First Nations Access Officer

Work Type/s: Part-time/Temporary – 3 days per week for 12 months
Classification/s: Community Liaison
Sector/s: Not For Profit (NFP)
Location: Surry Hills, Sydney

Remuneration: Grade 5 $56,003.72 - $58,573.91 per annum for 21.6 hours (commensurate with qualifications and experience) as per WRC Enterprise Agreement plus annual leave, superannuation 10.5%, and access to salary sacrificing arrangements

Applications close: 5 pm Monday 27 June (if you need more time to apply please contact us)

The Welfare Rights Centre is committed to justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and we take cultural safety very seriously. We are located on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation and we continue to pay our respects to the Elders past and present.

The First Nations Access Officer will help the Welfare Rights Centre provide a more accessible service to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in NSW. The main duties of the role are:

·       Helping us connect with Aboriginal-controlled organisations

·       Assisting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have a problem with Centrelink to seek support from our caseworkers and solicitors

·       Working with our Community Legal Education Officer to develop a training program in social security law to Aboriginal community workers

·       Identify how Centrelink’s laws and processes unfairly impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and help us with policy and law reform work

·       Helping the Executive Director secure ongoing funding for the role

You will be provided with full training to gain a working knowledge of social security and family assistance laws, policies and procedures. You will also be offered mentoring by an appropriate experienced Aboriginal person external to the Welfare Rights Centre.

Details

Download Position Description

Essential Criteria

1.      Appropriate and relevant qualifications and experience:

·       Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, identify as an Aboriginal or Strait Islander person and accepted in the community as such; AND

Experience working in a community or government organisations: OR

Experience supporting Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community members to access essential services; OR

Bachelor degree or other relevant tertiary qualification.

2.      Experience and understanding of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the ability to help them to access the Centre’s legal service;

3.      Experience in developing and managing relationships with community organisations.

4.      Ability to communicate complex information in an accessible way.

5.      Good written communication skills.

6.      Strong organisational and time management skills.

7.      Commitment to undertake training to acquire a basic working knowledge of social security and family assistance laws, policies and procedures.

8.      Possession of drivers’ license and ability to travel throughout NSW.

9.      Demonstrated commitment to achieving social justice.

Other Information

About you

You could be someone who has worked in a community or government organisation. Or you have never held a formal paid position but you have experience supporting people in your community to access essential services. Or you have just finished your university degree or TAFE course and you are looking for your first professional role. Your skills, experience and strengths will shape how the role of First Nations Access Officer develops.

You must be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person and be accepted in the community as such.

How to Apply

To apply, you need to email us three separate documents to adminsupport@welfarerights.org.au

1.       A short letter telling us about yourself and why you would like to work for us

2.       A document addressing each of the selection criteria, which are in the position description

3.       A resume which tells us about your work history or your other experience

Applications close at 5 pm on Monday 27 June. We plan to interview candidates in mid-July 2022.

Welfare Rights Centre (NSW)

We provide free legal information, advice and representation to people in NSW who have a problem with Centrelink, including rejections of claims for a payment, cancellations and unfair debts. We are the only legal service in NSW that exclusively specialises in social security law.  To help ensure that our service is accessible, we have received a philanthropic grant to employ a part-time First Nations Access Officer for 12 months.