Senior Advisor – Aboriginal Cultural Planning

• Location: Preston
• 1 Full time position
• $63,461

As part of a new initiative funded by the Victorian State Government through the Department of Health and Human Services, you will be working in a critical role to support Aboriginal children and young people living in out-of-home care maintain and develop their connection to their Aboriginal cultural and community. Your work will include assisting care teams with the development, assessment, and review of cultural plans to ensure they meet the cultural needs of Aboriginal children and young people. You will build connections between care teams and Aboriginal communities and recommend to senior management the endorsement of cultural plans.

You will play a lead role with local child protection and mainstream agencies to increase the awareness of, and participation in Aboriginal cultural activities by Aboriginal children and young.

To be considered for this role you must demonstrate:

• Awareness and appreciation of Aboriginal communities and culture and an understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal people in contemporary Australia
• An ability to work in a culturally respectful and competent manner with young people, their families and communities to ensure that cultural connections are fostered and maintained.
• You must have and continue to hold a full Victorian Driver’s Licence and a current employment working with children check card.
• Commitment to VACCA’s vision and purpose.
• 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, and understanding of child development, attachment and trauma theories as they relate to child and family welfare practice
• Ability to perform responsibilities that involve cultural planning for Aboriginal children residing in out-of-home care.
• Demonstrated ability to work with Aboriginal children and their families in a complex environment to gather and analyse information that promotes development and implementation of their cultural plan.
• 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.

Please note: This is an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander designated position, classified under Section 12 Special Measures of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. This employment opportunity is only available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people