, Home Care & Disability Services Award 2010. PWDA pays above Award, and the salary on offer is $84,797 per annum (pro rata $50,878 for 0.6FTE) plus salary packaging and superannuation.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential

• Understanding and commitment to the rights and interests of people with disability
• Knowledge of community services sector and complaints handling bodies in NSW
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to liaise with a wide range of people such as clients, their associates, services providers and government departments
• Well-developed negotiation skills with the ability to remain tenacious
• Strong documentation skills including managing information and record-keeping
• Demonstrated capacity to manage time frames and competing priorities
• Ability to work effectively with people in stress or crisis, remaining resilient and managing boundaries
• Cultural competency
• Intermediate computer literacy

Desirable

• Personal or family experience of disability
• Previous experience in the community services sector
• Degree in social sciences or related discipline

PWDA is a proud employer of people with disability, and people with disability are strongly encouraged to apply for these positions. We are an EEO employer and we embrace the diversity of our people, such as diversity in disability, race, cultural background, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation or intersex status.

Full position description is at pwd.org.au/about-us/employment.

For more information about this role, please contact Jen Ruse, NSW Manager Individual Advocacy & NDIS Appeals, at [email protected], using the subject line: Advocate enquiry via EthicalJobs, on (02) 9370 3100 or 1800 422 015.