Lightning Ridge is a remote rural and opal mining town in central north western NSW. Well known as a tourist destination Population 7000 largest town in western NSW except Broken Hill Diverse population including 40% migrant and 15% Aboriginal Two thirds of residents live in camps on the opal fields without access to mains power, water and sewage.

Up to 7 out of 10 Lightning Ridge residents live in a home where government cash benefits are the main source of income. The assessed poverty rate being more than twice the Australian average, placing it as the worst town in NSW for this indicator.

Lightning Ridge is in the “most disadvantaged category for NSW” in the Tony Vinson Report on the distribution of social disadvantage in Victoria & NSW
NSW Ombudsman’s report on domestic violence December 2006 places our local Government Area amongst the highest per capita rates of recorded domestic violence.

There is great community support for the Lightning Ridge Safe House and the Staff who work with the community and other agencies to provide an effective service to assist women and children in crisis.

Lightning Ridge has a vibrant and energetic community who are prepared to work hard to overcome demonstrated disadvantage which include a lack of appropriate infrastructure and resources.

Lightning Ridge Safe House

Mission/Aims
The Lightning Ridge Safe House is a non-profit community organisation that provides a safe, supportive environment for women and women with dependent children, who are in crisis as a result of domestic/family violence or who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

The Lightning Ridge Safe House does this by providing:

• Supported accommodation– The Lightning Ridge Safe House provides accommodation for up to 7 women/children and 2 cots for up to 3 months.
• Information and support for women and their accompanying children
• Appropriate referrals to other services – workers at the Lightning Ridge Safe House have a working knowledge of health, legal, DOCS, Housing and Community services that are available to clients.
• Follow up – The Lighting Ridge Safe House provides follow up for ex-residents by providing a women’s group they can attend, providing support by telephone and occasionally home visiting.
• Access to community resources
• Outreach – The Lightning Ridge Safe House offers an outreach service to women and children who have experienced domestic/family violence and require support and information by not necessarily refuge accommodation.
• Brokerage – The Lightning Ridge Safe House has a limited budget and is rarely able to provide brokerage, instead the Safe House assist women to access After Hours Accommodation program provided by the Department of Housing
• Community development
• Group work
• Structural advocacy

The Lightning Ridge Safe House eligibility criteria is non discriminatory. All women are eligible to use the service regardless of cultural background, fluency in English, religious or cultural beliefs, whether they have a disability whether they have an income, sexual preference, sexuality, geographic location, employment status, undecided residency status or HIV status. Blanket exclusion on the basis of particular characteristics will not be made.

Operational
The Lightning Ridge Safe House operates on a 24 hour day 7 day a week basis.
It is staffed from 8.30am – 5pm Monday to Friday, on call (crisis call) worker from 5pm to 8.30am and weekends. On-call workers are contactable by mobile phone and refuge phones are diverted to the mobile when staff is not at the refuge.

Staff Structure
Coordinator – 38 hours/week 9am – 5pm weekdays
Caseworker – 38 hours/week 9am – 5pm weekdays – position exists only when funds available
On call – 2 women each working one full week about ie from 5pm – 9am Monday – Friday and 24 hour cover on Saturday and Sunday.

Management Structure
The Lightning Ridge Safe House is managed by a Management Committee, which meets monthly. The Committee members are drawn from ordinary members of the Association.

Job Description
This position is an identified Community Services Worker Grade 5 and shall mean an employee who undertake the functions of a Grade 4 employee, but at a higher level of complexity, responsibility, initiative, autonomy.
 
Purpose of position
The Coordinator will work with the Management Committee to coordinate the delivery of service to women and children who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless because of domestic/family violence.

Responsible to
The Coordinator is directly responsible to the Management Committee

Positions under direct supervision
1 case worker
2 part time on call workers
1 part time cleaner (4 hours/week)

Duties General

• Ensure the Management Committee are provided with support, information and expertise required to effectively meet their responsibilities in relation to the Lightning Ridge Safe House.
• Ensure the service runs effectively and efficiently on a day to day basis.
• Be responsible for the development and implementation of administrative and information systems and the development, maintenance and implementation of the Lighting Ridge Safe Houses’ policy and procedure manual.
• In conjunction with the Treasurer and the Bookkeeper, be responsible for the financial management relating to the Lightning Ridge Safe house including presenting budgets and financial reports to the Management Committee and to the funding body.
• Assist in the development of an annual plan and coordinate the activities of the service, ensuring they are in accordance with the philosophy, objectives and agreed upon plans.
• Ensure that appropriate client records and data on services are maintained, and that regular evaluations of client need and service delivery occur.

Service Delivery

• Develop appropriate programs and policies for meeting the needs of clients for consideration by the Management Committee.
• Coordinate the delivery of all services.
• Directly assess (or supervise assessment) people seeking assistance from the service.
• Ensure that all services are in line with the Lightning Ridge Safe House’s approach.

Staff Management

• Advise the Management Committee on matters of employment of staff.
• Ensure that all staff fulfils the requirements of their position descriptions.
• Ensure appropriate written procedure are in place and maintained including contracts of employment, job descriptions, selection criteria and staff records.
• Ensure staff entitlements including superannuation and other contractual and legal obligations are met.
• Ensure adequate and appropriate orientation, supervision, training, support, debriefing and performance appraisals are provided to staff.
• Ensure the provision and maintenance of safe working conditions for all staff.

Public Relations and Coordination

• Represent the service to government, other community agencies and the wider community.
• Coordinate the development of appropriate promotional material.
• Develop links with relevant organisations to promote greater and more effective coordination of services for the community.
• Maintain and regularly update the Directory of Community Resources.
• Prepare submissions for funding, policy submissions to Government and other bodies and coordinate fund-raising activities in consultation with the Management Committee.
• Take part in community development projects and structural advocacy projects.

Other duties

• Provide a written monthly report to the Management Committee on the operation of the service.
• Carry out other duties in line with the philosophy and objectives of the organisation, and as directed by the Management committee.

Skills and Experience Required

Essential

• A feminist philosophy and commitment to the over- arching principles of the NSW Women’s Refuge Movement.
• Sound Knowledge of issues pertaining to domestic/family violence.
• Awareness of the specific issues arising for Aboriginal women, women from non-English speaking background, lesbians, women with disabilities and children experiencing domestic/family violence.
• An awareness of cross-cultural issues and an understanding of how these relate to the work of the refuge.
• A demonstrated ability to manage human service organisations including staff management, administration and financial management skills.
• Ability to work with a Management committee.
• Demonstrated knowledge of relevant community resources.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• An understanding of the factors which can lead to homelessness and the effect on clients, particularly children
• A strong motivation and commitment to the principles of SAAP case management.
• An ability to get and use community language interpreters when required.
• Motor vehicle driving license.

Desirable

• Tertiary qualifications in a social or behavioural science.
• Experience in direct service delivery work with the SAAP client group.
• Experience in public relations work.
  
  

Please direct all enquires to:

Joan Treweeke
President
Yawarra Meamei Women's Group Inc.
PO Box 1821
Lightning Ridge  NSW  2834

Phone: 02 6829 0301