Guardianship Support / First Peoples Engagement Officer

at  Office of the Public Advocate

JOB DESCRIPTION

Location: Melbourne | CBD
Job type: Full time / 12 months
Organisation: Office of the Public Advocate
Salary: $92,332 - $104,762
Occupation: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services
Reference: VG/D01142AUGUST2024
The Victorian Public Advocate is empowered by law to promote and safeguard the rights and interests of people with disability.
The Public Advocate is supported by staff and volunteers at the Office of the Public Advocate (OPA), including guardians, policy and research officers, advice and education staff, legal officers, corporate and administrative staff, and more than 650 volunteers.
We embrace diversity and strive to have a workforce that reflects the community we serve. We’re all about recruiting the best people, regardless of gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or cultural background. If you think you can do the job and would be a good fit for our organisation, we’d love to hear from you.
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.
For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please visit justice.vic.gov.au/careers

If you are considering taking on a challenging, rewarding role that allows you to make a noticeable difference in the lives of others, we look forward to hearing from you.

• Utilise your assistant expertise to provide support and advice to the Office of the Public Advocate branch
• Fixed-Term (12 months), Full-Time opportunity to work with a high-performing and passionate team in the Victorian Public Service
• VPS Grade 4: $92,332 - $104,762 plus superannuation.

ABOUT US:

The Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) is an independent statutory office accountable to the Victorian Parliament which has been established to protect the rights of, and enhance the position of, people with disabilities in Victoria. OPA is a human rights organisation that promotes the diversity and inclusion of all people. OPA’s vision is of a just and inclusive society that values and respects people from all walks of life and ages. OPA promotes a workplace culture where disability, and diversity of gender identities, sexualities, faiths, ethnicities, and abilities are respected. OPA values a range of experience in its employees, including professional, volunteer and lived experience.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Guardianship Support / First Peoples Engagement Officer position has two aspects to the position, with equal time to be spent on each. The position will be part of the Hospital Program OPA Advocate Guardian team. The position will also be part of a new small First Peoples’ network at OPA.
Half of the time of the Guardianship Support / First Peoples Engagement Officer will be in helping establish a new approach at OPA to improve the accessibility of OPA’s services for First Peoples, and in the continued development and implementation of this approach. This will involve working closely with another new position at OPA, the Advocate Guardian / First Peoples Engagement Lead. Depending on what this new approach looks like, the position may subsequently play a liaison role for enquires from First Peoples or Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.
And the other half of the time of the Guardianship Support / Diversity and Inclusion (First Peoples) Officer will be spent in assisting OPA’s Guardians in Hospital program. The role assists the delegated guardian gather information for the guardian to make decisions within the powers of the guardianship order, for example about where a represented person lives or what services they might need.

Some of your duties will include:

• Assisting in establishing a new approach at OPA to improve the accessibility and cultural safety of OPA’s services for First Peoples, and in the continued development and implementation of this approach. Depending on what this new approach looks like, the position may subsequently play a liaison role for enquires from First Peoples or Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.
• Assisting in establishing a small First Peoples network at OPA that will comprise two to three staff members and that will operate as a support network for First Peoples staff at OPA, including by encouraging involvement in broader networks and supports.
• Under direction from the team leader, and in consultation with other team members, assisting with the management of guardianship files.
• Assisting in gathering information for guardianship decisions.
• Responding to calls and enquiries from represented persons, families and professionals.

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

If you are considering taking on a challenging, rewarding role that allows you to make a noticeable difference in the lives of others, we look forward to hearing from you.

• Utilise your assistant expertise to provide support and advice to the Office of the Public Advocate branch
• Fixed-Term (12 months), Full-Time opportunity to work with a high-performing and passionate team in the Victorian Public Service
• VPS Grade 4: $92,332 - $104,762 plus superannuation