• JOB TYPE: Fixed term, part-time
• LOCATION: Based in Canberra with significant travel to NSW and Victoria
• SUPERVISOR/MANAGER: Stages of Empathy Artistic Director

ABOUT REBUS THEATRE

Vision: A more sustainable and ethical society that is inclusive, creative, compassionate and accessible to everyone.

Mission: Rebus is an inclusive company using theatre and other arts to stimulate healing and provoke social and environmental change. We work with people who have experienced marginalisation to create innovative, powerful performance in diverse contexts.

Rebus is based on Ngunnawal and Ngambri land in Canberra, with an office at Gorman Arts Centre. Rebus works closely with communities across south-east NSW and in East Gippsland, Victoria, and performs nationally.

Organisational Structure

Rebus Theatre is an incorporated association registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) as a Health Promotions Charity, with Deductible Gift Recipient and Fringe Benefit Exempt status. It is governed by a volunteer board.

Rebus core staff are the Artistic Director and Creative Producer who are co-CEOs, the Stages of Empathy Artistic Director, Stages of Empathy Project Manager, Stages of Empathy Accessibility Manager, two other Project Directors, Finance Manager, Administrative Officer, and Payroll Officer. All positions are part-time, with varying number of hours. Rebus also employs a number of casual staff as tutors, actors, and in other roles.

The Stages of Empathy Wellbeing Officer will report to the Stages of Empathy Artistic Director. They will work closely alongside the Stages of Empathy Project Manager and Accessibility Manager.

ABOUT STAGES OF EMPATHY

In 2025, we will develop and tour an interactive theatre-based training program that addresses the barriers that people with autism, mental health challenges, and/or intellectual disability face in participating in community activities, including sports, fitness programs, volunteering and the arts. The presentations will be created and performed by people with lived experience of these disabilities. They will also explore the intersection of disability and LGBTQIA+ identities.

These presentations will be presented to people involved in leading or organising community activities of any kind, both professional and volunteer. The tour will cover the ACT region, regional NSW, regional Victoria, Melbourne and Sydney.

ABOUT THE ROLE

A key part of the creative team, The Wellbeing Officer role primarily involves ensuring that wellbeing needs of the Stages of Empathy cast are supported. The Wellbeing Officer will be available to cast members to address any emotional issues or distress that they may be experiencing during the rehearsal process and performance tour. Working with the Stages of Empathy Artistic Director, the Wellbeing Officer will attend all rehearsals, contribute to rehearsal plans and, on occasion, lead drama activities that address the cast’s wellbeing needs, as well as being a constant presence on the tour itself, assisting cast members before and after each performance.

This position is offered as a 25 hour a week position at $43.08 per hour. Once the performance tour begins, some weeks may have significantly more hours and others, less, depending on the touring schedule, distance to locations, and requirements of these locations. Hours must necessarily be worked flexibly, with a generous time in lieu arrangement.

Salary sacrificing is available. Some working from home is possible by negotiation. A significant amount of travel, and some working out of hours is part of the position. Generous travel allowances will be paid, based on the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance Performer Collective Agreement.

The Wellbeing Officer will also be available to the project team and audience members if required. Since the actors will be people with a lived experience of autism, psychosocial disability and/or intellectual disability, the Wellbeing Officer will need to be able to support people from these groups. There is also a LGBTQIA+ focus to the production so the successful candidate will also need to be able to work with LGBTQIA+ people in an inclusive and respectful manner.

During rehearsals, the Wellbeing Officer will support all nine Actors. During presentations, the Wellbeing Officer’s main role will be to support the three Actors who will be involved in any one presentation. As part of the touring team, the Wellbeing Officer may also be asked to drive cast members and offer assistance with travel and meal requirements on an ad hoc basis.

MAIN DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide emotional / mental health support to actors in the Stages of Empathy project.

• Be available for actors and audience members (if required) to discuss any mental health and wellbeing concerns.

• Lead discussions, meditations or other exercises related to cast wellbeing.

• Liaise with the project team around supporting actors – what their needs are and how to address these.

• Work alongside the project Accessibility Manager to address wellbeing concerns for actors related to accessibility.

• Work alongside Artistic Director to ensure that rehearsal activities meet the cast’s wellbeing needs.

• Driving cast members to and from presentations.

Additional duties to assist the project as needed and as time allows.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

Essential Skills / Criteria:

• Qualifications and/or extensive experience in supporting people experiencing distress.

• Experience working with autistic people, people with mental health challenges, people with intellectual disability and LGBTQIA+ people, including an understanding of the challenges faced by disabled people and LGBTQIA+ people, and likely triggers for them.

• A demonstrated commitment to the social model of disability and trauma-informed practice.

• Experience in leading group wellbeing exercises.

• Possess a current ACT Working with Vulnerable People registration and NSW and Victorian equivalents or be willing/able to obtain one.

• Current driver’s license and experience driving long distance and on rural roads.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Ability to work within a small team.

• A basic level of proficiency with IT, and in particular Microsoft 365 Excel, Word and Outlook.

Desirable Skills / Experience

• Experience in theatre and/or community arts.

Disabled people, First Nations people, people of colour and LGBTQIA+ people are strongly encouraged to apply.

CONTRACT DURATION:

• Start Date: 20 January 2025.
• Finish Date: 19 December 2025

To submit your application, please click Apply Now.

Please contact Project Manager, Harry Bhangu, with any questions – [email protected], using the subject line: Wellbeing Officer - Stages of Empathy enquiry via EthicalJobs.