An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Lawyer Prison Support Program to join Djirra’s Aboriginal Family Violence Legal Service (AFVLS) — providing culturally safe, trauma informed legal support to Aboriginal women impacted by family violence and sexual assault across child protection, family law, victims of crime, and family violence intervention matters.
About the Role
The Aboriginal Family Violence Legal Service (AFVLS) is a program of Djirra. AFVLS provides legal and non-legal assistance and facilitates access to justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have experienced or are experiencing family violence. AFVLS delivers the Prison Support Program for clients at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre and HM Prison Tarrengower. AFVLS operates a culturally safe, trauma informed, holistic and intensive client service model. Clients are assisted by Lawyers and Paralegal Support Workers to access a variety of legal, social, psychological, cultural, health and other support services to address their complex needs and issues.
Lawyers provide legal services including advice, representation and advocacy in the areas of
• child protection
• family violence intervention orders
• family law; and
• victims of crime assistance.
Aboriginal women are significantly overrepresented in the Victorian prison population, and an overwhelming majority have experienced family violence. Lawyers working in AFVLS’ Prison Support Program provide legal advice and representation to Aboriginal women in prison who have experienced family violence, including post-release.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply.
A Position Description for this role can be viewed on the Djirra website 'Join our Team' page. Please do not hesitate to contact Human Resources at hrinfo@djirra.org.au for a confidential discussion if you would like further information.
To apply, please click the 'apply' button and submit your resume, cover letter and completed screening questions which will be sent via email once you have submitted your application. Please note screening questions are a requirement of your application. During the application process you may see an option to upload a video. Please note this is not a requirement of the application process.
Requirements
Essential
Desirable
Lawyers who have had at least one year of practical experience in a community legal, family violence or justice related setting is desired but not essential.
Benefits
The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) has been providing outstanding care for Victoria's children and their families for over 147 years.
We are the major specialist paediatric hospital in Victoria and our care extends to children from Tasmania, southern New South Wales and other states around Australia and overseas.
With a passionate, highly skilled and committed staff campus wide of over 5,000, we provide a full range of clinical services, tertiary care and health promotion and prevention programs for children and young people.
We are the designated state-wide major trauma centre for paediatrics in Victoria and a Nationally Funded Centre for cardiac and liver transplantation.
When it comes to training and research we partner with the very best. Our campus partners, the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) and The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics, along with the RCH Foundation, are on site with the hospital in Parkville. Together, we are committed to improving the health outcomes for children today and in the future.
In 2016–17, more than 85,654 children attended our Emergency Department, 322,291 specialist clinic appointments were held which was almost 70,000 more than the previous year, more than 17,000 surgeries were performed and more than 48,552 children were admitted to our wards.
