DAS is looking for an Advocate

admin /

Job Description and Selection Criteria

Position Title: Advocate – Full Time

Salary: $70 000 – $74 200 depending on experience

Employment Conditions: Permanent / Full Time

  • SACS Level – determined by qualifications and experience
  • Pro-rata of four (4) weeks recreation leave per annum
  • Pro-rata of 10 days’ sick leave per annum – accumulative
  • Standard six-month probationary period applies
  • Minimum qualifications – tertiary qualifications, relevant to the position which may include: Disability or health related studies, social work or educational qualifications
  • Position is directly responsible to the CEO of DAS

Responsibilities of the position:

  • The provision of quality individual and systemic advocacy to persons with disabilities across Alice Springs and Amoonguna
  • Promotion of the rights of persons with disability through an understanding of advocacy principles.
  • Maintenance of accurate and up to date client records and data of individual advocacy delivered.

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be assessed and short-listed for interview for their suitability to this position against the following:

  • Qualifications
  • Knowledge
  • Skills

Essential:

  • Hold tertiary qualifications, relevant to the position which may include: Disability or Health related studies, Social work or Educational qualifications.  OR
  • Significant experience in the field of disability, human rights, or social justice sectors will be considered.
  • Demonstrated understanding and strong commitment to the rights and interests of people with disability and self-advocacy as an essential part of effective empowerment
  • Strong oral and written communication skills; and sound organisational, planning and time management skills.
  • Ability to self-evaluate professional performance and growth
  • A high level of interpersonal skills, particularly in the areas of negotiation and conflict resolution and experience developing and maintaining effective communication with clients
  • Holder of Ochre Card or  ability to acquire

Desirable

  • Sound working knowledge of the Microsoft suite of programs and experience in the use of a client database
  • Basic knowledge of the National Disability Insurance Scheme
  • Sound knowledge or ability to acquire knowledge of legislation relevant to supporting / advocating for people with disabilities. For example, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and N.T. Disability Service Standard
  • Current N.T. ‘C’ class driver’s licence
  • Experience working in a cross cultural environment

Referees: Please identify a minimum of two referees that can comment on your knowledge and skills relevant to this position.

Send applications to: [email protected]

Closing date: 26/04/2019


Tags :

Parkinson’s Support Group Meeting – 27 March 2019

admin /

You’re invited to come along to meet others with Parkinson’s Disease, caring for people with PD or an interest in Parkinson’s. The topic of discussion will be constipation – a continence expert will address the group.
Date: Wednesday 27 March 2019
Time: 6 pm – 8pm
Location: At the Gillen Club Board Room – 57 Milner Road
Contact Disability Advocacy Service on 89531422 for more information.

Arts Access Australia’s national Arts & Disability Pre-election Forum

admin /

 

Art Access Australia’s national, live-streamed Arts and Disability Pre-Election forum is happening on Tuesday 26 February 2019!

Representatives of our major political parties will begin by presenting their policy action on accessibility in the arts, before responding to the recently launched #RealMoneyRealJobs campaign. The forum will end with a Q&A discussion where the public will be invited to ask questions.
This forum is hosted by Arts Access Australia, and proudly support by DADAA.

Links:

Arts Access Australia – Website: https://artsaccessaustralia.org/
Arts Access Australia – Arts and Disability Pre-Election Forum Event Page: https://artsaccessaustralia.org/arts-and-disability-pre-election-forum/
DADAA – Website: https://www.dadaa.org.au/
DADAA – Arts and Disability Pre-Election Forum Event Page: http://www.dadaa.org.au/whats-on/event/arts-and-disability-pre-election-forum/

 

TO STAND BESIDE: Advocacy for Inclusion Training Program

admin /

Disability Advocacy Service (DAS) is offering free advocacy training with the To Stand Beside Workshop by Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with Disability (VALID).

The advocacy training program is a two-day intensive workshop aimed at disability support workers, family members, planners, coordinators, managers, and paid or unpaid advocates who are involved in supporting, assisting or representing people with disabilities.

The two-day workshop will run from 9:30am – 4:00pm on Thursday 28th February and Friday 1st March 2019 at The Coolibah Room, The Mercure Hotel, 34 Stott Terrace, Alice Springs. Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea will be provided.

If you would like to register to attend this training, or would like more information, contact Vanessa Sullivan at Disability Advocacy Service, via phone 08 8953 1422 or email [email protected] You can also view a brochure and flyer for this training program below.

Please note, spots for this two-day workshop are limited so if you’re interested, register as soon as possible!

From To Stand Beside: Advocacy for Inclusion Training Program, you will gain a:

• greater knowledge of advocacy concepts and principles
• deeper understanding of personal values
• greater appreciation of the advocacy role inherent to all who
work in the disability sector
• greater awareness of the potential conflicts of risk inherent
to the advocacy role
• stronger framework for dealing with advocacy-related issues
• ‘tool box’ full of practical ideas/strategies

Links to more information:

 

 

 

Upcoming Support Group Meetings

admin /

 

There are upcoming support group meetings in Alice Springs.

PARKINSONS SUPPORT GROUP:

You’re invited to come along to meet others with Parkinson’s Disease, caring for people with PD or an interest in Parkinson’s. Come along for talks on Parkinson’s medications by a Pharmacist and an Intern Pharmacist, plus a question & answer session. Contact Disability Advocacy Service for more information on 08 8953 1422.

NEXT MEETING:
Date: Thursday 28 February 2019
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Gillen Club Board Room – 57 Milner Road, Alice Springs
Meeting Flyer: Parkinsons Support Group Meeting 28 Feb 2019

Supported by Disability Advocacy Service Inc.

 

VISION IMPAIRED SUPPORT:

The first Vision Impaired Support Meeting occurred on Friday, 15 February 2019.  If you were interested but couldn’t make it, feel free to contact Carol on 08 8952 3362 or DAS office on 08 8953 1422 for further information.

This is an inaugural get together to assess the needs of Centralians with vision impairment. This could include information about access to services and resources, identifying common needs and how they might be addressed. In future meetings there could be guest speakers, knowledge sharing and general support. We would appreciate hearing from anyone prepared to volunteer their time to assist with transport. For further information, please call Carol on 08 8952 3362 or DAS office on 08 8953 1422.

FIRST MEETING:
Date: 15 February 2019
Time: 10:30 AM
Location: Disability Advocacy Service Office – 4 / 54 Reg Harris Lane, Alice Springs
Meeting Flyer: Vision Impaired Support Meeting 15 Feb 2019
Supported by Disability Advocacy Service Inc.

 

 

Centralian Advocate Newspaper – 29 Jan 2019

admin /

New Kid on the Block

Published in Centralian Advocate Newspaper
29 January 2019

By Annie Ernst, DAS Advocate

There’s a new kid on the block to support people in Alice Springs with movement disorders – the Parkinson’s Disease Support Group. This group is for anyone with Parkinson’s Disease, and people who care for someone with, or have an interest in Parkinson’s.
The Parkinson’s Support Group’s first meeting is on Thursday 31 January, from 6pm – 8pm in the Boardroom at the Gillen Club on Milner Road. The theme of this meeting will be ‘sharing’, so bring along an idea, strategy or item that has helped you (or someone you know) with some aspect of Parkinson’s. If you can’t think of something that you would like to share, you can still come along to listen and meet others.
If transport is an issue, or there are other barriers to you attending the meeting, but you would like to come, please contact the Disability Advocacy Service on 8953 1422. And please get in touch if you would like more information about any aspect of the group or its meetings.
The February meeting will be held on Thursday 28 February, from 6pm – 8pm at the Gillen Club, and will have a pharmacist as a guest speaker to address concerns and questions about managing medications. If you would like the pharmacist to answer a question or address an issue, please send your enquiries through to Annie Ernst, Disability Advocate at [email protected] at any time up until 28 February, and these will be passed on to the pharmacist before the meeting. If you come along to the meeting you will also be able to ask questions directly.
Planning for the group’s meetings and activities in the next six months is currently underway and it’s shaping up to be an exciting year! The Disability Advocacy Service encourages anyone who would like to be involved in planning meetings and activities for the second half of the year (even a single meeting) to get in touch.
Upcoming activities for 2019 include a speech therapist who will talk about communication (and do some ‘Yell Well’ with the group) in March, and there will be special activities and promotions for Parkinson’s Disease Awareness month in April. There are also plans to have occupational therapists address the group, as well as a visit by specialists from Parkinson’s SA (which is now supporting the NT with a name change reflecting this to occur in the future). Parkinson’s SA will video their seminars throughout the year (16 seminars in total) and make these available for the group.
The Parkinson’s Disease Support Group is a valuable opportunity for you to find and share peer support with others, and a great chance to socialise and connect with the Parkinson’s community!
Tune in to local Alice Springs ABC radio (783AM) on Tuesday 29 January, soon after 10am, to hear an interview about the Parkinson’s Support Group, and don’t forget to contact the Disability Advocacy Service on 8953 1422 for more information. Hope to see you soon!

Parkinson’s Support Group Meeting – Thurs 31/01/2019

admin /

Post by Annie Ernst, DAS Advocate

Parkinson’s Support Group Meeting
Date: Thursday 31/01/2019
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Boardroom at the Gillen Club (located on Milner Road)

There is a Parkinson’s Support Group meeting on Thursday 31 January from 6pm – 8pm in the Boardroom at the Gillen Club on Milner Road. The theme of this meeting is “Sharing” – please bring along an idea or strategy or item that has helped you (or someone you know) with some aspect of Parkinson’s Disease.  At the bottom of this post are links to both a promotional poster and an agenda for the January meeting. If you would like hard copies, they are available at the Disability Advocacy Service (DAS) Office – or give me a call and we can organise what you require.
Please publicise our meetings – we would like to reach as many people with Parkinson’s Disease as possible. DAS can provide posters for you if you would like to distribute them.
If you or someone that you know would like to attend the meeting and is having difficulty with transport to and from, please let me know.
The February meeting will be on Thursday 28 February from 6pm – 8pm at the Gillen Club and we will have a Pharmacist as a Guest Speaker to address some concerns and questions about managing medications.  If you have any particular questions and concerns that you would like the Pharmacist to consider please send them through to me at any time and I will pass them on prior to the meeting. You can also of course ask questions at the February meeting.
I am in the process of planning meetings and activities for the first six months of the year (it’s looking exciting – come along to the January meeting for more info!) and am hoping that one or more people within the group will take on planning the second half of the year (or even a single meeting) – anyone who would like to do so will of course have the support of the Disability Advocacy Service office.
If you are able to tune in to the local Alice Springs ABC radio next Tuesday 29 January, I will be interviewed by Emma Sleath about the Parkinson’s Support Group soon after 10:00am.

Volunteering for DAS

admin /

We are exploring opportunities for people to volunteer with Disability Advocacy Service! If you are interested in volunteering with DAS, please let us know – stop by the DAS office, phone 08 8953 1422, or email CEO Terry Thommeny at [email protected]

Australia Day Flag Raising and Citizenship Ceremony

admin /

Australia Day Flag Raising and Citizenship Ceremony is taking place on Saturday, 26 January 2019 at the Council Lawns on Todd Street, Alice Springs. The Smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country commence at 7:00am, followed by the Flag raising ceremony at 7:30am. Celebrations for Australia Day include the presentations of the 2019 Australia Day Ambassador for Alice Springs, winners of the “Australia Day” 3.5km Family Fun Run/Walk, and the Australia Day Awards, as well as cutting of the Australia Day cake, and a free community sausage sizzle!

For more information, please visit the event page on the Alice Springs Town Council website: http://www.alicesprings.nt.gov.au/events/2019-01-26/australia-day-flag-raising-and-citizenship-ceremony

Centralian Advocate Newspaper – Disability Forum 20 Nov 2018

admin /

Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Alice Springs

“Breaking the silence around sexual assault”

Published in Centralian Advocate Newspaper
Tuesday 20 November 2018
By Christa Bartjen-Westermann (Manager, SARC) & Val Dearman (CEO, DAS)

I would like to go back to one of the original statements I made when this forum began and that was disability issues are not confined to people in wheelchairs or using obvious aids. Defining disability is best left to people who identify as a person with a disability because they are the experts in their own lives, they know what affect it has on their day to day living.
It is also not confined to physical aspects and ability, there are people (and their family and friends) coping with intellectual disabilities as well as a wide range of mental health issues.
For every person with an obvious disability there is are greater number of people whose disability is invisible to others. If you wonder how that person who parks in a disability park can do so when they confidently step out of their vehicle then consider you may be judging too quickly.

Whatever people are able to deal with and in some circumstances need care from others for there is an aspect of having a disability that makes people more vulnerable to the anti-social behaviours of others in community. There are well documented examples of people being taken advantage of because of an inability to fight back or run away.
As advocates we have a responsibility to ensure that we engage in systemic advocacy that raises awareness of the physical, emotional and intellectual needs for access and accountability. It is talking and interacting with those in a position to either influence or make change for those more at risk than others.

Therefore, it is important to remember that vulnerability puts people with a disability just as much, if not more at risk of becoming victims of crime and violence.
I asked Christa from SARC if she would like to contribute some thoughts on the effects of sexual assaults as this is where people with disabilities are especially vulnerable.
In my experience, it is also an area where people are reluctant to report or be able to acknowledge what has happened. Often it can take years to be able to speak about it even to a trusted friend or family member.

“Breaking the silence around sexual assault”

Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC)

More and more people are standing up and saying ‘No” to sexual violence. Sexual violence can take different forms and often can have long lasting impact on people.

Sexual violence is not talked about because most people feel shame, blame themselves or think it is their fault – however, it never is.

Sexual violence is happening all over the world. It creates a climate of fear, sadness, anger and mistrust. To stop sexual violence some things must change – need to stop blaming victims, need to recognise warning signs and support people to keep safe and protected.

The Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Alice Springs can help with gathering medical evidence, provide counselling, access to Traditional Healers and generally support children and adults. SARC staff can help to find strong and positive ways to manage the impact of sexual violence.

If people are worried about being safe, talk to the police, your Disability Support Worker and/or the Sexual Assault Referral Centre. Ph. 89554500 24 hrs

Please contact DAS for any information about disability supports and services on 89531422 or email [email protected]

Link to information about SARC on the NT Government website – https://nt.gov.au/wellbeing/hospitals-health-services/sexual-assault-referral-centres

Disability Advocacy Service Inc.

Copyright © 2016 DISABILITY ADVOCACY SERVICE INC. All rights reserved.