Part-time. 8hrs per week. Work from home anywhere.

About Us

The Peregrine Centre is a social impact studio based in the Illawarra. We are passionate about good quality research that has an impact on real world problems. Co-design is a core part of how we do our work and we believe the best outcome is one that makes sense for the community. The Peregrine Centre holds the Rural Mental Health Partnership with NSW Health. This $5m partnership is focused on improving research and training for mental health practitioners across NSW, including supporting real world research, and developing and running training for practitioners.

About the Role

The Aboriginal Research Engagement Officer will be responsible for engaging Aboriginal communities and organisations in our Rural Mental Health Partnership. This position will be involved in the design and running of any research projects working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as well as training activities from time to time. Applications are welcomed from anywhere in Australia but consideration will be given to the fact that the work will be in rural NSW.

This role is open to applicants who identify as Aboriginal only. Roles which involve directly providing programs and services to Aboriginal people for the purposes of promoting their welfare are considered to be ‘Aboriginal identified roles’ and are as such restricted to Aboriginal people only. This is permitted under Section 14(d) of the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977.

Main Responsibilities

• Seek out new opportunities for research and partnership collaborations to support mental health service provision in NSW. Build and maintain a strong network of the stakeholders in each of the rural and regional areas of NSW.
• Establish Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consultation groups to support the various projects.
• Promote culturally safe, trauma informed and community-led approaches to The Peregrine Centre research and training, ensuring Aboriginal voices and perspectives guide decision-making.
• Partnering with Elders, Traditional Owners, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), and sector leaders to co-design research/training tailored to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that support mental health service provision in NSW.
• Maintain ethical research practices as per the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AHMRC) guidelines for human research.
• Advocate for cultural safety and the inclusion of Indigenous Data Sovereignty principles in The Peregrine Centre research and training practices.
• As this position involves working with local communities across NSW, there will be travel involved. Travel costs will be reimbursed.

Job Requirements - Please address each of these in your cover letter.

• Bachelors in related health field (e.g., psychology, social work, nursing, medicine, Aboriginal health), or commensurate research experience in a relevant area.
• Demonstrate an extensive network of contacts, preferably across NSW, and/or demonstrate a capacity to build such a network.
• Experience in running research projects with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• Demonstrated success in engaging Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities in previous projects.
• Knowledge of culturally safe and appropriate research practices and understanding of ethical issues and responsibilities pertaining to conducting research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.
• Demonstrate excellent communication skills, with ability to communicate information to a wide range of audiences, and ability to build good relationships across a range of stakeholders.
• Developed organisational skills, including adapting to change, ability to work independently, and managing competing priorities.
• Current Working with Children Check and willingness to submit to a Police Check.
• Unrestricted drivers license, preferably with access to a comprehensively insured car.

HOW TO APPLY:

It is very important that each application includes both a CV and a cover letter which addresses each of the job requirements above. Additional questions can be addressed to [email protected].