• Permanent Full Time

About the Organisation

We have a commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by hearing their voices and taking action in partnership with community direction. We are committed to supporting and increasing opportunity and improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families, and communities. We value your cultural heritage and so do our clients. It is vital for our clients to be able to connect with our employees who actively support them and are connected to land and country.

 Life Without Barriers is a leading social purpose organisation of 8,000 employees working in more than 500 communities across Australia. We support children, young people and families, people with disability, older people and people with mental illness. We work with people who are homeless and refugees and asylum seekers. Join a community of people dedicated to breaking down barriers.  

We want to employ people who reflect the diversity of our clients to ensure we can support each client's individual needs and wants. We encourage people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background and people with disability to apply.

About the role

As a Cultural Support Specialist, you will ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people remain connected to family, community and culture, provide strong advocacy to ensure their voices are heard and develop a strong sense of connection and belonging. You will also play a key role in contributing to cultural support plans children and young people living within an out of home care setting. 

This is a permanent full-time opportunity based on Dharawal country in Wollongong and the Illawarra region. There is some travel required to work closely with children and young people across the Wollongong / Illawarra region. with a company vehicle is provided for this. 

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of cultural support plans for children and young people in out-of-home care
• Participate on carer and intake panels as an Aboriginal Independent Panel Member to provide cultural advice and recommendations
• Attend home visits to provide cultural support to children, young people and carers
• Provide crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young people in the case of placement breakdown
• Support and promote engagement with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities and community groups
• Participate on regional Reconciliation Action Plan Committees

Skills & Experience

• Certificate IV or higher in Community Services or a related discipline
• Be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander decent
• Demonstrated experience working with individuals, families and communities, ideally with children and young people in an out of home care environment
• Knowledge of issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities
• Ability to work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders including peers, employees and external agencies

Successful candidates will be required to clear probity checks including National Criminal History Record Check and Working with Children Check.

Benefits

• Discover a purpose you can wrap your heart around
• Generous Salary Packaging benefits - $15,900 per year, tax free!
• Company Vehicle + Monthly Rostered Day Off (RDO) provided

Please note the following: 

• Life Without Barriers considers that being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent is a genuine occupational requirement as outlined in section 25 of the Anti-Discrimination Act (1991) and permitted as a 'special measure' under section 8 of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) and by articles 1(4) and 2(2) of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.  
• You will be required to provide contact details for a cultural referee who can comment on your knowledge of issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities in contemporary society and your ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The cultural referee must identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person.  
• You may be requested to provide confirmation that you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

How to Apply

Include your resume and covering letter in one document, click ‘Apply’ and follow the prompts.

For any enquiries including persons with disability that require adjustments, contact Kristy Crowe at [email protected] using the subject line: Cultural Support Specialist - Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander - Wollongong / Illawarra enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as applications are continuously reviewed prior to the closing date; and as such the closing date is subject to change without notice.

We are dedicated to playing our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and bring continuity of care and support to our clients. With this in mind, if you are successful, we will discuss with you an alternative to a face to face interview. 
  
Life Without Barriers supports the Royal Commission into violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability. We believe people with disability need to be heard and for these experiences to influence how support services like ours are delivered.

View our statement here.