NORTHERN RIVERS

COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRE Inc

Call for Expressions of Interest:

Fixed Term Advocate/Paralegal position

(14 hours/week for 12 months)

APPLICANT INFORMATION

The Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre Inc(NRCLC) has received funding from the Community Sector Banking for a project called Walking Together – Along the Road to Economic Independence. The project funds a part-time advocate/paralegal to support the legal services being provided by solicitors to clients experiencing family violence. The NRCLC seeks expressions of interest for the advocate/paralegal position.

KEY DETAILS:

The principal functions for this role are:

  1. In collaboration with solicitors from the Legal Service, assisting clients experiencing family and domestic violence to resolve financial issues by advocating with financial, telecommunication and other service providers, utilities and other creditors, on their behalf.
  1. Developing procedures and templatesfor advocating for clients as described above, so that the work of the advocate can be continued by volunteers if further funding is not sourced after the fixed term.
  1. Towards the end of the project, providing feedback to financial, telecommunication and other service providers, utilities, other creditors and their regulators or relevant ombudsmen, about how their services could better cater for the needs of family violence victims/survivors.

This is a 14 hours per week position. The position is SACS 5 / SCHADS 5 under the NRCLC Enterprise Agreement 2015-19, with a salary range of $28,789 to $30,855 per annum for 14 hours per week(dependent upon qualifications, skills and experience), plus superannuation and leave loading. Salary sacrificing is available.

Supervision:

This position is supervised by and reports to the Legal Service Coordinator and Principal Solicitor.

Start date: ASAP.

ABOUT US:

NRCLC has a strong reputation across the CLC sector for its innovative, multidisciplinary team who provide high quality legal and advocacy services to disadvantaged groups within the Northern Rivers region in Northern NSW. Based in Lismore with an office in Murwillumbah, the Centre operates a Generalist Legal Service, Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service, Women’s Legal Service, Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (WDVCAS) and the Tweed Valley and Richmond Local Coordination Point. We also conduct an Aboriginal Legal Access Project. All services operate from a social justice framework in a not-for-profit non-government organisational setting, supported by a community management model. The advocate/paralegal would be a member of the Legal Service team.

LODGING YOUR EOI:

To submit your EOI, provide your written response to EACH of the following selection criteria plus a current resume:

Selection criteria:

  1. Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communication skills
  2. Understanding of and commitment to social justice.
  3. Empathy towards women experiencingfamily violenceand understanding ofthe specific needs of clients who are victims/survivors of family violence, with demonstrated experience working with such clients highly desirable.
  4. Ability to ensure the specific needs of disadvantaged clients are effectively addressed, including family violence victims/survivors,people with disabilities, andcultural competency with Aboriginal and CALD communities.
  5. Understanding of the financial sector.
  6. Creative problem solving skills with the capacity to look for innovative avenues of redress for client issues.
  7. Ability to work collaboratively with solicitors, advocates from the WDVCAS service and other staff.
  8. Efficient administration and computer skills and ability to use MS Office suite of applications.

You should also include a resume which sets out your personal details (name, address and contact details), education, previous positions and experience, and at least two professional referees (names, addresses and contact details).

Acknowledgment of Applications

We do not acknowledge receipt of applications unless requested to do so. If you would like an acknowledgment please make your request clearly visible (in your cover email or a note attached to the front page).

Copies of degrees, diplomas etc

It is not necessary to include these with your applicationunless they are not already held in the Centre’s records.

Short Listing

The Selection Panel will assess all EOIs received, and will at its discretion, make arrangements to speak withshortlisted applicants and contact referees for any short listed applicant. The Panel may provide short listed applicants with a writing task to be submitted within a short timeframe. The Panel will advise its decision as soon as possible by telephone to the successful applicant, and letters will be sent (by email) to other applicants advising them their EOIs were not successful.

There is no appeal from the Panel’s decision, though Applicants who are dissatisfied with the decision of the selection panel or any aspect of the EOI process should outline their concerns in a letter to the Committeeof Management.

Offer of Appointment

The successful applicant will be sent a letter of offer enclosing details of the appointment, including hours and pay rate.

EEO

The Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre is an equal opportunity employer and staff are expected to initiate and/or comply with equal opportunity principles.

Closing date and submission process

Applications for the position close at 4:00pm on Monday 27 November2017.

Applications must be submitted digitally by email or delivered in person.

Submit Via Email

Pleaseaddress your email to:

“Confidential”: The Selection Panel Walking Together Advocate

Email address:

Submit In Person

Deliver your EOI, marked ‘confidential’ to:

The Selection Panel

Walking Together Advocate

Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre

16 Carrington Street

LISMORE, NSW 2480

Allenquiries should be directed to Daniel Turner on 6621 1000 or by email .

Advocate/Paralegal Position Description

Position Details:

Hours: 14 hours per week

Term:12 months

Salary: The position is SACS 5 / SCHADS 5 under the NRCLC Enterprise Agreement 2015-19, with a salary range of $28,789 to $30,855 per annum for 14 hours per week, plus superannuation and leave loading.

Supervisor: Legal Service Co-ordinator

Funding: Community Sector banking grant

Incumbent:Vacant

Workers are required to take a team approach to the operations of the Centre, working cooperatively and respectfully with the Centre’s Management team to ensure all work undertaken complies with the Centre and relevant Service Strategic Plans and all relevant policies and procedures. The NRCLC Committee of Management (COM) has delegated its staff supervision function to the Legal Service Coordinator.

Principal Functions:

  1. In collaboration with solicitors from the Legal Service, assist clients escaping from family violence to become economically independent and stable by advocating with financial, telecommunication and other service providers, utilities and other creditors, on their behalf.
  1. Develop procedures and templatesfor advocating for clients as described above, so that the work of the advocate can be continued by volunteers if further funding is not sourced after the fixed term.
  1. Towards the end of the project, provide feedback to financial, telecommunication and other service providers, utilities, other creditors and their regulators or relevant ombudsmen, about how their services could better cater for the needs of family violence victims.

Detailed Duty Statement:

Accountability & Supervision

  • Accountable to the NRCLC COM.
  • Position supervised by the Legal Services Coordinator.
  • Client work supervised by the Principal Solicitor and Solicitors from the Legal Service.

Client Advocacy

  • Together with clients and solicitors decide what negotiation and advocacy on behalf of each client is required.
  • Negotiate and advocate with financial, telecommunication and other service providers, utilities and other creditors, on behalf of clients, verbally and in writing.
  • Recordcommunications in client files as required by Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) requirements and other Legal Service policies.
  • Communicate with clients under the supervision of the solicitor with carriage of that client’s matter.

Procedure development

  • Use interactions with financial, telecommunication and other service providers, utilities and other creditors on behalf of clients, to develop procedures that can be followed for other clients with similar issues.
  • Write procedures and create templates in a format that can be easily understood and followed, and distributed for use in other CLCs.

Service provision and law reform

  • Identify and consider how service providers, utilities, credit providers and other organisations can better address the needs of family violence victims.
  • Write letters or submissions to organisations and regulators/ombudsmen describing client experiences and make recommendations about how services can better cater for the needs of family violence victims/survivors.

File work and Administration

  • Comply with strict confidentiality and conflict of interest policies
  • Maintain file and casework in accordance with Professional Indemnity Insurance requirements and other Legal Service and NRCLC policies
  • Complete own administrative duties, including CLASS database entry, drafting documents, maintaining client files and photocopying

Team work and Work Health and Safety:

  • Work cooperatively in a multi-disciplinary team.
  • Attend Legal Service and whole of centre staff meetings and training.
  • Network with other CLCs which could include attendance at Quarterly CLCNSW meetings in Sydney and/or National Association of CLCs National Conference.
  • Comply with safe work practices and WHS policies.
  • Comply with the NRCLC equal opportunity policies and procedures.

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