Indigenous Community Engagement Officers

**Branch Overview**

The Supreme and Magistrates Courts have a joint Registry. Under the leadership of the respective Registrars, the Registry and its staff provide high-level administrative support to the judiciary in the performance of their roles, and to the parties and legal representatives who appear in the Courts. This includes exercising statutory and quasi-judicial powers and providing legal, administrative, policy and procedural advice and assistance.

The Registry is the first point of contact for anyone wishing to engage with the Courts. This means that the key function is to provide client service to members of the public, parties and legal representatives. In that context, the Registry is responsible for accepting documents for filing, arranging and scheduling of hearings and conferences, maintaining court files, issuing subpoenas, collecting and processing court fees, entering data in the case management system, generating court documents and orders, and providing general advice about court rules, practices and procedures.

Registry services are available to all Court clients across all jurisdictions, including civil, criminal, children's, Circle Sentencing Courts (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders) and therapeutic diversion programs (drug and alcohol, and care and protection).

To ensure accessibility to various Courts and Tribunal, the Registry also provides support services and facilities for users who have a disability or vulnerability or require additional or culturally centred support when accessing, dealing with or attending the Courts and Tribunal. These include, for example, remote and vulnerable witness rooms, family rooms and culturally safe spaces and support from liaison/engagement officers.

**Position Overview**

The Indigenous Community Engagement Officers (ICEO) work across the entire organisation - the ACT Courts and Tribunal - to identify and respond to the specific needs of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and their families to enhance justice services delivery and achieve greater access to justice. Through their work, ICEOs ensure that the Courts and Tribunal deliver cultural safety to those experiencing cumulative intergenerational trauma.

In this context, ICEOs provide culturally appropriate support services to clients to access and deal with the Courts and Tribunal, including advising on and implementing any reasonable adjustments needed to deliver those services. For the judicial officers, ICEOs provide a liaison point for information and relevant service providers when making orders.

In their work, ICEOs will link up with relevant areas, agencies and service providers to ensure service provision is comprehensive, connected and addresses the actual needs of the client. Internally, these include therapeutic and diversion programs and services for vulnerable clients (for example Circle Sentencing, Drug and Alcohol, Care and Protection, Disability Liaison Officer, Mental Health and Guardianship, Remote Witness Suites, Family Liaison Officers (Coroner's Court) and Sheriff's Officers). Externally, relevant support services include Victim Support ACT, Legal Aid, Domestic Violence Crisis Service, Rape Crisis Centre, Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services and mental health.

It is expected that ICEOs will also be part of the broader network of ICEOs across the justice system (e.g., ACT Police, Legal Aid, Director of Public Prosecutions and ACT Corrective Services) and other ACT Government agencies to form a community of practice to address systemic barriers impacting access to justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

This position will work with staff and clients across the Supreme Court, Magistrates Court and the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The position is currently reporting Registry Operations, however, this is likely to change with a structural review underway.

The nature of the organisation is such that staff may be exposed to sensitive material or information that may be confronting and culturally sensitive. The occupant will require discretion as well as self-management against potential vicarious trauma. ACT Courts and Tribunal provides support services and training to assist staff in being culturally aware, resilient, and safe in the workplace.

**Eligibility/other requirements**:
**Compliance Requirements/Qualifications**
- Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander ancestry is considered an occupational requirement of this role under section 42 of the Discrimination Act 1991 (ACT). As such, a person occupying this position will need to provide relevant documentation - for example, a Confirmation of Aboriginality Certificate
- Prior to commencing this role, a current registration issued under the _Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011_ is required. For further information on Working with Vulnerable People registration refer to - Working with vulnerable peo