Aboriginal Cultural Advisor

About this role

• Provide important cultural support to Aboriginal people.
• Ongoing, full-time opportunity to work with a high-performing and passionate team in the Victorian Public Service.
• VPS Grade 4: $97,955 - $111,142 plus superannuation.

The Department of Justice and Community Safety (the department) is seeking an Aboriginal Cultural Advisor to fill a critical role within the Offender Services Unit.

About the Business Unit

The Serious Offenders Act 2018 (SOA) sets out a civil, non-punitive post sentence scheme that provides for the ongoing supervision or detention of serious sex and/or serious violent offenders who have completed their sentence and pose an unacceptable risk of committing further relevant offences.  The Post Sentence Branch, within the Community Operations and Offender Services Division of Corrections Victoria, provides central oversight and governance of the post sentence scheme and end to end management of offenders subject to post sentence orders, including the management of accommodation for high-risk and complex sex and/or violent offenders.  Accommodation facilities operated under the SOA and managed by Correction Victoria include:

• Corella Place comprising two sites in Ararat is a residential facility that enhances the protection of the community by providing supported accommodation for high-risk and complex sex offenders when appropriate accommodation in the community is not available.
• Rivergum Residential Treatment facility a 20-bed secure residential facility for offenders on post-sentence orders requiring more intensive management and therapeutic interventions.

About the Role

As Aboriginal Cultural Advisor, you will coordinate programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Aboriginal) residents, activities and support services across Corella Place and Rivergum and take responsibility for providing both group and one on one cultural support to Aboriginal residents to assist them on their pathway of reintegrating back into the community.  You will be responsible for developing and maintaining strategic and collaborative relationships with the local Aboriginal community and Traditional Owner groups to ensure that culturally appropriate services and resources are available at Corella Place and Rivergum.  In addition, you will provide cultural advice to location staff around current Aboriginal cultural programs, services and practices. You will also have access to the Aboriginal employee staff network and local EO RAJAC (Executive Officer, Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee) across the regions.

You will also

• Build relationships with members of the Support Services team and work together to provide guidance and support to residents.
• Coordinate cultural activities for Aboriginal residents to participate in. This may include cultural site visits, community activities, and visits with Elders and/or respected persons. 
• Coordinate the development and implementation of cultural spaces across Corella Place and Rivergum, ensuring the sites are culturally appropriate.
• Engage with Traditional Owner groups and the local Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee (RAJAC) in the development and design of cultural programs and cultural spaces.

About you

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the Victorian Aboriginal Community, both society and culture, and relevant issues impacting the community
• Demonstrated ability to communicate sensitively and work effectively with the Victorian Aboriginal community.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the reducing re-offending literature, particularly in relation to the Aboriginal community.
• Demonstrated experience in applying trauma-informed approaches to providing support services or capacity to rapidly acquire and apply knowledge.

This is an Aboriginal Designated Position, classified under 'special measures' of section 12 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. Only Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are eligible to apply.

To learn more about this role before applying, please read the attached position description.

Applicants are welcome to utilise support from the Aboriginal Recruitment Team throughout the recruitment process.  Aboriginal candidates are encouraged to contact Aboriginalrecruitment@justice.vic.gov.au if they would like cultural support and guidance through the application process.

For Aboriginal Designated and Prioritised positions, a Certificate of Aboriginality (CoA) will be required prior to an offer of employment being made

How to Apply

Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) and misconduct screening.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.