• Seeking a Sexual Assault Support Worker (Community)
• Status: Full time, fixed term contract (6 month Contract)
• Classification: Social, Community, Homecare and Disability Services (SCHADS) Award
• Date of Review: 31 December 2026
• Location: Brisbane

Primary Purpose of Position

The Sexual Assault Support Worker provides trauma-informed support for women and girls who have experienced sexual violence. This support can be provided either whilst in prison or in the community following release from Brisbane Youth Detention Centre (BYDC), West Moreton Detention Centre (WMDC), Wacol Youth Remand Centre (WYRC), Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre (BWCC), Southern Queensland Correctional Centre (SQCC), Helena Jones Correctional Centre or Numinbah Correctional Centre.

Many participants will be Aboriginal women and girls and Torres Strait Islander women and girls. The Worker provides continuity of support to help women and girls recover from the trauma of past violence and imprisonment.

This position is part of a suite of Sisters Inside (SIS) programs which collectively address domestic, family, sexual, systemic and other forms of violence against women and girls (aged 12+). In addition to these positions, the SEQ-based team includes 2 Sexual Assault Support Workers inside SEQ prisons and 1 Anti-Violence Worker inside Gatton. These positions are funded by the Queensland Department of Justice & Attorney General (DJAG). In NQ, SIS employs a total of 4 workers to provide a variety of Anti-Violence and Violence Prevention programs, funded through various sources.

In all their duties, the Worker is expected to work in accordance with the Mission; Values & Vision[1]; model of service[2]; and policies and procedures[3] of Sisters Inside (SIS).

Key responsibilities of this position

• Model SIS values in practice, including engaging warmly with criminalised women, girls and their children
• Provide one-on-one crisis and longer-term counselling and support to criminalised women and girls who have experienced sexual violence
• Use a customised, culturally informed, empowering approach with each participant according to her perception of the nature and complexity of her needs
• Support women and girls to address trauma arising from their experience of imprisonment
• Ensure continuity of support for criminalised women and girls both within and outside prison as required
• Particularly ensure participants’ access to trauma support immediately post-release
• Accept referrals from SIS workers in BYDC, BWCC, Gatton, Numinbah and Helana Jones
• Offer group support activities if preferred by participants
• Liaise with appropriate service providers (e.g. SIS workers, other organisations) on behalf of individual women
• Participate in the planning and evaluation of the SIS Sexual Assault Program, and other SIS services as required
• Attend relevant community network meetings, professional supervision, team meetings, SIS Staff Meetings, SIS Inclusive Support Meetings and SIS Management Committee meetings as required

• Record the data required by DJAG and SIS in an accurate and timely manner and provide drafts of written reports to management as required

Organisational Environment

Sisters Inside is an organisation developed and driven by formerly incarcerated women. It exists to advocate for the human rights of criminalised and imprisoned women and girls, and their children, and provides services in response to their unmet needs.

SIS is a particularly values-driven organisation. We are committed to involving criminalised women in all facets of the organisation. We are also committed to being culturally appropriate, employing Aboriginal workers and Torres Strait Islander workers whenever possible and maintaining strong linkages with First Nations Elders, organisations and communities.

As at June 2026 in addition to the CEO, SIS had 36 positions based in our Brisbane office and 18 positions based in Townsville. Our services are funded through various State, Commonwealth and Philanthropic funding programs. Sisters Inside is a versatile, powerful organisation. We both strategically advocate for the collective interests of women and girls in the legal system and provide services to address their more immediate needs. These roles function in a complementary manner - our service provision informs our social change work. The CEO, guided by the SIS Management Committee, is responsible for the systemic advocacy work of the organisation at a local, state, national and international level.

Reporting Relationships

• Position title of direct supervisor - The position reports to a Program Manager, SEQ. The Sexual Assault Support Worker may be directed by the Senior First Nations Practitioner when working with Aboriginal women, girls and families and Torres Strait Islander women, girls and families.
• Titles of position that report to this position - None
• Other significant internal relationships - This position works particularly closely with SIS Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence workers (and often other SIS workers) in women’s and children’s prisons. It also maintains working relationships with all SEQ SIS workers, NQ anti-violence workers, student internees, volunteers and administrative staff.

Key Selection Criteria

KSC1 - Understanding of SIS’s Values and a commitment to working within the organisation’s Values, Vision, model of service, policies and procedures

KSC2 - Understanding of racial-gendered violence, and experience addressing sexual, domestic and/or family violence

KSC3 - Understanding of the nexus between violence and imprisonment, including the impact of imprisonment on women and girl survivors of violence

KSC4 - Substantial experience working alongside Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people, and an understanding of the issues and needs of criminalised First Nations women and girls

KSC5 - Experience in one-on-one counselling based on a sound knowledge of at least one trauma-informed, culturally-competent therapeutic framework consistent with the SIS model of service and the needs of First Nations women and girls

KSC6 - Ability to work equally effectively as a cooperative team member and independently (with minimal supervision)

KSC7 - Ability to communicate effectively with a range of people (including criminalised women and girls, their dependents/families, non-government service providers and government authorities)

Essential Attributes

• A strong sense of commitment
• Enthusiastic and receptive in interaction with women, girls and children
• Able to balance working within funding constraints, whilst remaining women-focused
• Advocacy, mediation, negotiation and conflict resolution skills
• Sound problem solving skills (e.g. knowing when to seek direction and able to critically reflect on practice)
• Good time management skills (e.g. able to prioritise, plan, organise and manage competing demands)
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Sound word processing, email and data entry skills

Essential Requirements

• Significant lived experience relevant to working with criminalised women/girls; experience working with criminalised or other highly disadvantaged and marginalised women/girls; and/or tertiary qualifications in the social or behavioural sciences.
• Holder of a current Queensland Class C Driver’s License

• Suitability Card from the Queensland Commission for Children and Young People (Blue Card)

Additional Information

This is a fixed term position which ends on 31 December 2026. It is hoped that SIS will continue to be funded to provide this service, however employment following the end of the current contract cannot be guaranteed.

The position is subject to a 6-month probationary period for new SIS staff and approval to enter women’s prisons (Yellow Card).

[1] At https://sistersinside.com.au/research-hub/research-library/sisters-inside-publications/values-service

[2]The Inclusive Support Model: A guide for new SIS workers at https://sistersinside.com.au/research-hub/research-library/sisters-inside-publications/values-service

[3] Detailed in the Sisters Inside Working Guide 2024

A Full position description and selection criteria is attached.