Roles
Conciliators are often employed by organisations such as the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. Tasks they may undertake include:

• Conducting investigations lodged under the relevant legislation, formulating reports and proposing recommendations
• Undertaking conciliation and facilitated negotiation of complaints in a statutory framework
• Preparing detailed correspondence and reports relating to alleged breaches of the various Acts and managing a high volume caseload
• Communicating effectively on complex matters with a wide range of people and work
• Providing information to members of the public on the full range of Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission activities and services

Skills                             

• Good communication skills, both interpersonal and written
• Ability to build strong relationships and ability to motivate others
• Ability to problem solve, by gathering relevant information and generating and testing a range of solutions and outcomes
• Experience in conflict management, in particular, to ensure the concerns of others have been heard
• Assist others to develop options to resolve problems and negotiate agreed actions to deal with conflict
• Demonstrated conceptual thinking and analytical skills
• Ability to appreciate a range of different cultures

Possible Qualifications/ Experience Required
Qualifications and/or practical experience in conciliation/mediation, workplace relations law and/or human resource management may be required

Possible Employers

• Fair Work Commission
• Australian Human Rights Commission
• Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
• Consumer Affairs Victoria

Roles
The youth justice program works with young offenders aged between 10 and 20 years who will generally be on a Children’s Court order, or in some cases, adult court order. Youth justice workers assist this client group to address their offending behaviour while being held accountable
on community-based orders. Youth justice workers also provide assessment and court advice and support young people attending court, and in custodial care. Youth justice workers:

• Engage young people sentenced or on remand in positive change, providing care, supervision and support to develop practical and interpersonal skills
• Support young people in their personal development through individual casework, structured programs, interaction and the modelling of appropriate behaviours as well as maintaining a safe and secure environment
• Supervise young people to comply with their community-based orders by providing intensive case management, advocacy, support, referral to health and welfare services, education, employment and accommodation. They also provide advice to courts to assist the courts in making informed decisions
• Work closely with youth justice custodial staff, other professionals and agencies to help young people to comply with their orders and get their lives back on track youth justice workers also write a broad range of reports, assessments for courts and the Youth Parole Board and client files

Skills

• A positive and energetic attitude
• Ability to make assessments, planning, organising,
• Ability to gather and analyse information as well as advocate for, engage, supervise and monitor young people
• Display commitment, integrity, resilience, empathy and cultural awareness

Possible qualifications required

• A Bachelor of Social Work or Diploma in Welfare Studies
• Other tertiary qualifications at diploma level or above will be considered if they include units of study in case management/casework practice and supervised practical work placements
• Counselling course (e.g. Graduate Certificate/Diploma of Counselling at Deakin University)
• Police check and a Working with Children Check.

Possible Employers
For information relating to employment in this area, visit the Department of Human Services website. You may also like to investigate volunteering and training opportunities at the Court Network which is a valuable court support service for court users.

Roles
Community Corrections Officers (CCOs) monitor and supervise offenders who have been sentenced by the courts to serve Community Correctional Orders or released from prison on parole by the Adult Parole Board. Community corrections officers may undertake the following duties:

• Interview and counsel offenders, and monitor compliance by ensuring offenders are participating in appropriate programs and specialist services
• Facilitate offender attendance at educational, community work, assessment and treatment programs, including drug and alcohol counselling, anger management and relationship programs
• Conduct court assessments to provide advice to assist the judiciary in making sentencing decisions
• Prosecute an offender in court or give evidence when an offender breaches the conditions of their Community Correctional Order
• Visit prisons to interview prisoners, assessing their suitability for parole and providing reports to the Adult Parole Board

Skills

• Great listeners who are non-judgmental
• Effective problem solvers
• Effective communicators who can see issues from the perspective of others and are effective negotiators
• Good communication skills, both written and interpersonal; skills in building relationships with offenders, stakeholders and colleagues
• Excellent time management skills, to manage a busy caseload

Possible Qualifications Required

• While no formal qualifications are required, a degree in an appropriate discipline such as Social Work or Criminal Justice is desirable.
• Counselling Course (e.g. Graduate Certificate/Diploma of Counselling at Deakin University)

Possible Employers
For information relating to employment in this area, visit the Department of Justice website. You may also like to investigate volunteering and training opportunities at the Court Network which is a valuable court support service for court users.

Role
Prison officers are responsible for the management and secure containment of prisoners throughout Victoria.  Prison officers are required to perform a range of duties such as:

• Ensuring that all parts of the prison (including prisoner accommodation areas) are secure and orderly
• Escorting
• Conducting surveillance
• Observing and assessing prisoner behaviour
• Operating security equipment
• Controlling keys and locks
• Collating information and preparing reports.

Corrections Victoria adopts a case-management approach, where prison officers with direct prisoner supervision are assigned a prisoner caseload. This work includes:

• Conducting monthly Individual Management Plan (IMP) meetings with prisoners
• Liaising with program staff to ensure prisoner program participation aligns with the needs of individual prisoners
• Encouraging and motivating prisoners to address their offending behaviour.
• Preparing prisoner assessments and providing advice and recommendations to prison-based committees. There may also be participation in prisoner programs and activities.

Skills

• Ability to work in a team
• Strong communication and people management skills
• The ability to work under pressure
• Effective problem-solving skills
• Good written communication skills, as report writing is an essential component of the job
• The ability to be a good role model
• The ability to behave in a just, humane and courteous manner
• Empathy and cultural awareness.
• Ethical, honest and accountable for their actions
• Great listeners and non-judgmental
• Great negotiators who can influence and negotiate effectively

Possible Qualifications Required
Formal qualifications or previous experience in a similar role is not required to become a Prison Officer.  Corrections Victoria is looking for people who are mature, able to reserve judgment and have an ability to act as positive role models.
Life experience is also a critical prerequisite.

Possible Employers
For information relating to employment in this area, visit the Department of Justice website.

Roles
Child protection practitioners are responsible for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. Child protection can involve working with infants, adolescents, indigenous children and families, as well as culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Child
protection workers:

• Provide advice and consultation to people who report concerns about children and young people
• Assess children and families where it is believed a child is at risk of significant harm
• Engage and work with children and families to promote safety, stability and development of the child, and to strengthen family capacity
• Assess callers’ concerns about children
• Make initial visits to families to assess a child’s wellbeing
• Manage long term caseloads and look after the best interests of children

Skills

• Problem solving skills with the ability to assess given situations and identify possible options for children and their families
• Demonstrated flexibility of approach, and the ability to understand situations from another’s point of view
• Good time management skills, including setting goals and objectives
• Good communication skills
• Good written skills as report writing is a key component of the role
• Resilience, self-confidence and good self-awareness

Possible Qualifications Required
The Department of Human Services in Victoria requires:

• A recognised Social Work degree or a similar welfare or behavioural related degree which includes a primary focus on child development, human behaviour, family dynamics and/or impacts of trauma and preferably a practical component such as counselling or case work practice

OR

• A recognised Diploma of Community Services work which is at minimum a two year full-time course and includes 400 hours of supervised fieldwork placements (ideally completed within the child and family welfare sector) and at least one unit of study in case management, case work practice or counselling
• A valid driver’s licence

Possible Employers

• For information relating to employment in this area, visit the Department of Human Services website.