Health Educator - Darwin / Nhulunbuy

ARDS overview

ARDS is a specialist communication and creative media organisation, acting as a broker between Indigenous communities and mainstream services in the Northern Territory.

The ARDS vision is for Indigenous people to engage on equal terms with the wider Australian society, and its organisations and systems. We ‘span the gap’ that often exists between mainstream services and the information they typically share, and the information Indigenous communities want and need. ARDS aims to empower Indigenous community members to navigate the complex cross-cultural realities they face on a daily basis, with a particular focus and expertise in North East Arnhem Land (though not exclusively).

Our work involves: 

• Broadcasting and Digital Media: Our Yolŋu Radio broadcasting service is the foundation of our digital media business, which further includes festival, event and sound production, with emerging film production and training capabilities.
• Language and Resources: Our language and resources team supports the preservation and continuation of local languages and culture through oral and written recording of languages and the development of engaging resources.
• Community Development: Our cross-cultural facilitators play a critical brokerage role between government agencies, service providers, Yolŋu organisations and communities, supporting community development initiatives across the region.

Our approach is founded upon genuine and in-depth learning between Indigenous and non-Indigenous worldviews and incorporates a contemporary understanding of culturally competent practice. By combining this skilled cross-cultural practice with adept language work, we are able to effectively facilitate meaningful communication across cultures.

Position purpose

The Health Educator will contribute to existing ARDS’ projects, with a focus on health-related projects aligned with their existing professional expertise. These include, initially, a resource development project funded by Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation; a radio program development project funded by Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation; an alcohol and other drugs-media development project funded by NTPHN (with support from other colleagues); and other community-development focussed projects as required.  

The Health Educator will work closely with Senior (Yolŋu and non-Indigenous) Cross-Cultural Facilitators in our Darwin office, as well as colleagues based in our Nhulunbuy office. They will report to the Community Development Manager. 

This is a part-time position, with the opportunity for additional work days in the future, based on funding capacity and the facilitator’s availability. The position is open for candidates based either in Darwin or Nhulunbuy, however housing is not provided for this role.    

Position responsibilities

Key duties:

• Together with Yolŋu colleagues, co-ordinate and deliver public health and health education projects. 
• Provide advice and education to ARDS Managers, CEO and Board of Directors on health-related projects and policy. 
• Together with Yolŋu colleagues, liase with NTG and health services to promote and develop culturally safe practices in health delivery for Yolngu people and communities. 
• Participate in and – in time – lead face-to-face, two-way education and engagement sessions in plain English and Yolŋu Matha. 
• Support resource development (such as radio programs, short films, plain English scripts etc.) related to health projects. 
• Support documentation of the projects for project reporting.
• Support liaison with project stakeholders and funders and provide updates to the project manager.
• As directed and depending on capabilities, work on other ARDS projects, which may relate to community development, language and communication, and media resource production.
• Contribute positively to the work of the ARDS team, including as necessary by:
  • Assisting with project logistics (e.g. organising travel, contacting community members)
  • Assisting with office administration (e.g. support staff transport, office supplies, office assets maintenance and other duties as needed)
  • Assisting with Yolŋu Radio administration (e.g. audio production, recording and editing in-language and/or English spoken words, traditional stories, and supporting Indigenous radio presenters)
  • Writing funding applications; identifying and pursuing funding opportunities.
• Participate in internal training opportunities, and relevant external training, including but not limited to: 
  • ARDS East Arnhem Cultural Competency Training 
  • ‘Yolŋu Rom’ learning sessions with ARDS colleagues
  • Language learning lessons with ARDS colleagues
  • Yolŋu Studies at Charles Darwin University. 

Candidate requirements

To effectively perform this position, the person will require the following:

Knowledge

Required: 

• Demonstrated knowledge of NT and Australian Government policy directions, initiatives and programs relating to Indigenous Australians, and an ability to respond to policy settings.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the environment in which services are funded and delivered in Aboriginal communities, the ways in which Indigenous people interact with services and the associated communication challenges.
• Demonstrated knowledge of inter-cultural learning, adult education and community development concepts.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of public health and providing health related education. 

Preferred:

• Knowledge of Yolŋu languages and culture.
• Familiarity with the environmental and social-traditional background of Northeast and Central Arnhem Land.

Experience

Required

• At least one year practicing in a health discipline in a clinical setting.
• Demonstrated experience applying culturally competent communication skills and ability to work successfully in multilingual environments.
• Experience using Plain English for spoken and written communications.
• Experience working closely and collaboratively with Indigenous people either in the not-for-profit sector or government, or other cross-cultural contexts

Preferred

• Experience delivering health education to adults or children using Plain English and/or Yolŋu Matha. 
• Professional project experience in public health or a related field (e.g. social work, counselling, case management, law and justice etc.). 
• Demonstrated project experience, including: project co-design; fieldwork; preparing oral and written reports; achieving outcomes within agreed timeframes; and providing appropriate advice to key stakeholders.
• Experience explaining the workings of dominant culture systems.
• Experience working with audio recording devices, digital audio and digital communications tools (e.g. internet and social media).

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications in a health-related field (e.g. Nurse, Aboriginal health practitioner, public health).

Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrated willingness and ability to develop and maintain open, reflective cross-cultural relationships with Yolŋu staff, board members, consultants and community members.
• Willingness to learn an Aboriginal language and its cultural context, undertake self-directed learning and apply knowledge about language to day-to-day communication and work.
• A willingness to proactively learn the methodology of ARDS, including willingness to undertake additional professional development (e.g. the Yolŋu Studies program at Charles Darwin University, or another suitable course of study).
• Self-motivated with the ability to plan and organise project activities without close supervision.
• Flexible, positive team-player, with demonstrated problem-solving abilities.  

Special requirements

• The facilitator will be required to undertake regular travel to East Arnhem communities and homelands as required. 
• The facilitator is required to:
  • Hold a current NT Working with Children Clearance Notice (Ochre Card);
  • Undertake a Criminal History Check; 
  • Hold or be eligible to obtain a current NT Car Driver’s licence; and
  • Be willing to undertake basic 4WD training.

A position description is attached.