Position Description: Housing Support Worker - Townsville (Draft) 2

Position Description: Housing Support Worker - Townsville (Draft) 2

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position Title: Housing Support Worker – “A Place to Call Home” Project

Status: 38 hours a week, fixed term, September 2006 – 30 June 2007

Classification: Level 5, Social and Community Services (SACS) Award

Date of Review: May 7, 2007

Location: Townsville

Primary Purpose of Position:

The Housing Support Worker is responsible for the day-to-day provision of accommodation and support assistance to women recently released from prison in Townsville in accordance with the Values, Mission and Policy and Procedures of Sisters Inside Inc. This single worker service will be co-located within a relevant organisation in Townsville, with strong support from the Sisters Inside Brisbane office.

This position is part of the “A Place Called Home” project funded till June 2007 under the National Homeless Strategy by the Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services.

Key responsibilities of this position include:

·  providing accurate post release information to women incarcerated in prison through the distribution of the Annual Diary and Post Release Resource (Survivors Guide) for North Queensland

·  providing day-to-day accommodation and support assistance to women recently released from the Townsville prison (minimum 20 women and 7 related children)

·  assisting the Coordinator in the trialing a number of strategies to overcome barriers to accommodation and support services experienced by women recently released from prison

·  building links with housing and support agencies in North Queensland eg Centrelink offices, Area offices of Department of Families, Area offices of Department of Housing, private and community housing providers, emergency relief agencies etc

·  recording the data required for the action research evaluation of this project

Organisational Environment:

The Mission Statement states that “Sisters Inside Inc. is an independent, community organisation, which exists to advocate for the human rights of women in the criminal justice system, and to address gaps in the services available to them. We work alongside women in prison in determining the best way to fulfil these roles”.

Sisters Inside has a strong commitment to its values, with a strong emphasis on involving women who are inside and those women who have been released from prison in all facets of the organisation. They also have a strong commitment in working with Indigenous women, having a long history of employing Indigenous staff and working collaboratively with Indigenous organisations throughout Australia.

Sisters Inside employs 20 staff providing:

·  information, counseling and support assistance to women incarcerated in prisons in South East Queensland and their children, and

·  a variety of post-release support services to enable women to reunite with their children and families and reintegrate within their community eg family reunification, parenting support and education, employment, training, accommodation, and Centrelink and emergency relief assistance.

These services are funded through a number of different State and Commonwealth funding programs, each with their own program boundaries and reporting obligations, adding a layer of complexity to the internal operations of the organisation. In late 2006, Sisters Inside implemented a “lead worker” approach to ensure the internal coordination of services to women incarcerated in prison or recently released from prison. An organisational database is currently being introduced as one of the primary tools for this approach.

The Director of Sisters Inside, guided by the Management Committee is responsible for the advocacy work of the organisation at local, state, national and international levels.

Sisters Inside has been Brisbane-based since its inception, though has been invited to provide services to women incarcerated in Townsville. In early 2006, Sisters Inside successfully received funding for two time limited projects enabling Sisters Inside to establish a presence in Townsville at least until June 2007. The two projects are this project, “A Place to Call Home” and “Indigenous Women Working Together Towards Safety Project (otherwise known as the Art/Circus Project) under the Commonwealth's Domestic and Family Violence and Sexual Assault Initiative. It is expected that both of these projects will work largely with Indigenous women. These projects are seen as being a significant step towards establishing a long term, viable service to women incarcerated in the Townsville prison.

Reporting Relationships:

·  Position title of direct supervisor

The position reports directly to the Housing Coordinator and takes the advice of the Senior Indigenous Practitioner on matters relating to working with Indigenous women and children.

·  Titles of position that report to this position

Not applicable

·  Other significant internal relationships

Housing Support Worker – Townsville

Building on Women’s Strengths Programme Workers (2)

Indigenous Support Worker (1)

PEEK Parenting Workers (2 workers job share a position)

Personal Support Programme Workers (2)

Reconnect Youth Workers (2)

Sexual Assault Counsellors (2)

Administrator/Reception staff

Working Pathways Worker

Arts/Circus Program Coordinator

Extent of Authority:

The Housing Support Worker performs the following responsibilities within the Vision, Mission and policy and procedures of Sisters Inside Inc, as outlined in the Sisters Inside “Working Guide, 2006”.

Key Responsibility Areas:

1.  Leadership & Organisational Values

·  Demonstrate a commitment to the “A Place Called Home” Project team achieving its objectives within the philosophy, values, vision, aims and objectives of Sisters Inside

·  Be honest, approachable and responsive to the resolution of issues

·  Be a contributing member of the “A Place Called Home” project team (team includes including another housing worker based in Brisbane and the Housing Coordinator)

·  Link with other Sisters Inside workers as required

·  Undertake specific tasks as negotiated with the Housing Coordinator.

2.  Service Delivery

An Activity Plan has been developed as part of the service agreement with the funding body. It provides more details of the activities below.

·  Provide accurate post-release information to women incarcerated in the Townsville prison through the distribution of the Annual Diary and the Post Release Resource (Survivor’s Guide) for North Queensland

·  Provide day-to-day accommodation and support assistance to women recently released from the Townville prison (minimum 20 women and 7 related children), by:

i.  Making contact and build relationships with women incarcerated in Townsville prison through regular visits, telephone contact and letters

ii. Assisting these women to complete their Individual Release Plan

iii.  Assisting in the lodgement of housing applications forms in accordance with the Individual Release Plan.

iv.  Assisting women recently released from the Townsville prison to find short term/crisis accommodation and access to Centrelink crisis care payment, emergency relief, food, housing goods and clothing

v. Assisting woman to liaise with support agencies to access their services

vi.  Advocating for women when asked eg to gain access to the service or when the service is not providing what they said

·  Assist the Coordinator in the trialing a number of strategies to overcome barriers to accommodation and support services experienced by women recently released from prison, including

i.  a housing vacancy register in Brisbane initially and then Townsville, and

ii. a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with housing and other support agencies to improve the coordination of service response to women recently released from the Townsville prison

·  Establish and maintain the day-to-day operations of the Townsville office eg phones, mail, based upon Sisters Inside Brisbane practices whilst being responsive to the North Queensland context

·  Comply with this project’s practices/procedures and Sisters Inside processes and systems outlined in the policies and procedures (Working Guide 2006)

3.  Quality and Planning

·  Undertake risk assessment in planning activities and recommend corrective action to support the achievement of quality outcomes for this project.

·  Generate timely and accurate reports as required by the Housing Coordinator

·  Record the data required for the action research evaluation of this project

·  Participate in organisational review and planning activities if required

4.  Human Resources

·  Keep up-to-date with email, telephone and other communication processes within the project and Sisters Inside, to ensure that you are informed of any new developments

·  Participate in regular line-management supervision to ensuring that your duties required as specified in this job description are performed

·  Participate in an annual performance reviews and attend professional supervision and appropriate training, either internally or externally as approved by the Housing Coordinator

·  Complete staff timesheets, leave and other forms and submit for approval in a timely manner.

·  Comply with Workplace Health and Safety and risk management

5.  Financial Resources

·  Complete the relevant forms for petty cash reimbursement, emergency relief payments, mileage claim forms, purchasing order forms in accordance with Sisters Inside Working Guide Financial Procedures

·  Use Sisters Inside vehicles, mobile phones, computers/laptops, video/camera and program equipment of the organisation with honesty, accountability and transparency in accordance with Sisters Inside Working Guide 2006

6.  Networks, Partnerships and Integration

·  Act as the secretariat to the Townsville Project Reference Group

·  Build links with relevant housing and support agencies in Northern Queensland eg Centrelink offices, Area offices of Department of Families, Area offices of Department of Housing, private and community housing providers, emergency relief agencies etc

·  Assist the Housing Coordinator as required, in the establishment of groups of service providers to trial and evaluate the housing vacancy register and the Memorandum of Understanding

·  Promote the project and Sisters Inside in a positive manner

·  Represent the project at relevant inter-agency networks, community consultations and forums if required

Key Selection Criteria

Essential Knowledge and Skills:

KSC1

Demonstrated understanding of Sisters Inside’s values base and a commitment to working within the organisations value framework, policies and procedures.

KSC2

Knowledge and experience of homelessness and in particular issues faced by women, particularly Indigenous women leaving prison

KSC3

Demonstrable skills in client planning and negotiating, advocating, resolving conflict and mediating the delivery of client services

KSC4

Demonstrated ability to work co-operatively as a member of a project team, as a member of a larger staff group as well as the capacity to work unsupervised

KSC5

Highly developed communication skills in relating to a range of people (from women in prison themselves, their children, the staff of prison, the staff of housing and other support service providers and Departmental officers)

Essential Attributes:

·  Problem-solve, know when to seek direction and be able to critically reflect upon one’s practice

·  Enthusiastic and receptive in interaction with clients

·  Good time management skills including the ability to prioritise, plan, organise, and manage competing demands of this position.

Essential Requirements:

·  Tertiary qualifications within the social or behavioural sciences and /or significant experience in working with homeless people or women incarcerated in prison

·  Holder of a current Queensland A Class drivers license

·  Reasonable word processing skills

·  Suitability Card from the ‘Commission for Children and Young People’

Additional Information:

This position is of a fixed term nature, till the 30 June 2007 and is subject to a three month probationary period.

“A Place To Call Home Project” Sisters Inside 27th March 2006