Ref: 2024-97 | Part-Time (21 hrs,3 days/week) | Fixed Term till June 2026 | Dubbo
- Join our family law litigation legends who are achieving transformative outcomes for Aboriginal kids and families.
- Get the satisfaction of achieving real change for Aboriginal families and communities, while working as part of a supportive and tight-knit team.
- Work in the Specialist Indigenous List, where you’ll gain unparalleled experience in alternative court processes and see first-hand how the justice system can work differently to do better by families.
This is an Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander identified position which is a genuine occupational qualification and is authorised under section 14(d) of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977.
Primary Purpose of the Role
The Lived Experience Advisor role aims to leverage the advisor's personal experience within the child protection system to guide and inform the Aboriginal Legal Service's Child and Family Advocacy and Support (ACFAS) program. The advisor will provide invaluable insights, drawn from their lived experience and that of the community, to ensure the ACFAS program is inclusive and focused on improving services and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and children navigating the child protection system.
Why Join the ALS Team?
At the Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS) you can make an impact. You will join a strong movement fighting for social justice and equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities.
Our focus is our people: the people we support and the people we employ. We offer a career you can be proud of and a place where you feel safe to be yourself. We invest in our people and appreciate the rich diversity of lived experiences, languages, and culture.
Born out of a protest movement over 50 years ago, the ALS is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation delivering high-quality, culturally safe legal and support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in NSW and the ACT. It’s an exciting time to be joining us. We recently received additional funding to deliver a range of new programs aimed at addressing systemic issues and driving structural reforms. This is creating significant opportunities for the ALS, our staff and communities.
As well as the satisfaction of working in a job that really matters, we offer our staff benefits including:
- Not-for-profit salary packaging to reduce your tax liability and maximise take-home pay
- Annual leave loading of 17.5%
- Career and professional development opportunities
- Access to personal counselling for you and your family
- Additional paid leave of up to 6 days per year, paid parental and study leave
- Flexible work options – talk to us about how we can make this role work for you
About the Role
The Lived Experience Advisor is part of the Aboriginal Legal Service's Child and Family Advocacy and Support (ACFAS) program in our Family Law Practice.
The Lived Experience Advisor will be responsible for:
- Consulting and advising on the design, development and coordination of the service
- Working with a Reference Group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have a lived experience of the child protection system
- Meeting and connecting with community members, working groups and local organisations
- Providing lived experience advice and guidance to colleagues, including helping them to understand what families are experiencing in certain situations
- Contributing lived experience perspective from communities to law reform and policy advocacy as required
- Maintaining records and files in an orderly and professional manner, including the recording of all data into ALS databases for statistical and reporting purposes
- Performing other reasonable duties as directed
- Adhering to ALS’s Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Work Health and Safety (WHS) policies, work practices and rules
- Demonstrating a commitment to and behaviours that align to ALS Values and ALS Code of Conduct
About You
We’re looking for someone who:
Essential
- Identify and be recognised in the community as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person
- Knowledge and appreciation of the cultural and social needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people combined with continuing respect and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practices when considering service delivery and other support for clients, their families, communities and employees
- Lived experience of the child protection system
- Ability to draw on the experiences of communities and kinship systems
- Willingness and ability to share and apply the knowledge and understanding gained from lived experiences and perspectives
- Strong connections and networks with local communities
- Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills based on cultural understanding
- Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of clients and communities
- Administration skills to document and record client and community interaction
Desirable
- Unrestricted NSW driver’s license with the ability to travel intrastate
- Previous experience working in an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community-based organisation
- Previous experience working in a legal practice
Pre-Employment Requirements
ALS is committed to implementing safe recruitment practices. Your application may be subject to pre-employment checks such as reference checks, Working with Children (NSW) or Working with Vulnerable People (ACT) check, right to work in Australia, COVID-19 vaccinations and National Police History check.
How to Apply
- View the full position description
- Please send an up-to-date CV and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role to [email protected] (Subject Title: Ref 2024-97 Lived Experience Advisor - ACFAS, Family Law Practice)
- When sending your application, please ensure you include the reference number 2024-97 in subject title
- If you have any enquiries or would like to discuss the role, please contact our recruitment team at [email protected]
Applications for this position close at 11:59 PM 27th June 2024.