About South-East Monash Legal Service (SMLS)

South-East Monash Legal Service (SMLS) is a community legal centre providing free legal assistance to people in South-East Melbourne. We support community members experiencing disadvantage across a range of legal issues including family violence and family law, employment law, debt and fines, civil litigation, tenancy, wills and powers of attorney.

We work alongside our community to build understanding of the law, protect rights and increase awareness of legal responsibilities, using integrated service models to respond to the complex realities of people’s lives. We’re also committed to advocacy and social change through community and clinical legal education, policy and law reform, outreach and targeted referral programs.

Our vision is a fair and inclusive community where people can access the resources, networks and support they need to resolve legal issues and overcome barriers to social, cultural and economic participation. Our purpose is to help resolve people’s legal and interconnected issues and ensure that laws and legal processes are fair. Our values are Respect, Community, Excellence and Courage.

The role

The Social and Community Development Worker is a central and dynamic role within our Support Connect Integrated Program (SCIP) team. This dual role combines social work and community development, with a strong focus on student supervision, gendered and sexual violence, and migration.

You will:

• Provide clinical supervision to social work students on placement, in line with AASW Supervision Standards, supporting emerging practitioners to develop their skills, reflect on practice and navigate complex environments.
• Deliver high-quality social work support, including advocacy, assessment, case management, risk and safety planning, short-term client coordination and referrals, as part of an integrated practice model.
• Work closely with lawyers and other professionals to respond to clients’ legal and non-legal needs (e.g. family violence, social security, housing, childcare).
• Plan, develop and deliver community legal education and community development projects that strengthen communities’ capacity to engage positively with the legal system.

• Contribute to law reform and advocacy, and to the ongoing development of SMLS’s integrated, person-centred service model.

The role is aligned with our strategic objectives of nurturing practitioners of the future, empowering communities, and delivering integrated, person-centred services.

Key responsibilities

• Provide individual and group clinical supervision to social work students, including formal supervision hours and assessment in line with university and AASW requirements.
• Provide social work support to SMLS clients, including advocacy, assessment and referral, case planning, crisis and risk assessment, and safety planning.
• Offer integrated, trauma-informed support in collaboration with lawyers and other professionals across the organisation.
• Design and implement community legal education and community development projects in partnership with key communities and stakeholders.
• Coordinate SCIP program activities, including stakeholder engagement, monitoring and evaluation, data collection and reporting.
• Participate in organisational planning, staff and team meetings, and contribute positively to SMLS’s culture and values.

About you

You are an experienced social worker who is passionate about social justice, community-led change and working in an integrated legal and social work environment. You enjoy supporting emerging practitioners and facilitating strong community and stakeholder relationships.

You will have:

• A tertiary qualification in Social Work recognised by the AASW, with eligibility for membership, and at least two years’ post-qualifying experience (FTE).
• Demonstrated experience providing social work services to people experiencing disadvantage, including assessment, counselling, crisis intervention, case management, advocacy and referral.
• Experience in community or health-based services such as housing/homelessness, family violence, mental health, disability, AOD or settlement services.
• A strong commitment to social justice, an understanding of feminist principles, and excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• The ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team, with strong organisational skills and a solutions-focused approach.

It would be great (but not essential) if you also bring:

• Experience supervising social work students on placement, or other relevant supervision experience.
• Understanding of the legal system and its impact on people experiencing disadvantage, and/or experience in justice or legal settings.
• Experience working with culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

What we offer

• Part-time 0.8 FTE position, 12-month fixed term contract.
• 5 weeks annual leave, additional days off over Christmas and New Year, and paid above award.
• Cultural and ceremonial leave, additional family violence leave and gender affirmation leave.
• Ongoing professional development, a culture of mentorship and opportunities for career progression.

Diversity and inclusion

SMLS is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we work with. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disability, people of all genders and sexualities, and people with lived experience relevant to our work.

We are committed to creating a safe, respectful and inclusive workplace, and to supporting staff wellbeing, including those with lived experience of family or sexual violence, migration, and other forms of structural disadvantage.

next steps

To submit your application, please click 'Apply Now' by the closing date.

A position description is attached.