School Community Liaison Officer

**Overview**:
**Work type**:Full time

**Salary**:Salary not specified

**Grade**:Ed Support Level 1-Range 3

**Occupation**: Education and Training

**Location**: Shepparton

**Reference**: 1475724

**Selection Criteria**:

- Experience working with school communities, families and community organisations involving individuals of culturally and linguistic diverse backgrounds.
- Excellent stakeholder management and relationship building skills including the ability to partner with and broker support from local community organisations
- Ability to build strong working relationships with parents and local community organisations to identify best practice and areas for improvement to support student and parent engagement.
- Excellent time management and organisational skills
- Ability to work as part of a statewide team and embrace a community of practice approach

**Role**:
The School Community Liaison Officer will be required to support school communities to focus on increasing school engagement, strengthening partnerships with families and community and facilitating activities to increase retention and school completion.

The School Community Liaison Officer will be expected to work in collaboration with School Community Liaison Officers appointed to other schools across the North West, South West and South East Victorian regions through membership of an established community of practice. The School Community Liaison Officers will be supported by a centrally based program officer and provide regular reports to support the implementation, evaluation and ongoing monitoring of the project.**There is an expectation that this role will require travel to other sites of delivery and to the DET Central Office in Melbourne CBD.

**Responsibilities**:
Provide support to school communities they are working with to establish and maintain communication between young people, families and the local community

Work directly with groups of young people or individuals, planning interventions to ensure young people are connected to an education

Work directly with young people to provide platforms for student voice, facilitate leadership opportunities and facilitate activities that aligns with their needs

Facilitate information sessions for parents to support an increased understanding of the education system and platforms and increase engagement with parent teacher nights, information days and school celebrations

Facilitate professional learning for school staff on cultural responsiveness and safety coordinate workshops and forums for the school and local community

Facilitate access to homework clubs and afterschool programs, to offer support and mentoring outside of the school

Support school leaders with the rollout of the cultural competency framework and other activities aimed at strengthening inclusivity for diverse communities

Participate in a statewide community of practices and statewide planning days with other School Community Liaison Officers

**Who May Apply**:

- Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfil the specific requirements of the position.
- ** This role is identified as available for African heritage applicants only. Confirmation of your African heritage may be requested.**

**EEO AND OHS Commitment**:
**Child Safe Standards**:
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:
**DE Values**:
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:
**Other Information**:
**Location Profile**:
As part of the Victorian African Communities Action Plan, education is identified as a key focus area and funding is available to employ School Community Liaison Officers in school communities with high populations of African young people to improve their connection to education and provide tailored support.

The School Community Liaison Officer at **Greater Shepparton Secondary College & St George's Road Primary School**will support your school community and a cluster of neighbouring schools with high populations of African young people to increase school engagement, strengthen partnerships with families and community and facilitate activities to increase retention and school completion.

This role will be one of eight School Community Liaison Officers appointed