Beyond Bricks & Bars: Trans and Gender Diverse Decarceration Project is a trans-led specialist social work and advocacy service located at Flat Out in Naarm. We provide support to trans and and gender diverse people currently, formerly or at high risk of incarcerated across the state of Victoria.

We are looking for two highly organised, values-aligned trans or gender diverse community or social workers to provide direct support and advocacy alongside criminalised and incarcerated trans and gender diverse people.

These positions require skilled, passionate and dedicated workers with experience in support and advocacy that is grounded in gender affirming, decarceral and anti-racist, trans-inclusive feminist practice frameworks.

Each role is a 12-month fixed term contract at SCHADS Level 5.1.

Beyond Bricks & Bars Outreach Support Workers provide holistic, non-judgemental support that is focused on preventing the incarceration and reincarceration of trans and gender diverse (TGD) people in Victoria.

Outreach Support Workers will have a range of responsibilities, including:

• Providing direct and rapid support to TGD people in police custody, recently remanded or at high risk of incarceration – responding to custody notifications, attending police watch-houses, remand prisons and courts - connecting people to immediate legal services, and support planning to aid in bail.
• Strengthening referral pathways via legal services, police stations, courts and remand prisons
• Strengthening partnerships/relationships with legal services, including community legal, legal aid, and pro-bono services.
• Connecting TGD people to community services such as crisis housing, health and mental health, gender affirmation, drug and alcohol support, NDIS, ID and other admin needs, reunification with children, families and communities, Centrelink and more
• Providing intensive support prior to and following release from custody to identify and meet support needs to prevent reincarceration and begin to rebuild life back in the community
• Driving across metropolitan Melbourne and at times regional Victoria to provide outreach engagement, transport and support to attend court, appointments, and more.
• Longer term support to engage in LGBTIQ+ affirming community, education and employment.

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

Trans and gender diverse people with lived experience of incarceration, from an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community, and/or from a racially marginalised community, are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Commitment to the values, vision, practice frameworks and policies that underpin the work of Beyond Bricks & Bars and Flat Out
• Demonstrated experience providing support to trans and gender diverse people who have experienced criminalisation, including clear understanding of the issues they face.
• Commitment to anti-racist, gender affirming practice, informed by sound knowledge of the ways in which racism, colonisation and white supremacy intersect with transphobia and trans- misogyny to drive criminalisation and incarceration.
• Strong knowledge of and navigation of legal systems, housing services and other support services available in the community for trans and gender diverse people.
• The skills and willingness to be a strong, strategic and effective advocate.
• Demonstrated capacity to rapidly build trust and rapport founded in authentic and non-coercive relationships with people experiencing intersecting oppressions.
• An understanding of drug and alcohol issues, and harm reduction approaches.
• Experience working alongside survivors of sexual and physical violence, trauma and systems abuse, including experience responding to complex presentations of mental distress and suicidality.
• Practised in person-centre, decarceral support responses in times of crisis, including skills in de-escalation and the ability to maintain support relationships alongside clear, respectful and consistent boundaries.​
• Demonstrated ability to balance competing priorities, excellent time management skills and a demonstrated ability to work independently (self-directed) and within a team.
• High level of verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills with capacity to work effectively with managers, staff and supported people whilst also expertly managing strategic partnerships with a variety of support services, government agencies and community groups.
• High level self-awareness and reflection, to ensure accountability, transparency, learning, development, and continuous quality improvement of individual and team practice and support frameworks.

Essential Criteria:

• Tertiary qualification in social work (or a related field) or equivalent experience.• Recent experience working with communities affected by criminalisation, homelessness, trauma and/or alcohol and other drug use.
• A commitment to the principles of social justice,  decarceration, anti-racism practice and an understanding of trans-inclusive feminist principles which facilitate working with trans and gender diverse people in a non-judgemental, respectful and empowering manner.
• A current Victorian Driver’s licence.
• A recent police check and a Working with Children Check- this is a requirement of all organisations that receive Victoria Government funding (a criminal record is not necessarily an obstacle to employment.)
• A current First Aid or preparedness to undertake.

Desirable Criteria:

• Trans and gender diverse people who have lived experience of criminalisation, who are First Nations or from racially marginalised communities are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Experience navigating legal systems, crisis housing sector or applying harm reduction supports and approaches will be highly regarded.

Queries relating to the role can be emailed to the attention of Witt Gorrie, Beyond Bricks & Bars Project Coordinator via [email protected] using the subject line: Trans and Gender Diverse Outreach Support Workers x2 - Beyond Bricks & Bars Project enquiry via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.