Aod Worker

**Work with us**:
Our organisation is a busy health hub in the middle of Richmond. North Richmond Community Health, which includes the Centre for Culture Ethnicity and Health, is a great place to work. You’ll find an environment where staff are inspired through meaningful work and supported by colleagues and management. We prioritise an inclusive and positive working atmosphere at North Richmond Community Health. With flexible working arrangements, we help ensure that people of all circumstances are well-represented in our staff.

As an employee, there are a number of benefits available:

- flexible working arrangements, including purchased leave
- wellbeing policy, with on-site subsidised fitness classes including pilates and personal training, work health checks and social events
- comprehensive and competitive salary packaging options.

We enjoy rich cultural diversity in our workforce. Approximately 55% of our staff were born overseas and over 75% identify with an ethnicity other than Australian. Over 65% of our staff speak languages other than English. We would like to hear from you if you have:

- superior skills in delivering culturally-responsive services in your given field
- keen ability to contribute to a respectful collegiate environment
- can contribute to innovation and service improvement
- effective relationship building skills to foster a harmonious workplace.

Outreach and Engagement Service

This seven day a week service provides trauma informed outreach to individuals within the North Richmond Precinct and associated boundaries including People Who Use Drugs (PWUD), people experiencing homelessness, people experiencing mental health challenges, as well as people with complex health and social support needs. The outreach program includes case management, complex care coordination, peer support programs, therapeutic interventions and delivering comprehensive, holistic interventions that support long term client and community engagement. The program will also deliver community engagement, providing a proactive, community-wide outreach response and responding positively to health-based issues raised by community members. The Outreach Program has clear objectives as detailed in the funding and service agreement.

**_ AOD Worker_**

The AOD Worker is responsible for providing support and assistance to individuals dealing with alcohol and other drug-related issues. They work closely with clients to promote harm reduction, provide education, and facilitate access to appropriate resources and services including health services and various treatment programs. The primary objective of this role is to help reduce harm associated with problematic drug or alcohol use for clients and to help improve their overall wellbeing.

The position will be a valued member of the Outreach Service providing daily community and client engagement to expertise and support for assessment, interventions and referral to services both internally and externally to meet clients identified needs.

**Roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to**:

- Conduct assessments: Perform comprehensive assessments to determine clients’ substance abuse history, treatment needs, and goals.
- Develop treatment plans: Collaborate with clients to develop individualized treatment plans that address their specific substance abuse issues and recovery goals as consented.
- Harm reduction strategies: Educate clients about harm reduction strategies, such as safer substance use practices and overdose prevention.
- Establish and evaluate health pathways and referrals for clients including liaising internal with care coordinators and referral to other services for complex client needs.
- Development of trusted relationships with clients and stakeholders, including supporting activities for purpose, engagement, behavior support and education.
- Work under supervision and direction, either individually or in a multidisciplinary team, using routine harm minimising practices.

**Key Selection Criteria**:
**Essential qualifications, attributes and skills include, but are not limited to**:

- Recognised qualification in health or social/human services or Diploma of Community Services (AOD)
- Minimum of 3 years’ experience in outreach, harm reduction in the AOD field
- Demonstrated knowledge of co-occurring drug use and harm reduction in the context of illicit & other drugs and risks associated with the use of these.
- Sound knowledge and understanding of issues and challenges for improving the health status of PWUD and those with complex/multiple health issues.
- Commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of vulnerable and marginalised communities that is culturally aligned.
- High level of capability to develop client and stakeholder relationships, including capacity to seek client and community needs to shape services.

Please note it is a requirement for all employees of North Richmond Community Health to demonstrate evidence