About Towards Better:

Towards Better is a Certified social enterprise Addressing the lack of people with disabilities with valued social roles in everyday community life by discovering talented individuals with a disability and developing active, valued, and meaningful roles in welcoming communities.

Our Values: Relationships. Inclusion. Simplicity. Individuality. Learning

Our Mission: To discover talented individuals with a disability and connect and mobilise the assets, skills, and passions of communities and businesses to develop active, valued, and meaningful roles in welcoming communities.

Our Vision: A world where all individuals are involved in ordinary community life and communities “step forward” naturally to welcome their valued gifts, talents, and contributions.

Our Higher Purpose: We bring out the best in individuals with disabilities and communities.

We are extremely enthusiastic to chat with new potential Junior Community Development Workers with lived experience of disability, from the LGBTIQA+ community, Aboriginal or Torrest Strait Islanders, those from the Culturally Diverse community, or those who are new to community and human services or who have taken time off from this work and are returning.

As a Community Development worker, your role will include:

• Facilitating mentoring sessions with each individual on a regular (weekly/fortnightly) basis to develop active, meaningful and valued roles such as:
  • Hiker
  • Sports Teammate
  • Bushwalker
  • Fitness Class Member
  • Toastmaster
  • Hobby Group Member
  • Referee
  • Martial Artist
  • Market Stall Holder

• Getting to know the gifts, talents, interests and aspirations of the individual and everyday community life.
• Planning and coordinating new values roles for each mentee in non-segregated “every day” community life.

• Research/Information Gathering on local opportunities for valued roles and connections.
• Working together with the person you are working alongside to plan and set up opportunities for success including skill/knowledge and positive image development.
• Communication and Relationship building with the individual you are working alongside, everyday community members
• Being a facilitator or ‘The Bridge’ between the individual you are working alongside and everyday community members with similar interests in valued contexts.

• Consulting with key stakeholders including family, supporters, friends, and community and assisting in growing the networks of individuals, especially of unpaid relationships.
• The teaching and development of the person/family to lead their supports and reduce reliance on paid supports, with a particular focus on managing one’s resources for better lives.
• Building a strong shared vision with each individual and important people in their life of a meaningful, valued, and inclusive life including a variety of valued social roles and unpaid relationships.

Again, this role can have many similar aspects to that of a “Connector”, “Matchmaker”, “Resource guide”, “Coach” or “Mentor”.

Our ideal CDW’s:

• Have availability some weekdays 4-8pm approx and some saturday or sunday daytime, afternoon or evening. Days are based on community opportunities
• An Ideal role for someone who really enjoys uncovering all the great individuals and communities that Townsville has to offer and connecting people to eachother through Meaningful Relationships
• Have a healthy involvement in their community
• Are not afraid of communicating with new people or developing ongoing, long lasting relationships.
• Possess a strong desire to build individual competencies and opportunities for valued social roles.
• Believe in the Natural Authority of Families and an interest in working in ways that enable ‘Right Relationship’ where ownership of outcomes is shared, and people have ‘power with’ relationships versus ‘power over’.
• Believe that everyone is competent and capable of learning and growing
• Believe that everyone has gifts, talents and potential contributions waiting to be uncovered and utilised.
• Have a commitment to people with disabilities having meaningful and valued lives and belief that communities are better when everyone is included.
• Are energetic, interested in other people, empathetic, and have a lively sense of humour
• Have experiencing using Microsoft Office and Email.
• Can be accountable to goals, objectives, timelines, and outcomes.
• Bring an understanding of or willingness to learn about Social Role Valorisation, Asset Based Community Development, The National Disability Insurance Scheme, Customised Employment, and Individualised Living Arrangements

What we offer:

• Flexible working arrangements and a team culture that reflects this. Hours are not set, but based around goals/outcomes
• Competitive Hourly Rates (Based on merit and demonstrated outcomes, impact, and consistency)
• Commitment to ongoing development and learning
• Outcome focused work that is deeply satisfying
• A wealth of experiences, tools of the trade, methods that we can share with you if you would like
• An Inclusive team culture where we don’t always know all the answers, and that is okay, we all learn together
• A “Profit for Purpose” Certified social enterprise that exists to make a social impact
• An openness and acceptance for individuals with gaps in employment, those who require accommodations, or any other factors that might otherwise discourage someone from applying.
• Multiple positions. We believe that everyone contributes something and are looking to add multiple workers to the team who each contribute something unique.

Whats next?

Discover our website towardsbetter.com.au for more info about us.

To chat further please contact Ricky on:

• P: 0447574600
• E: [email protected], using the subject line: Community Development Worker - Townsville enquiry via EthicalJobs.

To submit your application, click Apply Now and then please send word document with the information in the application instructions.