Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA) is a member-based national for purpose organisation that promotes independence and provides services to people with a spinal cord injury and other physical disabilities to assist them to achieve their goals. Working together with our customers, we aim to eliminate the barriers that prevent workplace and social inclusion for people with a spinal cord injury and other physical disabilities, ensuring that the society in which we live is accessible in every way.

SCIA was founded by people with spinal cord injuries. People with disability represent more than 30% of our staff, and a majority of our Board. We are a member-based organisation, with more than 3000 members that include people with disability, their families, carers and professionals in the sector.

What we do

• Offering a one-stop-shop for information on services, advice and support
• Sharing the lived experience of having an SCI through peer support
• Influencing social change on a systemic and individual level
• Providing temporary and emergency care to people in their homes as required
• Supporting people back into employment, education or training
• Operating an Australian Disability Enterprise that employs people with disability and pays full award wages

The role

SCIA is recruiting for a suitably qualified project officer to work with the policy and advocacy team, on developing and running Disability and Service Provider Emergency Planning and Response training workshops. This is a newly funded project to roll out in three regional geographic areas across New South Wales.

The role will oversee and manage the day-to-day running of the work that looks to develop emergency preparedness in the disability community that will link in with disability service providers and local emergency response services. The training will look to develop the capacity and contingency planning for people reliant on formal support but also look to address the need for the disability service sector to understand the important role it plays in the lives of people with disability and how best to prepare and respond to emergency situations.

SCIA will run three programs targeting Northern Rivers, Wollongong/Illawarra and the Hunter region involving up to 20 people with disability per program. The structure of the programs will be modular and workshop formats combining in-person meetings and virtual connections, run over a four week period.

You will:

• Collaborate with the policy and advocacy manager on the distribution and rolling out of established training resources and modules
• Facilitate and manage location based group settings and online connections for the training modules
• Work with local communities that brings together people with disability, disability and aged care service providers and support workers, local government and emergency services to participate in training and workshops
• General administration of the training, venue hire, catering and managing stipend payment for disability participation
• Management of the day-to-day tasks, including registration of training participation, resource development, travel and accommodation

Core Skills and Abilities for the Position

• Understanding of and commitment to social justice principles for people with disability.
• Demonstrated experience working in policy, advocacy or research across disability, social or health settings.
• Experience in facilitating workshops
• Experience in developing campaigns based on engagement and feedback with key stakeholders such as members.
• An ability to proactively take carriage of specific tasks, programs and projects and to exercise sound judgement in seeking feedback and direction.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Able to and prepared to travel for work.

What we will offer you

As an SCIA employee you will be entitled to a number of benefits including;

• PBI Fringe Benefits Salary Packaging
• Access to our Health and Well Being package
• On-going professional development and training opportunities
• Flexible working arrangements

This role can be worked from home with the flexibility to work from SCIA's office in Little Bay, Sydney. The position is a fixed term contract role (flexible 22.5 - 30 hours per week) for the period of 12 months. Applications will close on Friday 2nd June. Interviews will be conducted as applications are received.

If you are interested in this rewarding and challenging opportunity, please send a covering letter explaining your interest in this role and our organisation, and your CV by using the "Apply Now" button here. You may contact Judith Sinclair on 02 7202 0942 for more information.

Successful candidates are required to complete a pre-employment screening including an NDIS Worker Screening Check.

As part of our commitment to creating a flexible, diverse and inclusive workplace, this role is open to experienced candidates seeking workplace flexibility. We invite candidates of all ages, people with a disability and Indigenous Australians to apply.

The interview panel for this role will be representative of people living with a disability.