We seek a committed and professional person who will provide advocacy to individuals with disability to ensure they are treated fairly. You will have support and guidance from a well-established team and you will be responsible to the Sydney West Regional Coordinator.

Disability Advocacy NSW (DA) www.da.org.au is part of Advocacy Law Alliance Inc. www.advocacylaw.org.au. We are a not-for-profit service that believes that people with a disability have a right to equality, fairness, and a good quality of life. DA provides high quality social advocacy to support people with a disability across NSW. Our focus is to support and empower clients to navigate the legal and social systems and achieve fair outcomes in the pursuit of their goals.

The duties include:

1. Individual Advocacy
   1. Advocate on clients’ behalf or support clients to advocate for themselves
   2. Link clients with other relevant services that can assist in the advocacy process (e.g. obtain legal advice from a legal practitioner)
   3. Support clients to participate in formal dispute resolution settings (e.g. discrimination tribunals, courts, NCAT, AAT, Guardianship Tribunal etc.)
   4. Be aware of any systemic issues raised through individual advocacy work and report them to supervisors; and, from time-to-time, work on systemic projects to address regional systemic issues
   5. Assist clients to navigate the NDIS internal review and external appeals process with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) by providing information, preparing documents and attending case conferences, conciliations and hearings
   6. Aid and advise clients who choose to put their own cases forward for a review of NDIA decisions
   7. Assist clients to apply for special legal funding where the matter raises complex or novel issue
2. Education and Networking
   1. Provide short education sessions to people with disability about their rights and to people without disability about advocacy and disability issues.
   2. Attend local interagency meetings where appropriate.
3. Other
   1. Develop a personal work plan in conjunction with your supervisor.
   2. Meet regularly with your supervisor to review your work plan and advocacy cases.
   3. Continue to develop skills and knowledge through training
   4. Undertake other reasonable duties as directed by supervisor
   5. Comply with NSW and Commonwealth Disability Legislation.

Selection Criteria

Essential:

1. Relevant tertiary qualifications (examples only: legal studies, social science, welfare studies, community services etc)
2. Experience and skills relevant to advocating for people with disabilities or people from disadvantaged or vulnerable groups
3. Proven skills in the following areas: oral and written communication, research, problem solving and negotiation
4. Knowledge of key disability issues such as the NDIS
5. Ability to network and provide community education to promote understanding of, and access to, advocacy
6. A current drivers licence or other reasonable forms of transport to attend client visits

People from ATSI or CALD backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Conditions

• Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services (SCHADS), Level 4 pay point 1 at 38 hours per week
• Salary packaging options available within ATO limits and guidelines. Tax free salary packaging options can increase ‘take home’ pay
• Two weeks additional paid leave (in addition to 4 weeks annual leave) during Christmas / New Year office closure
• Employment will be on a one-year full time contract basis with potential for renewal at the discretion of the employer
• There is a six (6) month probationary period
• You must undertake a criminal history check prior approval for employment

A full position description is available below.