The Community Centres Division provides innovative, unique, place-based programs support Aboriginal children (0-5 years), school age children (6-12 years), youth (12-18 years), families and kin to achieve positive outcomes in community safety, education, and wellbeing.
Tangentyere’s Child and Family Centre program is a trusted, embedded service within Town Camps, operating through place based and culturally responsive practices. The program is integrated within the Community Centres Division, leveraging strong relationships and community knowledge to maximise outcomes.
The Child & Family Centre (CFC) Service Connector role is part of the Community Centres team working across Town Camps. The position uses a client centred approach to support families to navigate the local service system, reduce barriers to access, and connect with a broad range of internal and external services. Service Connectors provide practical assistance, make referrals, create service linkages, and increase awareness of available supports.
• Program Objectives
• Support families experiencing vulnerability to identify and address their needs.
• Strengthen community leadership and capacity to support children and families.
• Build sustainable, accountable systems that improve child and family wellbeing, including responses to Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) issues.
The program connects families with 28 Tangentyere programs and more than 50 external services, across program areas including: education, employment, health, mental health, safety, housing, financial support, legal assistance, food security, parenting and wellbeing workshops and ID support.
The successful candidate will be a motivated and culturally responsive communicator committed to supporting vulnerable children and families. They will work collaboratively with community members and stakeholders to ensure the program remains safe, accessible, and aligned with the needs of Town Camp communities across the Alice Springs region.
As part of your role, you will be working with children, people with a disability and people who are vulnerable. It is your obligation to always ensure their safety and report any concerns in line with our duty of care obligations. We have zero tolerance when it comes to abuse of any kind and will take disciplinary action, including and up to termination of employment, should we determine that abuse has taken place or there has been a failure to report any suspected or alleged abuse.
Responsibilities
• Provide a place-based point of contact for Town Campers to learn about and access internal, and external services and programs.
• Work directly with individuals, families, and kin build relations and to link them to support services and programs whilst adhering to privacy and confidentiality responsibilities.
• Bring an understanding of local contexts to internal and external stakeholders to help them address the needs of individuals, families, and kin.
• Together with clients and service user groups monitor service delivery to address individuals, families and kin needs and suggest adjusted approaches where necessary to ensure progress is being made.
• In consultation with Town Camp residents and the Community Centre Team provide access for service deliverers to deliver in Community Centres, as per identified need.
• Provide feedback on and advice to Community Centre Coordinator, the Division Manager on any implementation issues/problems.
• Documentation, record keeping, data entry and reporting as required.
• Assist with achieving quality management objectives across the organisation.
• Assist with achieving safeguarding objectives across the organisation.
• Assist with achieving compliance objectives across the organisation.
• Other reasonable duties as required.
Qualifications and Selection Criteria
Required
• Tertiary qualifications or equivalent experience in Community Development, Social Work, Health or a relevant discipline.
• A demonstrated understanding of Aboriginal culture as well as a broad range of contemporary issues affecting Central Australian Aboriginal people.
• A commitment to community led practice, human rights, self-determination, and cultural safety in practice
• Demonstrated experience in developing and delivering activities and programs
• Demonstrated experience in working with clients in developing and delivering AOD activities
• Demonstrated experience in building and harnessing internal and external partnerships.
• Demonstrated strong communication skills – verbal, written, computer literacy and ability to use electronic databases.
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team as well as to work with independence and autonomy
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Current NT Drivers Licence, NT Working with Children (Ochre) Card, satisfactory Police Check, and proof of full (3) vaccination against COVID-19.
Desired
• Current First Aid Certificate, or ability and willingness to attain.
