Community Connector

About Kummara Limited 

Kummara Ltd. is a not-for-profit Aboriginal Community Controlled organisation established in 1999 to provide support to vulnerable and at risk families. The organisation's objective is to support the long-term wellbeing and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.

Kummara offers many programs and works in partnership with families for the achievement of independence and strengthening of the family's capabilities. We believe in the strengths of family and community and have developed a strong reputation for engaging and supporting our community.

ABOUT CONNECTED BEGINNINGSPROGRAM - IPSWICH

Connected Beginnings is an Australian Government grants program that seeks to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children the best start in life. Currently, the program supports 40 sites across Australia with 50 to be established by 2025. 

The aim is to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s and families’ engagement with health and early childhood education and care. It improves access to existing early childhood, maternal and child health, and family support services so children are safe, healthy and ready to thrive at school by the age of five.  

The vision of Kummara Connected Beginnings Program is to provide all children with a great start by improving their wellbeing prior to school, with a specific focus across education, health, and family services.  The Connected Beginnings initiative will seek to address this need specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families living in Ipswich and surrounds using a collective impact approach to determine unique and community-owned goals and strategies to connect families to support services and improve the ability of children to achieve a positive transition to school.  

Kummara is seeking two (2) passionate and innovative Community Connectors for this newly funded initiative in Ipswich and Southwest Region. The Community Connectors will operate as a valuable member of the greater Kummara Team and will promote local involvement and voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, Elders and organisations to ensure consultative and effective community voice is idenfitying community needs and influencing decisions and planning for the integration and access to early childhood services for children. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Understand and strive to achieve the vision and values of Kummara. 
• Operate as a valuable member of the Connected Beginnings Team. 
• Attend regular Team Meetings. 
• Collect and capture stories, reflections and data as required to demonstrate learnings and change for our community. 
• Establish and maintain connections with local existing and new reference groups. 
• Facilitating community engagement activities.  
• Foster the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives in local Advisory and working groups. 
• Provide sound cultural advice to all stakeholders regarding culturally appropriate practice in the delivery of an integrated service system across health, education, and family services. 
• Capture local community voices in identifying and communicating gaps, needs and solutions for families to engage with health, education, and family services. 

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE 

Essential:

• Demonstrated successful experience in fostering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander connections in partnership and governance arrangements including experience of health, early childhood and family service providers and the needs of children and families in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. 
• An ability to demonstrate comprehensive understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues, knowledge and culture, and proven ability to apply this in practice, including supporting and influencing other services in culturally safe practice. 
• Demonstrated successful experience in participating in community liaison that targets whole of community change for children and families and contributes to improved outcomes for young children. 
• Well-developed verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills including the ability to work effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and community groups, work successfully in a small team and maintain broad professional networks. 
• Knowledge of programs that support culturally appropriate practice in the delivery of an integrated service system across health, education and family services. 
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office 365 programs – particularly Excel, Outlook and Word. 
• Demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional development. 
• A demonstrated capacity to work as an effective team member. 
• Open, unencumbered Qld Drivers License. 
• Valid Working with Children Blue Card – Employees of Kummara must be eligible and not restricted from working with children, and a satisfactory working with children check (Blue Card) must be in possession before commencing employment, with the understanding that consent may be required for further working with children checks being conducted at other times during employment if requested.   

This role is designated as Indigenous Identified. Under s.25 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld), it is a genuine occupational requirement for the incumbent to be an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person. 

The position is offered at SCHaDS level 4 and is fulltime (76 hours; Mon - Fri) based in the Ipswich and Southwest region. 

PLEASE NOTE: Applications will be reviewed regularly, and suitable candidates will be invited for interview therefore these vacancies may be filled at any time