African Liaison

Employment Type: Permanent part time

Salary: Hourly rate of $45.75cents (Part Time - 15.20 per week).

Location: Werribee Mercy Hospital, Werribee

Upload with Application: Resume, cover letter, and all relevant qualifications

Where there’s life, there’s Mercy.

Where there’s care, there’s You.

Through the battles and the breakthroughs, we're there. Where will you be?

For over a century, our incredible teams have provided care for people when they need it most. Our people feel great pride in this, and they value the security and stability we offer. But it also means so much opportunity - to build on all that’s gone before, to grow your impact and gain experience that’s hard to find elsewhere.

As a for-purpose organisation with over 10,000 dedicated, compassionate people, we continue to offer more services and deeper care than ever before. With Mercy, you’ll have the chance to make an impact and gain experience that’s hard to find elsewhere.

At Mercy Health, it’s all about taking what we have and making it better.

To do that, we need you.

Join us as at Mercy Health, and help our teams deliver even greater outcomes.

About the opportunity

Multicultural Services Unit provides support for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) consumers across Mercy Hospital for Women and Werribee Mercy Hospital.

Our patients come from more than 200 countries, speak more than 130 different languages and follow 90 religious faiths.

Our unit provides a range of services including:

- Interpreting and Translating
- African Liaison & Family and Reproductive Rights Education Program (FARREP)
- Cultural responsiveness training
- CALD community engagement
- CALD service improvement.

The Unit was established in 1989 at Mercy Hospital for Women and in 2014 at Werribee Mercy Hospital.

FARREP Services at Mercy Hospital, Heidelberg and at Werribee

The Family and Reproductive Rights Education Program (FARREP)

is funded by the Victorian Department of Health (DoH) to:

- provide direct care support to individuals and/or families in relation to issues concerning female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), and
- undertake health promotion activities in relation to FGM/C.

The program has expanded to offer a broader African liaison service that provides culturally appropriate support and information to all women of African backgrounds who access our services.

The program sits within the Multicultural Services at Mercy Hospitals Victoria Ltd, which ensures a broader reach across a number of Mercy Health sites including Werribee, Mercy Hospital.

MHW FARREP objectives are:
Primary Purpose/Focus of the role (found on first page of PD) - To raise awareness amongst health professionals on female circumcision and develop best practice models for service provision to clients that have undergone or been exposed to female circumcision; to support African women and empower them and their families to negotiate the choices they make during their care; and to provide health promotion activities to potential service users in the community.

What you’ll bring

Demonstrated understanding of African women’s reproductive health issues and experience in health promotion activities for African communities in Australia.

To thrive in this role, you will be:
Compassionate and respectful and committed to assisting and supporting young African women and their families to navigate the Mercy Health Service system during their care requirements and promote health promotional activities to their communities.

You will require to
- Demonstrate an ability to build relationships with people at all levels- Demonstrate an ability to work as part of a team.- Demonstrate cross-cultural communication skills with a strong consumer focus.- Demonstrate highly developed problem solving and conflict negotiation skills.

You will also be required to provide evidence of, or in the process of obtaining:
- A current Police Record Check and Working with Children Check..

Ready to help us shape the future of healthcare?

Join us and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives - and your career.

Please contact us if you would like to find out more or communicate any requirements to ensure we provide you with a fair and equitable interview and selection process.
- We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung peoples, traditional Custodians of the Land in which our Head Office is based, on traditional lands of the Kulin Nation and recognise their deep connections to the land, sea, and culture._
- We extend this acknowledgment to the many Traditional Lands that we operate across Australia and pay our respects to Elders past and present._