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Community Outreach and Support Worker

Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service

This is an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander designated position, classified under Section 12 Special Measures of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. This employment opportunity is only available to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

VALS is dedicated to providing a flexible, comfortable and energetic work environment for all of our employees.

Overview

The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (“Disability Royal Commission” or “DRC”) is a nationwide investigation, independent from government, into how people with disability are being treated in Australia. The Disability Royal Commission is currently in progress and will run through to September 2023 and will make recommendations to government about how to improve the lives of people with disability in Australia.

Your Story Disability Legal Support (YSDLS) is a free independent legal service funded through National Legal Aid and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services to support people to share their stories with the Royal Commission. This is a national service and includes staff at ATSILS across Australia including VALS.

The position of Community Outreach and Support Officer is responsible for facilitating engagement with and promoting awareness of YSDLS with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Victoria. The successful applicant will conduct a range of community legal education activities by providing accessible, culturally appropriate and trauma informed services and information to the community, through outreach, producing promotional materials and stakeholder engagement.

The position will also provide support to individuals as required to share their stories with the DRC. This may include providing referrals to support services such as counselling and disability advocacy. It may also involve supporting clients to write down their stories or share them through audio or video recordings as appropriate.

The successful applicant would be expected to conduct a significant amount of regional travel in Victoria.

Applicants must be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander; identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person and be accepted as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person in the community in which they live.

What A Day as A Community Outreach and Support Worker Looks Like:

  1. Be culturally sensitive and committed to ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander access to justice.
  2. Operate under the general direction of the Principal Managing Lawyer, Civil and Human Rights Practice.
  3. Be creative and innovative when engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in relation to community legal education.
  4. Facilitate the delivery of community legal education in the form of:
    1. Materials
    2. Outreach
    3. Legal clinics
    4. Merchandise
    5. Projects
  5. Establish effective and productive partnerships with Aboriginal and mainstream organisations.
  6. Provide support to individuals seeking to engage with the DRC including providing referrals and other assistance as needed.

Key Selection Criteria

  • Understanding of issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with disability.
  • Demonstrated experience working with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
  • Basic knowledge of the legal system, ability to identify need for legal education in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and break down legal jargon into plain English.

Desirable

  • Experience in working with, and providing safe services, to people with disabilities.

How to apply

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