Individual Advocate

• Location: PWDA Surry Hills office

ABOUT PWDA

People with Disability Australia (PWDA) is the peak body for people with disability and is made up of, led and governed by people with disability. It is a national disability rights, information, advocacy, and representative organisation.

PWDA was founded in 1981 and has a vision of a socially just, inclusive, and accessible community, in which the human rights, belonging, contribution, potential and diversity of all people with disability are recognised, respected, and celebrated with pride.
PWDA is led by a Board of Directors elected through our membership base of people with disability from across Australia. Many of our staff are also people with disability.

We are a designated Disabled Persons’ Organisation with a cross disability focus and are a not for profit, non-government organisation.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The casual Individual Advocate provides advocacy support to people with disability, to promote, protect, and realise their human, legal, and service user rights, in accordance with the National Disability Service Standards. Advocates promote self-advocacy, self-determination, and supported decision-making principles to champion people with disability having choice and control over our own lives.

The Individual Advocate will work in the areas of:

Advocacy:

• Provide issue-based individual advocacy to people with disability, including:
• Conducting face-to-face and/or telephone meetings with clients to clarify their situation, concerns and desired outcomes.
• Discussing the pros and cons of various options the client may choose to resolve their matter.
• Working with clients to develop action plans which reflect their priorities and which build self-advocacy skills.
• Facilitating assisted referrals for clients, including when clients are in crisis.

Information, Intake and Referral:

• Contributing to the client information intake and referral process when the volume of requests for advocacy requires support.

Systemic Advocacy:

• Contribute to systemic advocacy initiatives by participating in specific projects, as required, and proactively identifying emerging systemic issues while providing individual advocacy.

ABOUT YOU

You have extensive experience in the disability sector supporting the rights and interests of people with disability.

You will also bring:

• Understanding of and commitment to the rights and interests of people with disabilities, including knowledge of relevant policy and legislation, in particular commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD)
• Experience working in the disability sector, upholding human rights, preventing discrimination and unfair treatment of clients.
• Demonstrated experience working with clients experiencing distress or other heightened emotions
• Knowledge of the complaints handling bodies in the relevant state or territory.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to liaise with a wide range of people such as clients, their associates, service providers, and government departments.
• Good understanding of, and commitment to, trauma-informed practice.
• Understanding the risks of violence and abuse to people with disability and appropriate referral pathways
• Demonstrated capacity to manage competing time frames/priorities.
• Strong documentation skills
• Cultural competency.
• Intermediate Computer skills.

REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

• Award Classification: Level 5 Social, Community, Home Care & Disability Services (SCHADS) Award 2010, plus 11% super.
• PWDA pays above-award rates as per our Enterprise Bargaining Agreement.
• We also offer a hybrid working model, where employees have the option to work remotely.

If you require any reasonable adjustments please let us know and we will be happy to collaborate with you on this.

E-mail: [email protected] using the subject line: Individual Advocate enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Phone: 0491 762 648.

Only candidates invited for interview will be contacted.

We are an EEO employer and we embrace the diversity of our people, such as diversity in disability, race, cultural background, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, or intersex status.