HEAL Field Officer

Eligibility These are Affirmative Measures – First Nations applicants only positions. The filling of this vacancy is intended to constitute an Affirmative Measure under section 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. To be eligible to apply under the Affirmative Measures Initiative, applicants must:

1. be an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person
2. identify as an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person, and
3. be accepted by their community as being an Aboriginal and/or a Torres Strait Islander person

• Provides information to clients on disease epidemics and public health issues and supports access to available health services (e.g. vaccination clinics);
• Provides information to clients and supports access to safe shelters in the event of a cyclone;
• Strengthen the existing transport services to assist the target population in accessing health, social and community services;
• Encourage and support individuals to maintain social connections with home communities, including liaison with Return to Country Program (e.g. Larrakia Outreach and Transport Services)
• Attend homeless support services on weekdays to assist with transport and health appointment coordination.

• Improving connections between clients and health services (Darwin regional and remote) to better manage client health issues;
• Establishing and coordinating a volunteer/donor program which gives practical assistance/personal support to individuals to access mainstream services or participate/provide HEAL activities;
• Advocate and promote awareness among the health sector of the client perceptions of health and wellbeing and what the clients see as their needs (e.g. staff in-services and presentations to health sector).

• Delivering applicable health promotion and education messages to clients in a relevant and accessible format which target key factors and hygiene that influence wellbeing (e.g. physical health, diet, mental health, sexual health, alcohol and drugs, loneliness and social disconnectedness);
• Providing through a mobile service, access to a range of services that assist with personal appearance and hygiene (e.g. dental, hair washing and dressing, clothes, laundering etc.);

• Understanding and experience of cultural protocols, together with a willingness to work respectfully in accordance with Larrakia and other Indigenous culture
• Ability to converse and negotiate successful outcomes with Indigenous people, particularly when adversely affected by alcohol and/or other drugs or a health issue
• Capacity to deliver a range of health, social and community related services to homeless people on an opportunistic basis and through an outreach approach
• Able to form strong working relationships with a range of service providers and individuals
• Good knowledge and understanding of the issues and cultural factors affecting Indigenous people, especially the homeless, in the Northern Territory
• Ability to prioritise work and operate effectively in a small team with minimal supervision
• Basic computer skills (including word processing and email) and the ability to maintain accurate, but confidential, administrative records
• Possession of, or ability to quickly acquire, a First Aid & CPR Certificate
• Qualifications and/or proven experience in Public Health, Environmental Health, Social Work, Community Development or similar
• Current NT Driver’s Licence (C Class minimum)

• Identify as Larrakia
• Willing to undertake Certificate III in Community Services