About Us

The Magistrates' Court of Victoria (MCV) is expanding the Assessment and Referral Court (ARC) to all headquarter courts, including Ballarat Court in early 2024. ARC is part of a suite of therapeutic innovations at MCV and form part of the wider Court Support and Diversion Services team.

ARC is a solution-focused court underpinned by therapeutic jurisprudence and recovery-oriented mental health practice for people facing criminal matters who have a mental illness/or cognitive impairment. Hearings are less formal, non-adversarial and take a collaborative approach to address both well-being and the underlying causes of offending behaviours.

About the Role

You form a part of the Court Support Services team in the Northern suburbs, based in Heidelberg, but working closely with colleagues at Broadmeadows Magistrates Court, you will bring your senior case management skills to a team of case managers who work with clients on bail and engaged with a CSS program. All though predominately focused on ARC clients, you will support CISP clients as well.

Make a crucial contribution to a multidisciplinary team that includes a magistrate, lawyer, police and support persons. ARC provides non-adversarial, less formal hearings to review and support participant progress. You will be providing complex case management support using a holistic and collaborative approach.

Eligible participants have a range of needs including mental illness and/or cognitive impairment, alcohol and substance issues, homelessness, family violence and/or limited social supports to recover or stabilise their condition.

You will work with voluntary, non-mandated clients for up to 12-months prior to sentencing. There is time to build rapport, carefully sequence goals, navigate setbacks and steadily address complicated issues.

You will attend Court on a monthly basis to provide expert advice to the Magistrate and other key stakeholders.

About You

• This role demands extensive case management expertise to provide client centred, strengths based and solution-focused support.
• Tertiary qualifications (Diploma level highly desirable) and/or relevant case management experience (such as forensic, family violence, AOD, homelessness and/or mental health).
• Experience communicating hope and optimism for change and applying a person-centred and evidence based approach to enhance the client's motivation.
• Experience in or demonstrated capacity to provide coaching and mentoring to case managers, particularly with an area of advanced knowledge and experience.
• Capacity to establish effective working relationships with the judiciary, legal professionals and service/court staff, write formal reports/case notes and speak to your work in a court setting.

How to apply

Click the ‘Apply Now' button, ensuring you include the following in your application:

• Resume 
• A short cover letter

A position description is attached.

Other information

CSV has a firm commitment through its Koori Employment Plan to increase participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across our workforce.

We value the unique backgrounds, experiences, and contributions that each person brings to our community and encourage and celebrate diversity. Those from the LGBTQIA+ community, women, people of all ages, with disabilities, culturally and linguistically diverse people, and those who are neurodiverse, are encouraged to apply.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the Position Contact listed in the Position Description.