About Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS)

YDAS is a core YACVic agency, funded by the Victorian Government. At YDAS, we place the human rights and interests of disabled young people* at the centre of our work. YDAS undertakes individual and policy advocacy, working with disabled young people to ensure that their human rights are upheld so they can access services and participate as valued and respected members of their communities.

*In this document YDAS uses identity first language (disabled young people), as per the advice of the YDAS Steering Committee, which is comprised of disabled young people. However, we recognise that language and identity are personal choices, and that some people may prefer to use other terms including person first language (young people with disability).

About Youth Affairs Council Victoria (YACVic)

YACVic is the peak body and leading policy advocate on young people's issues in Victoria. YACVic’s vision is that the rights of young people in Victoria are respected, and they are active, visible and valued in their communities. For over 60 years, YACVic has advocated for the best interests of young people (aged 12-25 years) and the sector that works with them. YACVic provides additional targeted advocacy and services through our key services, YACVic Rural and YDAS, and our auspiced partner, the Koorie Youth Council.

About the role

The YDAS Human Rights Advocacy Officer will support the work of the YDAS Human Rights Advocacy team. You will work with disabled young people between the ages of 12 and 25 to make sure their human rights are met. You will work with disabled young people to achieve their advocacy goals, so they can access services and participate as valued and respected members of their community.

In addition to direct advocacy this role includes intake work. You will oversee the intake process and talk with disabled young people as well as their families, carers and organisations about their advocacy needs and our services.

Major duties

• Respond to enquiries about the YDAS advocacy service.
• Use the YDAS client management system to record all enquiries and manage the intake process.
• Provide individual advocacy assistance, advice and referral to disabled young people and ensure that individual advocacy case targets are met.
• Work with other staff members to triage service requests and manage client caseloads.
• Support disabled young people to develop self-advocacy skills through individual advocacy.
• Produce written documentation within tight timeframes, including advocacy letters to departments, meeting minutes and reporting of advocacy data, whilst maintaining detailed and up-to-date client file notes.
• Inform YDAS systemic advocacy priorities on behalf of disabled young people.
• Meet with the YDAS Human Rights Advocacy Coordinator for regular supervision and debriefing sessions.
• Attend regular staff meetings and participate as a member of the YDAS team.

Benefits of working at YACVic

• Generous terms and benefits
• Flexible, disability friendly, family friendly, rainbow friendly
• Fun work culture, with a social purpose, in a fully accessible Melbourne CBD office
• Diversity, working with a dynamic group of youth organisations that includes YACVic Rural, Youth Disability Advocacy Service and Koorie Youth Council
• High degree of collegial support & sector-leading professional development

Employment conditions

YACVic promotes the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of all children and young people, including those with a disability, those who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or those from refugee or migrant backgrounds.

We take child protection very seriously. All employees are subject to screening and assessment against child safety standards, including rigorous background, identity and reference checks.

The successful applicant will require a current Working with Children Check and Police Check (costs reimbursed) and must agree to adhere to our child safe policy and code of conduct.

TO APPLY

Please click Apply Now and follow the instructions.

A position description is attached.

To be eligible to apply for this position you must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or hold a valid work permit or visa.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact Bianca Failla, Human Rights Advocacy Coordinator, at [email protected] using the subject line: Human Rights Advocacy Officer enquiry via EthicalJobs.