• Multiple ongoing positions (full time and part time considered)
• Opportunities are based at Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo and Dandenong locations
• Salary based on experience, range: $74,920 – $96,952 (pro rata) plus super
• Attractive employee benefits including salary packaging

About the role:

Our Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) team is a non-legal advocacy program that is staffed and led by professionals with mental health consumer experience and/or backgrounds in community development, consumer advocacy, mental health advocacy, community sector advocacy, social work, mental health service provision or other similar fields.

You will provide advocacy services to children and youth at risk of or on compulsory treatment orders and assist them to understand and exercise their rights and empower them to participate in decisions about their treatment, care, and recovery. You will refer and respond to inquiries from consumers of the program, mental health organisations and services including, but not limited to, hospitals, peer support workers, social workers, lawyers, caseworkers and other advocates.

Due to an exciting expansion of the program, we are seeking multiple child and youth advocates across Victoria Legal Aid offices. These opportunities are based at Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo and Dandenong.

About you:

As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and demonstrated ability to liaise and communicate effectively with consumers from diverse backgrounds including First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse, various stakeholders and organisations.
• Sound knowledge of the issues affecting children and young people and the ability to ‘stand up' and champion on behalf of them.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with others and foster cooperative and supportive work relationships and team environment.
• Proven ability to work with children, young people and their families, carers and supporters in the mental health or health sector.

Don't meet every requirement? At VLA, we understand that your work and life experiences can be just as valuable. If you're excited about this role but your CV doesn't align perfectly with our job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or one of our many other opportunities.

About Victoria Legal Aid:

We provide legal representation to those who need it most. With over 1000 staff employed in 15 offices across Victoria, we help people with their legal problems by providing information, advice and education with a focus on the prevention and early resolution of legal problems.

Our clients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds and foster a work culture that's inclusive as well as diverse. Your unique ideas and perspectives are valued so that we best represent the people we serve.

Employee benefits:

• Family friendly, flexible hybrid work from home & office model
• Training and professional development opportunities
• Supportive team environment in modern offices
• Salary packaging which allows up to $15,900 of your salary each year to be tax free

How to apply:

To be considered for this role, please submit a current resume and completed candidate application form (listed within the file attachments).

If you require adjustment to the recruitment and selection process or need an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team using the subject line: Child & Youth Advocates - Flexible Location enquiry via EthicalJobs.

For further information review the attached position description or contact Helen Makregiorgos, Program Manager on (03) 9093 3701.

No agency applications will be accepted.

Other relevant information:

It is a requirement that staff attend for office-based days at their primary work location. In line with this requirement, interstate applications will be considered only where the candidate is able and willing to relocate to Victoria, unless part of a border community.

VLA is committed to putting the safety and wellbeing of children first.