• Base: The Women’s Cottage – 22 Bosworth St Richmond
• Pay: $46.77 - $55.93 per hour (SCHCADS level 4.1 Pay to 5.3) based on experience and/or qualifications. Rotating roster Saturday mornings ($70.15 - $83.89 per hour) 
• Hours: Starting* at 18 – 22 hours per week over 3 days (* Increased Hours: An additional 6 hours per week may be added to the role from February 2025)
• All Applications MUST address Essential and Desirable Criteria.

Above Award Conditions

• Above award hourly rate of pay based on 35 hr week (not 38 hr week)
• Salary Packaging on Wages and LSL available 
• Feminist Based / Family Friendly Workplace

Essential Criteria

• Minimum 2 years’ experience working with women experiencing distress.
• Sound understanding of gendered violence and responding to women experiencing the impacts of domestic violence. 
• Sound understanding of trauma-informed practice and its application when working with vulnerable women.
• Demonstrated capacity for needs assessment and the provision of information, referral and advocacy services.
• Demonstrated commitment and understanding of the issues faced by Aboriginal/TSI and CALD clients accessing services and support. 
• Demonstrated competence in using electronic based files and data entry.
• Genuine interest in working in a Feminist Women’s Service.
• Working with Children and Police Check

Desirable:

• Relevant qualifications / training. 
• Knowledge of the Hawkesbury LGA service system.
• Previous experience with DEX (Data Exchange Data Entry Portal).
• Able to start work by 9/9/24.

Aboriginal women are encouraged to apply.

Being female is a genuine requirement of this position in accordance with Division 2 Section 31 of the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977.

For more information please contact: Maria Losurdo, Service Manager: [email protected] using the subject line: Women's Advocacy Violence Emergency Relief Support Worker enquiry via EthicalJobs.

About Our Service:

The Women’s Cottage is a Feminist community-based service providing crisis response, information, resource, referral, and advocacy services. The Women’s Cottage is run by women for the women, children and young people of the Hawkesbury LGA and surrounding areas. The Women’s Cottage is a place where all women, regardless of age, religion or sexual orientation and gender identity are valued and treated as equal. It is a place for women to nurture themselves; a place of safety; a place to learn and grow. It is not a place for “one type of woman” but a place for all. 

About the Role:

• WAVE Support Workers are the face of The Women’s Cottage as the first point of contact for all women seeking assistance, providing both face to face and phone assistance. 
• The role focuses on the provision of crisis responses, information, advocacy, referral and support for issues such as safety, housing, family / parenting distress, financial disadvantage and social isolation.
• WAVE Support Workers must be trained and experienced in supporting women who have experienced domestic violence, abuse or other forms of trauma.

Overarching Work Practice Principles:

• Taking a ‘trauma informed’ approach at all levels of service provision.
• Maintaining and promoting women’s right to respect, self-determination, having a voice, being heard, equal rights and active participation.
• Prioritise safety of women and children in all situations.

Service Delivery Responsibilities:

• Ensure that each woman who visits or phones the Centre is promptly and courteously attended to and that phone messages are responded to or passed on as soon as possible.
• Provide first stop crisis counselling and support for women experiencing emotional distress.
• Provide needs assessment and service provision planning, including for emergency relief assistance both in service and by referral.
• Take a case management approach where appropriate and provide follow up support to women and children after initial contact.
• Support women to make Victim Services applications and other programs and financial support relating to their experiences of violence and abuse (from government and corporate programs).
• Provide appropriate, referrals information and resource material for women and children.
• Act as an advocate for women and children with other agencies and departments.
• Support groups programs, eg: set up, refreshments and welcoming women.
• Be available for work on Saturday mornings as part of a shared roster (additional pay at time and half loading).
• Provide an outreach service as negotiated with the manager.

Networks Partnerships and Community Development: 

• Attending relevant Forums / Interagencies as negotiated with Manager.
• Participating in relevant community events (eg IWD, Reclaim The Night).

Accountability:

• Adhere to child protection legislation.
• Abide by HAWKS, policies, and procedures
• Accept direction from and be accountable to the Manager for the day to day conduct of the service and the HAWKS collective for the governance of the Service. 
• Promote and follow HAWKS commitment to Aboriginal community and workers as per the attached guidelines.

Training and Professional Development:

• Maintain professional development and training as negotiated at annual appraisal
• Participate in regular internal and external supervision for professional development and practice and annual appraisal processes as negotiated

WAVE Specific Administrative Responsibilities:

• Check and record the messages on the answer machine during each roster.
• Record appointments, confirmation of appointments and cancellations for any practitioner or groups for whom the Cottage has taken that responsibility.
• Forward messages to other workers as required. 
• Collect and record both paper-based and electronic statistics of phone enquiries, visits, requests, and referrals.
• Data entry in DEX (Funding data collection tool).
• Maintain client files as per the File Keeping Policy and Procedure.
• Tidy pamphlets in the reception area and reorder pamphlets when stocks are low, in consultation with other staff.
• Check the notice board regularly, keep it tidy and remove outdated material.
• Maintain a resource database / folder of accurate and current listings.
• Provide informal supervision and support to students and volunteers as needed
• Support the co-ordination of food shelves.
• Monitor Food shelves and support process for replenishing stocks.

Shared Responsibilities:

• First in opening-up procedures
• Last out closing-up procedures
• Check milk, and other client supplies
• Keep kitchen clean
• Providing worker reports for the Management Collective
• Maintaining shopping lists for kitchen, bathroom and stationery supplies
• Collect and log mail in the mail book and distribute to appropriate staff

Organisational Responsibilities:

• Actively and effectively participate as a member of The Women’s Cottage staff team and Collective to achieve and maintain an effective and accountable organisation that reflects the philosophy of HAWKS Inc., The Women’s Cottage.
• Participate in the development, implementation and review of appropriate and effective policies and procedures that relate to the provision of counselling services to a diverse range of clients. 
• Adhere to and contribute to a safe workplace for all staff, management collective members, service users and visitors as per Workplace Health and Safety Policy. 
• Participate in meetings and organisational development activities as negotiated e.g. Annual general meeting, staff development & management meetings 
• To participate in The Women’s Cottage organisational development by:
  • Attending planning meetings. 
  • Attending team building activities events etc. 
  • To supervise and/or mentor students (and volunteers) in the Organisation as appropriate. 

Guidelines for Responding to Aboriginal Clients and Community

Applicable to all job descriptions and workers:

Job Descriptions for all workers will include principles of practice for working with Aboriginal / Torres Strait Island women and community. The purpose of this is to articulate issues that need to be considered in the work practice of all roles / workers and to identify and direct minimum standards and duty of care in all our dealings with Aboriginal clients. 

Responding to Aboriginal Clients and Community:

All paid and unpaid staff have a specific Duty of Care to provide respectful, culturally relevant, and genuine support to Aboriginal Women and Community as part of their role at The Women’s Cottage. This includes:

• Recognition of the Darug people as the local Traditional Owners of the Hawkesbury region and First Nation status of all self-identified Aboriginal people. 
• Respect for community Elders.
• Respect and awareness of the ongoing impacts of the removal of children and the separation of families on issues such as lost cultural identity; lost connection to family, community and Country; possible negative impacts of parenting and maintaining healthy relationships; substance addictions; potential impact on physical and/or mental health.
• Respect and awareness of the past and ongoing impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal people and the potential resulting impacts of inter-generational trauma on all areas of life and relationships.
• Understanding the known barriers and challenges for Aboriginal women seeking support from non-Aboriginal services and taking active steps to facilitate ease of access, genuine engagement, cultural respect, cross cultural communication and responsiveness to needs. This may require additional time, resources and/or referrals.
• Checking in with women to see if they want to have contact with the Aboriginal worker at The Women’s Cottage and/or with other Aboriginal workers from other services. And to understand and respect that some Aboriginal women would prefer NOT to see an Aboriginal worker.
• Seeking advice and/or support on cultural issues and service minimum standards for working with Aboriginal women and community if needed. This can be done by talking to the Manager and/or Aboriginal worker at The Women’s Cottage.

Guidelines and Support for ALL Aboriginal Workers

In designated or non-designated roles:

Aboriginal workers play an essential role in supporting The Women’s Cottage to build and maintain genuine engagement with the local Aboriginal Community. Aboriginal workers (in both designated and generalist positions) bring with them cultural, community and kinship relationships and understanding as well as knowledge of Aboriginal workers, services, networks, community initiatives and social issues. These pre-existing relationships and community knowledge form a rich foundation for HAWKS to draw on and have access to. 

It should be further recognised that Aboriginal workers that are well supported and culturally connected greatly help to inform and support service provision across the agency that is culturally informed, relevant, and respectful. It is therefore recommended that the unique nature and resource of this role be recognised and formally valued as part of the job description of Aboriginal workers employed at The Women’s Cottage.

Recognised Role as an Aboriginal Worker in Supporting Cultural Capacity Building: 

Assisting The Women’s Cottage to provide respectful and informed cultural support and genuine engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. This could include but not be limited to the following duties as part of their standard work role:

• Aboriginal Community Support 
• Home visits and transport for Elders
• Consultation and community engagement
• Case management for Aboriginal families with complex needs
• Mentoring and being mentored by other Aboriginal workers
• Networking / Partnering with Merana and other relevant Aboriginal specific organisations, projects and/or initiatives
• Support Women’s Cottage participation in NAIDOC, Sorry Day, Reconciliation Week, etc
• Attend Safety Action meetings for cultural advice if requested by SAMS Coordinator
• Aboriginal specific training, conferences, and events

Recognised Personal Cultural Responsibilities of Aboriginal Workers: 

It is also acknowledged that deeper personal cultural connections and participation for Aboriginal workers will further enrich the benefits to The Women’s Cottage functioning and client outcomes. Therefore, Aboriginal workers who choose to participate in extended cultural connections and activities that build cultural knowledge will be supported to do so. While this may not always be a part of their paid role, special consideration can be given where possible to offer flexible work arrangements for this broader culture participation.

This could include (but not limited to):

• Participation in Cultural Events and Traditional Ceremony, eg: attending local Smoking Ceremonies and Sorry Business (funerals and other mourning events for Elders and relevant local community members).
• Taking part in Women’s Business ceremony and events.
• Other cultural events and activities as negotiated with management.

Click Apply Now to submit your application. 

All Applications MUST address Essential and Desirable Criteria.

A position description is attached.