The Orange Door is a government response to the Royal Commission into Family Violence with the view to coordinate services and to become a one stop shop front for family violence matters. The Orange Door will deliver a fundamental change to the way that the community service sector works with families, women, and children.
The Orange Door Team will include a mix of staff employed by FSV and staff employed by CSOs, Aboriginal services and DHHS.
The Aboriginal Practice Leader an integral part of two teams – The Orange Door Team and the Njernda Family Services Team.
The role of The Orange Door is to provide:
Please note: This is an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Identified position under the special measures of the Equal Opportunity Act.
The Aboriginal Practice Leader (APL) provides guidance, mentoring and skill development of Hub practitioners and team leaders in working with Aboriginal children, families, and individuals.
The APL will be an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, with extensive experience in child wellbeing and/or family violence practice. They will be able to bring their Cultural knowledge to ensure practice and procedures are Culturally informed throughout Loddon Door Operations.
1. Leading and supporting culturally safe and responsive practice in The Orange Door with Aboriginal children, families and perpetrators by:
(a) Providing specialist secondary case consultation and technical input on complex family violence and child and family cases and perpetrator interventions
(b) Co-working and providing daily specialist practice support for the Aboriginal Hub Practitioner and (as requested and required) for team leaders
(c) Where appropriate, jointly managing a small caseload of complex and/or sensitive cases
(d) Working with Orange Door team leaders, Aboriginal Services, community and cultural leaders to identify and resolve clinical and practice issues as they arise
(e) Operating with autonomy and accountability in supporting Aboriginal children, families and perpetrators.
2. Leading, mentoring and developing Hub practitioners and team leaders in working with Aboriginal children, families and perpetrators:
(a) Building capability of Hub practitioners to deliver culturally competent responses to victim survivors, children and families and perpetrators, informed by client experience and in line with the Integrated Practice Framework and relevant legislative frameworks (including (including the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 and Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005)
(b) Providing practitioners with relevant information and access to systems to support safe and effective responses to Aboriginal children and families as part of an integrated practice approach
(c) Modelling integrated practice approaches and behaviours integral to ethical clinical practice working with Aboriginal children and families
(d) Supporting professional development of practitioners in partnership with other practice leaders, Family Safety Victoria, Aboriginal services, CSOs, DHHS, and other local workforce and training planning initiatives
(e) Sharing practice knowledge on Aboriginal approaches to holistic healing and whole of family practices
(f) Contributing to reflective practice for The Orange Door team in relation to working effectively with Aboriginal people.
3. Building the cultural safety of The Orange Door and supporting choice and self-determination of Aboriginal people.
4. Liaising with and providing specialist or secondary consultation to organisations and services within The Orange Door network to discuss direct service issues for Aboriginal people accessing services through The Orange Door.
5. Working with local Aboriginal governance groups to provide connection between Aboriginal services, communities and The Orange Door.
6. Supporting system and service improvement by:
(a) Implementing systems and procedures to guide specialist practice responses working with Aboriginal children and families
(b) Working in partnership with the Hub Manager, team leaders, and other partner agency managers where appropriate, to foster high quality service for Aboriginal people
(c) Providing sound judgement and authoritative advice on risks, priorities, clinical and practice matters to The Orange Door team and where relevant the Hub Manager and/or relevant Hub governance groups
(d) Participating in communities of practice with Aboriginal Practice Leaders across the Victorian Orange Door network.
7. Working collaboratively with the Hub Manager and Service System Navigator to build and maintain effective partnerships with Aboriginal services to support choice for Aboriginal people.
8. Managing stakeholders through effective negotiation and influence, harnessing this network to support Aboriginal people and ensure effective The Orange Door operations.
9. Oversee, monitor and deliver projects to respond to local needs, ensuring they are delivered in a culturally safe and effective way, in accordance with self-determination and relevant legislation and government regulations and guidelines.
10. Keep accurate and complete records of your work activities in accordance with legislative requirements and the Victoria Government’s, information security and privacy policies and requirements.
• Take reasonable care for your own health and safety and for that of others in the workplace by working in accordance with legislative requirements and occupational health and safety (OHS) policies and procedures.
The Aboriginal Practice Leader must identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
• Strong knowledge of Aboriginal culture, aspirations and self-determination; has a strong understanding of the local service delivery environment for Aboriginal children and families and communities in the local area.
• Strong analytical, organisational and coordinating skills. Effectiveness in developing tasks and managing resources to achieve targets within set timeframes.
• Works collaboratively to drive cultural change: has a clear concept of the culture required to deliver effective, culturally safe and responsive services for Aboriginal people within an integrated practice context; delivers innovative practices that enhance quality outcomes for Aboriginal people; understands how to build and establish effective support networks.
• Relevant qualifications and/or expert knowledge and experience within Aboriginal services: has established expertise and capability to lead and embed culturally safe and responsive practice as part of an integrated service model of collaborative service delivery and quality clinical practice in the Hubs; has highly developed negotiation and relationship building skills; understands the role of the law and legal system in the context of responding to family violence and child wellbeing; has knowledge of practice with Aboriginal women, children, families, victims and perpetrators of family violence.
• Relationship building, establishes and maintains relationships with people at all levels; promotes harmony and consensus through diplomatic handling of disagreements; forges useful partnerships with people across business areas, functions and organisations; builds trust through consistent actions, values and communication; minimises surprises.
• Initiative and accountability: proactive and self-starting; seizes opportunities and acts upon them; takes responsibility for own actions.
Teamwork: cooperates and works well with others in pursuit of team goals, collaborates and shares information, shows consideration, concern and respect for other feelings and ideas, accommodates and works well with the different working styles of others, encourages resolution of conflict within the group
Qualifications & Experience
• A recognised Social Work Degree or Community Services qualification, and/or extensive relevant work experience will be highly regarded.
• If not qualified, a willingness to complete further study with Njernda’s support to meet Mandatory Minimum Qualifications (Rec. 209 from the Royal Commission into Family Violence)
Commitment to Safety
All children have the right to be children and live free of abuse and neglect, so they can grow, learn, and develop. Everyone within Njernda is responsible for ensuring a culture of child safety, preventing child abuse and abiding by the Child Safety Principles
Other Relevant Information
• The successful applicant will be required to undergo satisfactory pre-employment checks, including providing at least two professional referees, completion of a medical declaration, Police Records Check, Working with Children Check, Victorian Driver’s License, and proof of identify and qualifications.
• Commitment to equal opportunity and occupational health and safety
• principles and practices are required.
• You will need to disclose any pre-existing illness or injury you know about which could be affected by the described work duties. Under section 82 (7) of the Accident Compensation Act, failure to disclose such a pre-existing illness or injury will mean that, if employed, you will not be paid compensation for that condition.
To be Eligible for an Interview
The Applicant MUST address the Key Selection Criteria and include a recent resume.
Please note that this is a position open to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants only.
Address your application marked: “Private & Confidential” to:
Corporate Services Manager
Njernda Aboriginal Corporation
P.O. Box 21 Echuca Vic 3564
Email jobs@njernda.com.au
Written applications should include a covering letter. Please include the names and telephone contacts of at least two referees.
Please check the closing date to ensure your application is received within the specified time. Applications may be posted, emailed, hand delivered or faxed (provided that a hard copy is posted on the same day).
All applications close: 7th Jul 2024