Community Landcare Aboriginal Engagement Officer

About Us :

About Landcare NSW

We are the representative body of the Landcare movement in NSW and the voice of community Landcare.

Our Council represents around 60,000 Landcarers and 3000 groups and meets three to four times a year. The organisation is overseen by an eight-member executive and a small team of part-time staff. Our structure enables the building of skills, capacity, strength and connections at every level – from individual groups to district networks, to regional associations to the state peak body, right through to the National Landcare Network in Canberra. Landcare NSW acknowledges and pays respect to Aboriginal People and Torres Strait Islander People who are the original owners of the land, seas and water. Landcare NSW recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People’s continuing connection to the land and their deep knowledge of the natural environment.

History

In 2007 at Myuna Bay, Lake Macquarie, a group of volunteers recognised a need for a unified voice to represent the State’s dedicated community Landcarers and so established Landcare NSW. After months of consultation and planning, an inaugural meeting was held in Sydney and was followed by the first Muster in Tamworth in October 2007. Since then, every two years Landcarers from across the state gather at musters to harness ideas and discuss issues.

What we do

Protect, repair, regenerate, change practice. And, learn, share and connect. Landcarers work across farmland, bushland, parkland, beaches, national parks, rivers, dunes, creeks, Crown land, public land, private land, forests, travelling stock routes. Landcare is a grassroots movement organised into groups and organisations – some are purely voluntary with half a dozen members while others are substantial organisations that employ paid staff and have significant budgets. Collective action is at the heart of our success: Landcare groups organise projects, support volunteers, seek funding and develop partnerships. We have transformed the landscape and are at the forefront of dealing with environmental, agricultural and social challenges facing Australia.

Landcare is open, inclusive and welcoming, regardless of age, gender and cultural background. Environmental Activities: Bush regeneration and weed control; revegetation; repairing eroding gullies and stabilising riverbanks; collecting litter; creating and repairing walking tracks; protecting threatened species; stabilising sand dunes, and; working with councils on installing litter traps. Agricultural Activities: Sustainable cropping techniques; local fox and wild dog control programs; drought management programs; safe chemical use and storage; minimising nutrient run-off; building soil carbon; managing climate variability; fencing; managing groundwater and salinity, and; coordinated action among neighbouring landholders to plant corridors for wildlife. Landcarers also participate in workshops, field days, site tours and collaborative learning.

About You :

You will have:

• experience in working with Aboriginal organisations, communities and people engaged in natural resource management
• practical expertise and experience in community engagement and community development
• knowledge and understanding of community engagement in working on country
• knowledge and/or experience working within the Aboriginal sector, particularly in New South Wales
• the ability to collaborate effectively and develop partnerships with key service providers within the community, government and non-government organisations
• excellent interpersonal and communication skills – including verbal and written abilities

Position Summary :

Job Package $110,000 to $125,000 inclusive of Superannuation & allowances (negotiable based on experience)

Employment Type: Fixed Term- Full Time until June 30th, 2023

Location: Regional NSW or Sydney (negotiable) must reside in NSW

Responsible to: Landcare NSW CEO, Executive and NSW Landcare Program Manager

Context

The NSW Landcare Program 2019 – 2023 is a NSW Government funded program of support for Landcare in NSW. Funded to a total of $22.4 million over four years, the ultimate purpose of the NSW Landcare Program is to “equitably deliver support and resources that empowers volunteer Landcare, leading to the achievement of landscape, community and industry goals”. It is co-managed and delivered by Local Land Services and Landcare NSW. It builds on the existing partnership between Local Land Services and Landcare NSW, on a number of previous Landcare Support Programs and regional Landcare investments. There are 6 components to this program of which the Aboriginal Engagement Program is one.

Primary purpose of the role

This is an exciting opportunity to take on a foundational role for Landcare NSW that will set the groundwork for fostering inclusion and representation of Aboriginal interests as they relate to and compliment Landcare activity. This role is responsible for developing relationships, processes and protocols which lead to increasing engagement between Landcare groups, networks and coordinators and Aboriginal people; increasing cultural awareness within Landcare NSW and identifying opportunities to engage Aboriginal peoples and organisations. The role will provide support and advice to Landcare NSW in developing mutually beneficial engagement and strengthened relations between Aboriginal Organisations and Landcare at local, regional and state levels across NSW whilst recognising the extensive relationships that already exist in local and regional contexts.

Key Requirements :

The Requirements (Essential Criteria)

To be successful in this role you have a good understanding of local Aboriginal cultural and heritage issues and ability to deal with a range of sensitive cross-cultural issues. The role requires demonstrated experience in working with Aboriginal peoples, groups and organisations to foster engagement with other stakeholders in the NRM space. You will also have a current driver’s licence and a willingness to travel. The role will require extensive travelling around NSW and which will be supported by the program.

Key Competencies

·      Develop and implement community based information and assistance to projects that increase the ability of Aboriginal groups, rural landholders, land managers, community groups, partner organisations and industry groups to work together to manage and deal with environmental issues

·      Interpersonal and Communication Skills – respectful of others, ability to promote Landcare in a range of forums and inspire confidence through the timely resolution of enquiries or work requests; be adaptable in difficult situations, demonstrate a high level of effective verbal and written skills in dealing with people at all levels including the skills to use information technology, Microsoft applications and data bases for communication, data collection and reporting and evaluation.

·      Knowledge – excellent knowledge of key issues related to Aboriginal people, knowledge of cultural practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the importance of connecting to country to heal

·      Teamwork – works collaboratively with project partners across the regions to accomplish organisational goals and reinforce the vision, respects the needs and contributions of others for quality service delivery, appreciates the operational pressures within the region/centre.

·      Self-Motivation - self-starter with excellent organisational and time management skills, ability to self-motivate and multi-task and work independently, aptitude to think on your feet and produce practical answers, proactive, shows initiative, leads by example, maintains accountability.

·      Collaborative Skills – an ability to engage Landcarers, various stake and knowledge holders in the co-design of innovative and culturally appropriate events, workshops and or information

Essential Criteria

1.      Demonstrated experience in working with Aboriginal organisations, communities and people engaged in natural resource management

2.      Relevant practical expertise and experience in community engagement and community development

3.      Skills and ability to use a range of computer software including word processing, databases and spreadsheets

4.      Current valid NSW Driver License and the ability and willingness to regularly travel throughout NSW

5.      Knowledge and understanding of community engagement in working on country

6.      Knowledge and experience working within the Aboriginal sector, particularly in New South Wales

7.      Ability to collaborate effectively and develop partnerships with key service providers within the community, government and non-government organisations

8.      Excellent interpersonal and communication skills – including verbal and written abilities

Desirable

9.      Previous work experience or knowledge of working in a community based or not-for-profit organisation.

Additional Information:

Landcare NSW Inc is an equal opportunity employer, with employment under the organisation’s standard employment agreement or as negotiated.

We are committed to achieving a diverse workforce and strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Job Responsibility :

Key Deliverables

Program Management

• Providing expert input into the development, implementation and promotion of effective high-quality community engagement strategies, initiatives and programs
• Establish appropriate guiding protocols for incorporating Aboriginal practices into Landcare work and fostering understanding within Landcare groups where appropriate
• Providing ongoing support and guidance to build proficiency and skills in appropriate cultural engagement into Landcare activities.
• Developing high quality and effective information collateral, tools, outreach activities and other products.
• Developing and maintaining effective working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Collect and collate data, analyse information and provide accurate, appropriately balanced advice, reports and recommendations that will progress the success of this initiative

Acknowledgement

• Assist Landcare NSW to develop a clear statement of intent, which acknowledges the need to improve and foster relationships with Aboriginal peoples and communities in NSW.
• Landcare NSW, in partnership, develops the correct terminology with regards to Aboriginal people and cultures in its communications and working cultural practices.

Recognition

·      Assist Landcare NSW to learn from existing Aboriginal plans (land and sea) and to establish key contacts

Representation (Advocacy)

·      Assist Landcare NSW in considering options for incorporating Aboriginal voices and perspectives at regional and council forums. Landcare NSW, in partnership, investigates ways in which Aboriginal leadership can be integrated within existing Landcare governance and planning structures

Education

·      Assist Landcare NSW to develop educational materials to explain Aboriginal perspectives and involvement in Landcare activities (“busting the myths”)

·      Provide regular communications that can be incorporated into Landcare NSW newsletters, information and websites to promote this program, highlighting successful partnerships

Resourcing

·      Work with strategic partners to identify potential sources of funding and resourcing to increase Aboriginal involvement in Landcare activities, networks and projects and/or establish connections between existing groups that could augment activity through collaboration.

Job Functions :

Indigenous

Job Benefits :

Regional NSW travel

Selling Point :

Fixed Term until June 2023

Contact :

John McLoughlin