Aboriginal Liaison Officer

Location: Melbourne | Northern Metropolitan

Job type: Full time

Organisation: Department of Justice and Community Safety

**Salary**: $73,842 - $84,917

Occupation: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services

Reference: DOJ/1695078D

At the Department of Justice and Community Safety, we’re looking for people who want to make a difference. People who take pride in their work. People who get things done. People who are committed to making Victoria a safer place.

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 department, we’d love to hear from you.

The department is committed to the safety and wellbeing of young people and recognises that young peoples’ rights need to be respected, their views welcomed and valued, and their concerns taken seriously and acted upon.

For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please visit justice.vic.gov.au/careers

We’re proud of the important work we do across Victoria. Want to be part of it?
- **Full time ongoing opportunity available at the Parkville or Malmsbury Youth Justice Precinct**:

- **Salary range $73,842 - $84,917 plus superannuation**:

- **Work with Aboriginal children and young people in custody providing cultural support and programs to the children, young people, family and community**

**This is an Aboriginal Designated Position, classified under 'special measures' of section 12 of the **_Equal Opportunity Act 2010_**. Only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are eligible to apply.**

**About us**

The Department of Justice and Community Safety's Youth Justice Division is responsible for the supervision of children and young people in the criminal justice system and for providing strategic advice and delivering strategic outcomes to address youth crime and reduce offending.

Youth Justice Custodial Services is responsible for managing the two Youth Justice Custodial Precincts in Victoria, located in Parkville and Malmsbury. Youth justice custodial centres accommodate young people aged 10-18 years who have been remanded or sentenced by the Criminal Division of the Children's Court, and some 18-21 year olds sentenced by Adult Courts to a youth justice custodial centre.

Aboriginal Youth Justice is responsible for ensuring all Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and young people in custody are managed in a culturally safe manner and that cultural support is provided. They are also responsible for community programs, policy development and implementation in relation to Youth Justice Community Services.

**About the role**

As an Aboriginal Liaison Officer, you will engage and work with Aboriginal children and young people in custody, providing culturally specific support and programs to these children and young people, their families and communities.

You will advocate for Aboriginal children and young people in custody, involve family members and the community in cultural support and transition planning and develop and maintain Cultural Support Plans. You will also provide input into care teams and to custodial staff to ensure that Aboriginal cultural rights are upheld.

This position can be based at either the Parkville or Malmsbury Youth Justice Precincts, though regular travel between precincts may be required.

**To be successful in this role you will**:

- Have knowledge and understanding of the Victorian Aboriginal Community, both society and culture and the issues impacting on it.
- The ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with members of the Victorian Aboriginal community.
- Provide individualised cultural and practical support for Aboriginal children and young people in custody through identifying their strengths, aspirations and obtainable goals for returning to a non-offending lifestyle in their community.
- Develop and maintain effective relationships with a range of relevant Elders, community and professional groups to maximize their input to service development.
- Provide secondary consultation to staff to assist them to appropriately respond to the needs of Aboriginal children and young people.
- The Aboriginal Liaison Officer role requires participation on a weekly rotating standby/on-call roster.

You will be required to obtain a Working with Children Check (WWCC) to be maintained by the employee for the period of employment.
- For more information on the accountabilities and key selection criteria for the role, please refer to the attached position description._

**What's in it for you?**

You will be working for the Department of Justice and Community Safety, which is one arm of the Victorian State Government, a recognised top employer of choice nationally. All our staff work to the vision of a safe, just, innovative and thri