Practitioner, Koori Pathways Team

**About Us**

Court Services Victoria provides corporate services and facilities to support the performance of the judicial, quasi-judicial and administrative functions of Victoria's courts and tribunal, Judicial College and Judicial Commission.

Collectively, Victoria's Supreme, County, Magistrates', Children's, and Coroners courts, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), the Judicial College of Victoria, the Judicial Commission of Victoria, and Court Services Victoria (CSV) are referred to as the 'Courts Group'.

Our people enable the Courts Group to deliver on each jurisdiction's own strategic priorities while also pursuing strategic opportunities that are interconnected and deliver benefits more broadly.

**The Dhumba Murmuk Djerring Unit**:
The Dhumba Murmuk Djerring Unit was established to provide strategic and cultural support across courts and VCAT, coinciding with the establishment of the Koori Court. The DMDU continues to ensure that responsive and up-to-date advice and information are available to Koori Staff, Community and all users accessing the courts and VCAT. Collaborating with all jurisdictions, the Unit coordinates the strategic development and delivery of the Victorian Koori justice policies and programs and coordinates the Courts Group wide responses to requests from the Aboriginal Justice Forum (AJF).

The DMDU also provides policy advice in response to the Aboriginal Justice Agreement and secretariat support to the Courts Koori Committee. The Unit also holds an important role within the governance structures of CSV, regularly reporting to sub-committees of, and Courts Council on the CSV and jurisdictional progress of the delivery of Koori projects, initiatives and policies.

**About the Role**

Reporting to the Manager, Koori Pathways Team, the Koori Pathways Practitioner will support the coordination function of the Team, with a strong focus on addressing cultural support gaps within the Victorian Courts Group, particularly in relation to bail.

The Practitioner will establish and maintain stakeholder relationships and engagement. Importantly, the role will guide and engage in strategic, collaborative and productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders including the judiciary, legal profession, police, state government departments, other organisations and court users.

The Practitioner will provide non-legal information and support for applicants of bail in the Supreme Court, where relevant assess their immediate safety risks, develop coordination plans and engage with the courts group to ensure referrals are made to appropriate agencies within the community for ongoing support.

The Practitioner supports applicants for bail across all phases of their court process (pre, during or post court) or across select phases dependent on individual needs. Practitioners hold a key role in building relationships, delivering information on the Koori Pathways team and other court services, and building integral referral pathways with local specialised agencies as well as key internal and external stakeholders such as VALS, VLA and Victoria Police.

Key accountabilities include:

- In consultation with the Manager, Koori Pathways, where applicable, and in line with relevant organisational policies, procedures and standards.
- Developing Cultural Referral Plans and providing information and referrals for ongoing support, to external service providers and community agencies where appropriate.
- Liaising with legal services (duty or external), police prosecution and the court registry as required.
- Considering the needs of children in risk assessments and making appropriate referrals and links with family support and/or child protection services as appropriate.
- Building and maintaining strong stakeholder relationships to support information sharing, referral pathways and collaborative work practices across courts, community and justice services, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.
- Following procedures to manage privacy, confidentiality and consent when working with Applicants.
- Fostering culturally safe practices for First Peoples in the court system while driving continuous improvement in team operations, policies, and procedures to ensure best practice and strong team performance.
- Building and maintaining strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including court staff, Judicial Officers, community organisations, and government agencies, representing the court in forums, projects, and performance monitoring activities.
- Participating in intrastate travel as required and actively engage with the Koori Staff Network and to support cultural initiatives and team collaboration.
- Keep accurate and complete records of your work activities in accordance with legislative requirements and the organisation's records, information security and privacy policies and requirements.

**About You**
- Aboriginal and Torres Strai