About RIAC

Rights Information and Advocacy Centre Inc. (RIAC) is a not-for-profit organisation operating across central and northwestern Victoria, Geelong and south western NSW providing information and advocacy support to individuals, families, carers and communities. RIAC is funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments to provide issue-based individual and systemic advocacy assistance to people living with a disability.

RIAC is also funded for a National Disability Insurance Scheme Appeals Program which plays an important role in ensuring that National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) decisions are fair and robust.

Position Context:

This position is funded through an ILC Individual Capacity Building (ICB) Program Grant for the period 2024-2027.

https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers-programs-services-for-people-with-disability/information-linkages-and-capacity-building-ilc-program

The position is part of an ILC-funded partnership project between Rights, Information and Advice Centre (RIAC) and Grampians disAbility Advocacy (GdA) for which RIAC is the lead agency.

Building Individual Capacity and Opportunity

This Project will recruit local people with disability, particularly people with intellectual disability and/or their family/carers, to join Peer Advisory Groups (PAGs) in 11 rural &/or remote areas of Regional Victoria across two disability advocacy organisations:

RIAC - Bendigo, Mildura, Shepparton, Ocean Grove, Torquay and Bannockburn.

GdA - Horsham, St Arnaud/Warracknabeal, Stawell, Ararat, Daylesford/Ballan

The project will support participants to use their lived experience of disability to co-design the project, making best use of their existing strengths and abilities. The project focus will be on identifying the support, mentoring and training that participants in the groups require to build self-advocacy and peer advocacy skills.

These skills will be used on real world, local issues that each group identifies as important to them. Importantly this will allow people with disability, who may have previously been excluded from real involvement in their local communities, to make a meaningful and lasting contribution towards building stronger and more inclusive communities.

This position will be focused on establishing and supporting the PAGs in Ocean Grove, Torquay and Bannockburn.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Project Officer will undertake individual capacity building and project development activities:

Use evidence-based community development models and modes of delivery to meet the project aims.

Work with RIAC’s ILC Project Manager and staff, and collaborate as required, with representatives of GdA, to design and develop the project model and common materials and tools.

Recruit participants, form groups and deliver the project to participants in nominated locations.

Participate in reviews and evaluation activities for the project.

Support participants to work on the community-based projects.

Report regularly to the Project Manager on the progress of the project in your locations.

Build relationships with local organisations relevant to the project.

Organise and facilitate project workshops in allocated region(s).

Conduct pre- and post-surveys of participants in community programs connected to the project.

Conduct peer support sessions as required.

Undertake administration duties for project and peer support.

Key competencies:

Work independently under general supervision and in a team.

Set goals and priorities and evaluate own time management and organisation.

Well-developed communication skills, both written and verbal.

Ability to build external relationships to recruit participants.

Extensive knowledge and understanding of digital meeting platforms.

Basic knowledge of the NDIS and the disability service system.

Ability to present information to a small to medium size group.

Understanding of diverse learning requirements for people with disability

Other worker attributes and requirements:

1. Diversity:

A broad, practical understanding of diversity issues as they relate to people with a disability.

2. Qualifications and experience:

Relevant qualifications or equivalent experience in the community and/or disability sector

3. Industry experience and understanding:

Commitment to a person-centred and rights-based approach to service delivery and training; an understanding of the disability service system and the NDIS. The ability to liaise with service providers to identify and recruit program participants.

4. Community development/community engagement:

An understanding of the principles of community development, including capacity building, and utilisation of community networks.

5. Teamwork:

Demonstrated ability to work as a member of a diverse team

6. High level of communication and interpersonal skills:

Demonstrated ability to engage with and effectively present information to a diverse audience.

7. Effective computer skills:

Experience in developing presentations, email, data collection and reporting.

8. Current driver’s licence or ability to travel

Demonstrated ability to travel throughout western Victoria.

Terms and Conditions of Employment

The position is a part-time fixed term 12 month contract

Position will be based in Geelong.

Travel throughout the region will be required.

RIAC is an equal opportunity employer.

RIAC offices and vehicles are always smoke-free workplaces.

Salary packaging is available.

People with lived experience of disability are encouraged to apply