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Relief Worker

Women's House Shelta

ABout us

Women’s House Shelta is a feminist, community based organisation which supports women and children affected by domestic violence. We provide Centre Based Outreach Support from a multi-purpose Centre at Woolloongabba and refuge crisis accommodation at confidential locations for women and children who are escaping domestic violence.

Relief Worker Position Purpose

Assist women to identify their own needs in relation to how best they might secure and/or maintain independence and safety and provide practical support, information and advocacy to achieve this outcome.

Women’s House Shelta Relief Worker Position Description

  • Maintain the security and safety of the crisis accommodation refuges and the Women’s House outreach support centre
  • Provide crisis and on-going support from a feminist framework, including undertaking risk assessments, developing safety plans and support plans with women
  • Provide emotional and practical support, clear information and advocacy in relation to legal options, court, housing, safety, income support, health, immigration and all other relevant services and systems.
  • Provide practical support such as welcoming women and kids to Shelta, facilitating house meetings, providing transport if required and organising donated goods
  • Provide for the needs of children in consultation with their mothers
  • Maintain at all times the strictest confidentiality and adhere to security policies.
  • Adhere to documentation and communication policies and procedures
  • Assist with the maintenance of safe, clean and functional facilities
  • Participate in worker evaluation/training/debriefing processes and relief worker meetings

Other information relevant to relief workers

  • We maintain a pool of relief workers who are available on a casual basis to fill in for full-time workers while they are on holiday, sick or long-service leave. They may be employed at times for as long as three months on what is termed a “block” of work, or may be needed only for a day or overnight. They may also be needed from time to time to do special projects, which are apart from relief work.
  • We provide a 24-hour contact service for women and children who are accommodated at the refuge, and consequently relief workers may need to carry a beeper and mobile phone to maintain this service if they are required for night or weekend beeper shifts.
  • The number of workers in the relief worker pool varies, but we try to maintain a situation which allows permanent workers to find an available relief worker at any time it is necessary. This can be at short notice, where another worker is unable to attend work and they give no notice. We also aim to provide sufficient work to be available to relief workers so that they receive regular remuneration and remain in touch with work issues.
  • Relief workers need to inform permanent workers of the times that they are available. As far as possible, permanent workers try to rotate the work in an equitable fashion.
  • All relief workers need to have a good knowledge of principles of feminist support work and will need to be familiar with the policies and procedures of Women’s House Shelta.
  • Relief workers will often be expected to work alone, and for this reason need to be sure of the policies and procedures that we have in place. They will receive initial and ongoing training and regular evaluation and, at first, will accompany permanent workers on practical tasks.
  • Possession of a Driver’s Licence and Blue Card is essential

selection criteria:

  1. A demonstrated feminist understanding of the nature and causes of violence against women and children and a commitment to social change.
  2. Knowledge of issues affecting women and children who have experienced men’s violence
  3. An understanding of specific issues faced by women and children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds who have experienced men’s violence
  4. An understanding of specific issues faced by women and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who have experienced men’s violence
  5. Demonstrated skills and ability providing support, information and advocacy within a feminist framework to women and children affected by violence
  6. An understanding of working in a collective structure that operates with a consensus decision making process.
  7. An ability to work independently, make decisions in a crisis situation and prioritise tasks appropriately
  8. An ability to use basic computer systems, e.g., word processing, etc.
  9. Possession of a current driver’s license.
  10. Possession of a Blue Card

Terms:

Relief Workers are employed on a casual basis which means they receive an hourly rate with loading, and leave entitlements are not accrued on their behalf.

Pay Rates and conditions are in accordance with the “Queensland Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award, 2010” (SCHADS) unless otherwise negotiated. Pay rates are subject to the Transitional Pay Equity Order derived from the Queensland Community Services and Crisis Assistance Award 2008 and are paid at Community Services Worker Paypoint 5.2.

Workers employed to do after hours on call shifts will receive remuneration equivalent to four hours normal pay for Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday night, and three and one half hours of normal pay for all other shifts. This condition of remuneration remains constant whether or not the worker is called out to work.

How to apply

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