Disability Support Worker (Employment Support). Casual - Newcastle

About the Organisation

Empowering people with disability to live life the way they choose is at the heart of how Life Without Barriers has operated for over 25 years. This is an exciting opportunity to join our team and continue this mission. Support people with disability to have the choice, control, and independence to live their best life. If you’re passionate about inclusivity, respect, and making a meaningful difference, this is the career move for you.

Life Without Barriers is a leading social purpose organisation of 8,000 employees working in more than 500 communities across Australia. We support children, young people and families, people with disability, older people and people with mental illness. We work with people who are homeless and refugees and asylum seekers. Join a community of people dedicated to breaking down barriers.  

We want to employ people who reflect the diversity of our clients to ensure we can support each client's individual needs and wants. We encourage people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background and people with disability to apply

About the role

This is an opportunity for you to make a positive change and work with people with disability to increase their work readiness skills and best prepare them to achieve their employment goals. Working directly with the people we support in Newcastle, you will implement individualised employment pathways plans by actively supporting the development of work readiness skills. The role will contribute to the wrap around support provided to participants by their Employment Pathways Coach, Behaviour Support Practitioners and other Occupational Health Providers.  You will build your participants' capacities in the areas of transport training, money management, building confidence and everyday communication skills, exploring further education and training, work experience placements and other skills to improve people’s work opportunities.  

This is a flexible casual role, working in a variety of environments including schools, community centres, libraries, or wherever our participants choose to develop their work readiness skills to achieve their employment aspirations. These roles will suit support workers who have a background as an Education Assistant or Disability Employment Consultant, with a specific interest in being imaginative and proactive in building capacity and removing the barriers facing people with disability in gaining employment.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide person-centred support to participants in line with their support needs, preferences, individual Employment Pathways Plans and funding
• Actively support the participant to increase work readiness through capacity building, skill acquisition, work experience and supported decision making
• Develop tailored activities to meet each participant’s needs in reaching their employment goals
• Work as part of a team to provide high quality services

Skills & Experience

• Valid unrestricted Australian drivers’ licence
• Own reliable vehicle that can be used for client travel within the community
• Valid First Aid and CPR Certificate
• Certificate or Diploma level qualifications in Community Services highly regarded
• Experience and ability in supporting and promoting employment goals of people with disabilities

Successful candidates will be required to clear probity checks including National Criminal History Record Check, NDIS Worker Screening Clearance and Working with Children Check.

To be considered for and appointed to a position at Life Without Barriers, you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with a minimum of two (2) doses or hold a valid medical exemption certificate, in accordance with Life Without Barriers Employee COVID-19 Vaccination Policy. You will be required to provide evidence of your vaccination status during the recruitment process.

Benefits

• Opportunity to work for one of Australia’s largest social purpose organisations
• Join an organisation with an inclusive culture that embraces diversity
• An opportunity to make a meaningful, positive impact in the lives of people with a disability within your local community
• Keep your weekends and evenings free with majority of work inside standard business hours, Monday to Friday
• Get paid .92 cents per kilometre travelled while you work
• Receive up to $15,900 of your annual salary tax free through salary packaging benefits
• Robust in house training suite including Customised Employment Training

How to Apply

Include your resume and cover letter in one document, click ‘Apply’ and follow the prompts. For any enquiries including persons with disability that require adjustments, contact lisa.hurd@lwb.org.au.

Please note that these roles are internally referred to as Disability Support Workers.

Applications close at midnight on Sunday 7th April 2024