Wathaurong Family Services

Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd.

Position Description

Aboriginal Cultural Planner

Accountable to:Team Leader

Conditions:Full time 38 hours per week24 Month Fixed Term Contractsubject to satisfactory work performance, determined through ongoing monitoring and formal performance appraisal:

Preliminary performance review at 3 months and Probationary Period Performance Appraisal, at end of 6 months employment; Annual Performance Appraisal, every 12 months thereafter; if circumstances dictate.

Hours of Work:38 hours per week9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday

Classification:Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 [MA000100] Level 5

Salary:Base hourly rate negotiable depending on qualifications and experience. 9.5% Superannuation, five weeks Annual Leave, 17.5% Annual Leave Loading, Salary Packaging available

Historical Background

The name Wathaurong (Wadda-wurrung) is a recognised tribe (community) which consisted of some 25 clans (family groups) that formed part of the Kulin Nation of Aboriginal people.

The traditional boundaries of the Wathaurong people span the coastline from the mouth of the Werribee River to Lorne peninsula and traverse inland in a north westerly direction towards Ballarat. The Wadda-wurrung people have lived within these regions for more than 25,000 years.

As custodians of the Wathaurong lands, we are committed to working together to provide a secure future for our community by upholding the dignity of our ancestors; respecting our Elders and instilling a sense of cultural pride and belonging for our children and children’s children.

The Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd was formed in 1978 and achieved formal registration in 1980. It was established to support the social, economic, and cultural development of Aboriginal people, particularly within the Geelong and surrounding areas.

The Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative provides a range of services including; family and community services, support to young people, justice support services; cultural heritage services, and health services. From time to time the organisation also undertakes special projects and economic development opportunities.

In 2004 the Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative expanded to include a community controlled health service, which contributes toward addressing the inequality in health status of Aboriginal people. The Wathaurong Health Service provides clinical and primary health care services and has adopted a holistic approach to healthcare in the Aboriginal community.

Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd is the largest employer of Aboriginal people within the Geelong region.

Purpose

The Aboriginal Cultural Planner is a senior practitioner responsible for supporting the development, endorsement, implementation, and review of cultural plans for vulnerable Aboriginal children and young people living in out-of-home care. Aboriginal Cultural Planners support the development of cultural plans by care teams, assessing and providing support where needed, and recommend cultural plans be endorsed by the Senior Manager when they are of a suitable standard. This includes reviewing cultural plans and working with care teams to ensure they are of a suitable standard and address the cultural needs of vulnerable Aboriginal children and young people. The Aboriginal Cultural Planner works collaboratively as a senior practitioner with the Chief Executive Officer and senior managers to provide effective service delivery and support to child protection and other agencies. The position will also support child protection practitioners in the implementation of contemporary methods, systems and approaches to enhance the capacity of child protection teams to better respond to Aboriginal children and young people. The Aboriginal Cultural Planner may have a portfolio lead with local child protection and mainstream agencies to increase the awareness of, and participation in Aboriginal cultural activities by Aboriginal children and young people. This will include contributing to the cultural information portal to be developed.

Duties & Responsibilities

  • Provide effective leadership by:
  • modelling behaviours integral to agency values
  • working in partnership with the Chief Executive Officer and senior managers
  • supporting and mentoring care teams to develop cultural plans
  • providing guidance and expertise in relation to highly sensitive cases and challenging issues
  • promoting and increasing awareness of Aboriginal cultural activities for children and young people in the community
  • Provide quality, timely and effective specialist knowledge to care teams developing and reviewing cultural plans. Assist care teams to ensure cultural plans meet the cultural needs of vulnerable Aboriginal children and young people, as well as reflecting the best interests and principles as the primary consideration for all child protection planning.
  • Collaborate with care teams to ensure Aboriginal input into all cultural plans; and ensure care teams undertake reasonable steps to identify, gather information, and explore vulnerable Aboriginal children and young people’s Aboriginal heritage and family. When necessary work with and Aboriginal children and their families to obtain information and develop plans.
  • Prepare documentation, present information and make recommendations to the Senior Manager on cultural plans, ensuring decisions and actions are in the best interests of the child.
  • Provide information to children, families, carers and service providers on procedures, practices, and guidelines and provide advice and case consultation on the Aboriginal cultural needs of Aboriginal children and young people, including services available to help meet needs.
  • Actively contribute as a collaborative team member in the development and review of cultural plans, related to strengthening Aboriginal children and young people’s connection to their Aboriginal community and culture.
  • Monitor, analyse and review cultural plans; assess the effectiveness of services provided to Aboriginal children and young people and provide well-developed recommendations on future actions required to support the maintenance and strengthening of Aboriginal children and young people’s connection to their Aboriginal community and culture.
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships, ongoing communication and successful negotiations with Child Protection and key stakeholders.
  • Provide authoritative advice and opinion to professionals in other disciplines; lead or participate in case conferences, including family decision making, with other professionals.
  • Use a range of IT/web-based applications to manage workflow and approvals in accordance with agency guidelines and privacy principles.
  • Identify and apply appropriate research in forming interventions and develop innovative solutions to complex and difficult cases, drawing on a range of professional networks to identify gaps in case assessments.
  • Participate actively in supervision and professional development opportunities.
  • Keep accurate and complete records of your work activities in accordance with legislative requirements and Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative’s records, information security and privacy policies and requirements.

Staff Meetings

  • Family Services Team Meetings as required
  • Case Management meetings with relevant teams

Other Duties

  • Other duties as directed by the Team Leader and consistent with the overall goals and responsibilities of this position

Performance and Accountability Requirements

  • Adherence to organisational goals, objectives, Policy and Procedures
  • Contribute to monthly reporting
  • Regular debriefing and supervision with Team Leader and external Reflective Practice
  • Probationary and Annual Performance Appraisal

Continuous Quality Improvement & Risk Management

  • Commit to providing quality service through taking personal responsibility for adhering to current standards of practice.
  • Participate in external review requirements such as accreditation and risk management to enhance continuous quality improvement
  • Participate in appropriate registered activities within the Wathaurong community
  • Ensure the health and safety of employees and other persons within the work environment
  • Report all hazards, accidents or incidents which have resulted or may result in an injury to others or damage to property
  • Be familiar with emergency and evacuation procedures and to participate in training in safety procedures
  • At all times act professionally and as an Ambassador of the Coop.

Key selection criteria

Essential

  1. A relevant qualification and/or extensive experience in community based work
  2. Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
  3. Expert knowledge of the unique history and current circumstances of Aboriginal children, families and community and ability to apply this to Child Protection cultural planning.
  4. Expert knowledge of Aboriginal cultures and communities, preferably Victorian communities.
  5. Expert knowledge and ability to embed in practice, the core responsibilities and principles underpinning cultural planning for Aboriginal children residing in out-of-home care.
  6. Knowledge of child development, attachment and trauma theories as they relate to child protection practice.
  7. Demonstrated ability to work with Aboriginal children and their families to gather and analyse information that promotes development and implementation of their cultural plan.
  8. Demonstrated ability to build professional networks across a range of organisations and individuals to promote collaborative working groups that focus on meeting the best interests of vulnerable Aboriginal children and young people.
  9. An ability to lead and inspire others to help them focus on what really matters and to strengthen their professional ability.
  10. Current Victorian Drivers Licence

Desirable

  1. Extensive relevant experience
  2. Specialised knowledge or experience in relation to child protection.
  3. Specialised knowledge or experience in relation to out-of-home care.

Confirmation and Agreement

Signing of this Position Description, confirms appointment to the Position and agreement of incumbent (Position Holder) to perform all duties and responsibilities as outlined above and in accordance with the requirements of this position.

Employment is subject to ‘Working with Children Check’ clearance.

Position:Aboriginal Cultural Planner

Position Holder:

Signature: ______Date: ______

Aboriginal Cultural Planner

Signature: ______Date: ______

Rod Jackson

Chief Executive Officer

Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative Ltd

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