Job Summary
- $95,736.14 p.a pro-rata, classified under the SCHADS Award at Employment Level 5.1 (YDAS pays above award rates, with generous T&C.)
- Applications close:
- Job posted on: 28th Jan 2025
- Melbourne > CBD & Inner Suburbs Melbourne
YDAS is 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).
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. YDAS is in the process of transitioning to independence in 2025.
YACVic provides additional targeted advocacy and services through our key services, YACVic Rural and YDAS.
The Senior Advocate is a vital client-facing role that helps to uphold disability justice by ensuring that disabled young people have their human rights upheld and can exercise self-determination. The Senior Advocate does this by delivering high-quality, client-centred, human rights based and accessible individual advocacy support for disabled young people between the ages of 12 and 25 living in Victoria.
The Senior Advocate will gather and assess relevant information from clients and work with them to understand their human rights. They will identify and prioritise clients’ advocacy goals and provide client-centred advocacy through negotiation with third parties, lodging complaints or making referrals to external services, while empowering and building capacity of young people to advocate for themselves where possible. The Senior Advocate will make sure advocacy targets are met, while ensuring a high level of continuous improvement and quality assurance.
The Senior Advocate will also support individual disabled young people through the provisions of secondary consultations to their workers. In the secondary consultations the Advocate will provide advocacy information, guidance and resources within the professional scope of YDAS Individual Advocacy practice and service provision.
When providing advocacy the Senior Advocate will apply knowledge of the intersectional Human Rights of disabled young people in accordance with, but not limited to, International, National and State based human rights, equal opportunity and anti-discrimination legislation and instruments such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability and the Victorian Charter of Rights and Responsibilities.
The Youth Disability Advocacy Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Young people, disabled people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and LGBTIQA+ people are strongly encouraged to apply.
This is a 12-month, fixed term contract, with potential for renewal dependent on performance and funding.
0.8 FTE, 30.4 hours a week working hours between 7am and 7pm Monday to Friday
We are located in a Melbourne CBD office (Queen Street). There will be some travel in Victoria. Hybrid working arrangements including working from home are supported and can be negotiated.
YDAS 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 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 Heather Ryan (she/they), Human Rights Advocacy Manager [email protected], or Mija Gwyn (she/her), Head of YDAS [email protected] using the subject line: Senior Advocate enquiry via EthicalJobs.
Please refer to the full Position Description attached.