About Us

South East Community Links operates in one of Melbourne’s highest multicultural areas.  A core aim of our organisation is to promote cultural diversity and inclusion.  This includes working to reduce narrow stereotypes and discrimination as well as working to promote and advocate for equality and opportunities for all. 

SECL delivers a wide range of services to meet the needs of people in our community including emergency relief, case work, housing support, youth and family services, financial counselling and resettlement services for refugees and asylum seekers.  

Our service model will ensure people in our community are provided integrated services, linking services to peoples’ needs.  As disadvantage has many root causes, only an integrated understanding of these causes can support people to achieve their social and economic goals.  In turn these achievements contribute to economic and social development in our community.

Position Description 

The Strategic Engagement Practitioner will strengthen settlement outcomes through a strengths-based community engagement approach that involves collaborative efforts and coordination to engage and support culturally diverse communities, including at-risk and new and emerging communities across Victoria. You will be part of a network of 11 Strategic Engagement Coordinators across Victoria and will be critical in identifying and understanding sector strengths, challenges, barriers and areas for improvement.

The SECs will engage communities, including those who may have been in Australia over five years, and/or are ineligible for Commonwealth settlement support, but still require assistance to support their participation and settlement in Victoria.

The Strategic Engagement Practitioner role requires someone who is:

• A strategic thinker
• An excellent communicator, both verbal and written
• Experienced in stakeholder engagement across all levels of government and the community sector
• An advocate for minority community groups experiencing barriers to social and economic mobility
• Passionate about supporting culturally diverse communities and facilitating positive change in people's lives
• A collaborator; experienced in fostering strong relationships with stakeholders as part of networks and partnerships
• Aware of the strengths and needs of diverse communities and how to work with them to support building their capacity
• Knowledgeable of the services and organisations operating in the south-east area 

Responsibilities

The Strategic Engagement Practitioner will develop partnerships with culturally diverse communities, community associations and service providers, government departments and other stakeholders to strengthen community engagement, social inclusion, economic participation and settlement outcomes. 

This will be achieved through:

• Ongoing dialogue and collaboration with local communities, funded agencies, service providers, other nongovernment organisations and the three levels of government
• Strengthened and enhanced coordination of existing programs, by gaining a better understanding of the needs and concerns of each community, gaps in support and points of duplication
• Strategic and operational support to SECL’s Women’s Economic Inclusion Mentoring program which commenced as a pilot program in 2021 connecting culturally diverse women with trained mentors to improve educational and employment outcomes
• Close collaboration and involvement with SECL’s Strategic Partnership program; providing direction, support and a strategic lens
• Close collaboration with SECL’s Community Employment Connectors program to facilitate strategic stakeholder coordination and identify solutions to identified barriers
• Strong involvement in local community and settlement networks as well as Strategic Engagement Coordinator network meetings facilitated by Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH)
• Strong communication with DFFH in the form of email updates, progress reports and consultations to strengthen policy advice, service gaps and improve programmatic coordination.

Key Selection Criteria

Qualifications and Experience

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in Social Sciences / Social Work or similar 

Experience and Skills

• A solid and demonstrated understanding of immigration, settlement, cultural diversity and social cohesion
• Strong knowledge and experience in applying a person centred and strengths-based approach to community engagement and development work with culturally, linguistically and/or religiously diverse communities
• Highly developed networking and partnership development skills with the ability to influence key stakeholders, including government and community organisations
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data/information and make recommendations to improve access to services, service delivery and coordination
• Excellent time management skills, and an ability to effectively prioritise tasks within tight timelines 
• Highly developed written skills, with the capacity to prepare timely reports or other materials for a variety of audiences

Safety Screening checks required prior to commencement of employment include:

• At least two professional references 
• Proof of your right to work in Australia
• A satisfactory national police record check
• A satisfactory international police record check
• A valid, employment Working with Children Check for positions engaged to perform child related work

How to Apply

Please click the "Apply Now" button and follow the prompts. 

For any questions regarding this role, please contact Michelle Rowland at [email protected] using the subject line: Strategic Engagement Practitioner enquiry via EthicalJobs.