Dispute Resolution Service Lead - ARDS Aboriginal Corporation

• Nhulunbuy/Darwin
• Full-time
• $104,988-$109,629 

 

Objective:

Launched in 2021, ARDS’ DR Service aims to work within Yolŋu structures of gurruṯu (kinship) and rom (law) to maximise the ability of Yolŋu families and communities to take leadership in designing and reaching resolution to conflict. This program recognises that mainstream institutions often impede the ability for Yolŋu people and families to resolve conflict. ARDS works to enable mainstream institutions to understand and recognise long-held, Yolŋu-led justice solutions. ARDS has facilitated small and large mediations, family and community meetings, and justice advocacy processes and supported the establishment of Law and Justice Groups involving shared decision-making matters of community safety and justice outcomes. Those initiatives have been led both directly with Yolŋu communities and through partnerships with the Community Justice Centre (CJC) and NT Government Departments.

The DR Service spans Yolŋu-led mediations, restorative youth justice conferencing, and family dispute resolution. Staff involved in the DR service may also provide support for other Law & Justice programs at ARDS, including supporting senior local leaders forming Law and Justice Groups, as well as supporting Local Decision Making initiatives and cross-cultural governance training in communities across East Arnhem.

The DR Service operates a model involving place-based Leads responsible for facilitating all elements of the DR Service for each Yolŋu community/sub-region, as well as Practice Coordinators for disciplines within the DR Service. For this role, ARDS requires a Lead to support its work across the Miwatj region (taking in Nhulunbuy, Yirrkala, Gunyaŋara, Birritjimi and the Laynhapuy homelands). Ideally, the successful applicant will want to live on the Gove Peninsula, or be Darwin based with regular travel to the region. The successful applicant will be highly driven and self-motivated, with a desire to play a role in a challenging but exciting cross-cultural law and justice field. They will have a strong ability to position themselves as a learner and listener, using their existing professional experience to develop a practical understanding of ARDS’ methodology that will equip them to support project fieldwork in communities and homelands. For Balanda (non-Yolŋu) applicants, this includes a commitment to studying Yolŋu Matha, developing Plain English communication skills, and undertaking other proactive learning (both guided and self-directed) in the cross-cultural communication space.

 

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the overall successful delivery of the ARDS DR Service (described above). This includes;
  • Supporting the ARDS DR Service on the Gove Peninsula (Nhulunbuy, Yirrkala, Gunyaŋara, Birritjimi and surrounding homelands);
  • Support the recruitment, training and mentoring of Yolŋu staff to assist in the DR Service;
  • Alongside Yolŋu staff, identify and assess cases for dispute resolutioṉ;
  • Alongside Yolŋu staff, identify appropriate Yolŋu to assist in each matter accepted by the DR Service;
  • Facilitate discussions, family conferences and pre-mediation meetings with relevant parties;
  • Co-facilitate mediation and restorative youth justice conferences, together with Yolŋu mediators, ARDS DR Service Leads, and/or Community Justice Centre mediators, as required;
  • Organise the logistics necessary for matters that are accepted by the DR Service (ie, communication technology, transport, and accommodation for parties and staff);oLiaise with project stakeholders and funders, including being the primary contact for the DR Service in Nhulunbuy;
  • Document activities as per funding requirements (data collection, data recording and monitoring & evaluation), and assist in writing reports;
  • Assist project leads with management of project budgets;
• Contribute to an understanding of Yolŋu dispute resolution practices and advocate for greater Yolŋu control over peace-making processes;
• As directed and depending on capabilities, work on other ARDS projects, which may relate to law & justice, families & healing, community development, language and communication, and media resource production.
• Travel to other North-East Arnhem communities as needed to support ARDS DR Service and other project work.

 

Selection Criteria

Essential:

1. Demonstrated knowledge of the Australian legal system, especially criminal justice, youth justice, court and legal systems processes, and domestic and family violence law.
2. Demonstrated knowledge of NT and Australian Government policy directions, initiatives and programs relating to Indigenous peoples, and an ability to respond to policy settings.
3. Demonstrated knowledge of the environment in which services are funded and delivered in remote communities, the ways in which Indigenous peoples interact with services, and the associated communication challenges.
4. Demonstrated experience in law, mediation, criminal justice, domestic violence services, community legal education and/or restorative justice conferencing.
5. Communication skills and experience speaking in a nuanced way about complex and difficult topics in multilingual environments with diverse clients, stakeholders and staff.
6. Experience using Plain English for spoken and written communications.
7. Demonstrated project experience, including: fieldwork; project co-design; data collection and recording; monitoring & evaluation; preparing oral and written reports; achieving outcomes within agreed timeframes; and providing appropriate advice to key stakeholders.
8. Experience interacting with government and non-government agencies and institutions in a community development, legal, policy or related context.
9. Proficiency with MS Office.
10. The successful applicant will be required to be based in Nhulunbuy/Yirrkala (housing may be available depending on other housing interests available to the applicant), or regularly travel to the region from within the Northern Territory.
11. The successful application will be required to undertake regular travel by car and small aircraft to East Arnhem communities and homelands as required.
12. The successful applicant will also be required to:
    1. Hold a current NT Working with Children Clearance Notice (Ochre Card);
    2. Undertake a Criminal History Check;
    3. Hold or be willing to obtain a current NT Car Driver’s manual licence; and
    4. Be willing to undertake basic 4WD training and drive to Yolŋu communities and homelands.

 

Desirable:

1. Working knowledge of a Yolŋu Matha language.
2. Familiarity with the environmental and social-traditional background of north-east Arnhem Land.
3. Experience working closely and collaboratively with Yolŋu people.
4. Experience working closely and collaboratively with other First Nations peoples, especially with a fieldwork focus in remote communities.
5. Professional project experience related to dispute resolution, family violence, criminal justice, mediation, social work, or a related field.
6. Experience supporting and working with a small team of staff.
7. Experience explaining the workings of dominant culture systems.
8. Tertiary qualifications in relevant fields are desirable but not essential where the candidate can demonstrate relevant professional experience.
9. Mediation or Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) accreditation, or williningness and ability to obtain mediation/FDR accreditation soon after joining ARDS.
10. Willingness to learn an Aboriginal language and its cultural context by undertaking self-directed learning, including completing the Yolŋu Studies program at Charles Darwin University, or another suitable course of study.
11. Applying knowledge about language and Yolŋu culture to day-to-day communication and work;
12. Willingness to learn and apply ARDS' cross-cultural education methodology through proactive learning and building respectful relationships with colleagues.
13. Self-motivated, with the ability to plan and organise project activities without close supervision.
14. Flexible, positive team-player, with a ‘can-do’ attitude and demonstrated problem-solving abilities.

 

Click here to download the position description

 

Applications close 3 November 2024 at 11:59 PM. 

 

For further information contact Cathryn Moore on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.