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 Individual Advocate provides advocacy support to people with disability, to promote, protect, and realise their human, legal, and service user rights, in accordance with the National Disability Service Standards. Advocates promote self-advocacy, self-determination, and supported decision-making principles to champion people with disability having choice and control over our own lives.

RESPONSIBILITIES & MAIN DUTIES

Advocacy:

Provide issue-based individual advocacy to people with disability, including:

• Conducting face-to-face and/or telephone meetings with clients to clarify their situation, concerns and desired outcomes.
• Discussing the pros and cons of various options the client may choose to resolve their matter.
• Working with clients to develop action plans which reflect their priorities and which build self-advocacy skills.
• Facilitating assisted referrals for clients, including when clients are in crisis.
• Supporting clients to express their views and concerns, including during planning meetings, reviews, appeals, tribunal sessions, and relevant court appearances
• Supporting clients to seek remedy and redress for human rights violations, including by making complaints to oversight bodies, participating in dispute resolution, and in accessing legal services.
• Liaising with relevant stakeholders to achieve client outcomes, including assisting clients to obtain reports and documentation that are critical for accessing a service entitlement, a better support plan, etc.
• Maintaining client files in accordance with internal/external procedures/protocols, to a consistently high standard.
• Implementing outreach strategies for priority populations.
• Contributing to the development of promotional material/activities.
• Contributing to the monitoring and evaluation of PWDA’s advocacy service, through data collection reporting, client satisfaction surveys, and annual audits.

Information, Intake and Referral:

Contributing to the client information intake and referral process when the volume of requests for advocacy requires support. This includes:

• Assessing and providing responses to requests for information, referral, and/or advocacy support,
• Preparing client matters for allocation amongst the PWDA Individual Advocacy team
• Providing support and guidance to intake staff on complex information requests, prospective intake matters.

Systemic Advocacy:

• Contribute to systemic advocacy initiatives by participating in specific projects, as required, and proactively identifying emerging systemic issues while providing individual advocacy.

Organisational Participation:

• Participate in organisational activities such as staff meetings, planning meetings and team development initiatives.
• Contribute to workplace health and safety
• Participate in relevant professional development and training. Undertake other duties as directed within the scope of this role.

PWDA reserves the right to alter this position description from time to time in accordance with the needs of the organisation and in consultation with impacted workers.

Selection Criteria Essential

• Understanding of and commitment to the rights and interests of people with disabilities, including knowledge of relevant policy and legislation, in particular commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD).
• Experience working in the disability sector, upholding human rights, preventing discrimination and unfair treatment of clients.
• Knowledge of the complaints handling bodies in the relevant state or territory.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to liaise with a wide range of people such as clients, their associates, service providers, and government departments.
• Good understanding of, and commitment to, trauma-informed practice.
• Understanding the risks of violence and abuse to people with disability and appropriate referral pathways.
• Demonstrated capacity to manage competing time frames/priorities.
• Strong documentation skills.
• Cultural competency.
• Intermediate Computer skills.

Desirable:

• Previous experience in the health, community, or legal service sectors.
• Tertiary qualifications in social sciences, health, or law or related discipline.
• Lived experience of disability.

OTHER JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Working with Children Check - PWDA is a registered employer under the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act, 2012. The successful applicant must be approved under the Working with Children Check prior to taking up appointment.
• Qld Police Check- PWDA receives funding from Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC), NSW Department of Families and Community Services (FACS) under the Disability Inclusion Act 2014. The successful applicant must satisfy the NSW Police Check requirements prior to taking up appointment.
• Australian Government Covid 19 Vaccination Certificate and adherence to the PWDA Covid Vaccination Policy.
• Six-month probationary period.

Click "Apply Now" to submit your application.

For more information about this role, please contact: Ted Jensen [email protected] using the subject line: Individual Advocate - QLD enquiry via EthicalJobs or call 0409 205 496.

If you need to submit your application in an alternative format, please contact Hollee James by email [email protected] or by phone on (02) 9370 3100.

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.

A position description is attached.