Location Profile

Are you interested in working in the Department of Education as a Koorie Engagement Support Officer (KESO)? Do you have a passion for education and First Nations student success? An exciting chance exists for a highly self-motivated Koorie Engagement Support Officer in the Western Melbourne Area, South-West Victorian Region (SWVR). This position is based in Footscray, however, may involve travel throughout the West Melbourne Area.

The KESO role supports the Department of Education (DE) priorities in Early Years, schools and the strategic priorities set by the Council of Australia Governments (COAG), the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework (VAAF) and Closing the Gap initiatives. Schools and Regional Services comprises 17 Areas within four regions across the state, as well as five central Divisions. The responsibilities of Regional Services include:

- Service delivery including performance, contract management, funding delivery and acquittal
- Program implementation including detailed implementation planning and delivery
- Local area engagement, advice, support and partnerships
- Workforce capability development, professional practice leadership and delivery
- Emergency management including critical incident response

The regional model supports our regions to:

- connect between central government policy and the delivery of high-quality services to Victorians
- drive outcomes across all stages of learning through expert advice and support
- connect with families, service providers, schools and communities
- lead, collaborate and partner at a local level to overcome social and economic challenges facing our communities, towns and cities
- deliver health, wellbeing and support services to children, young people and their families to assist them in their learning and development
- improve connectedness and transitions between important points in a child's life, such as between early childhood, kindergarten, school and tertiary education
- assist and support children and young people who are vulnerable, disengaged, and those with disabilities or challenging behaviour

Role

The purpose of the KESO position is to:

- Work with education and family service providers, key stakeholders and the Koorie Community to improve:
- Early years participation
- Student engagement and wellbeing
- Retention and achievement
- Access to higher education and further training pathways as well as interfacing with TAFE Koorie Liaison Officers and VAEAI Wurreker Brokers

- Work systemically with departments and agencies to improve outcomes for Koorie children and young people
- Work with education providers to provide advice on the establishment of cultural inclusive learning environments
- Provide advice to assist the coordination of services to support re‑engagement of at‑risk Koorie children and young people

Responsibilities

Stakeholder Engagement

- Build constructive, professional relationships with a range of key stakeholders to work in partnership to improve engagement,



wellbeing and achievement for Koorie children and young people
- Facilitate improved access to universal and targeted educational services for Koorie families and communities
- Negotiate with and influence key stakeholders to improve access to more culturally responsive educational services to ensure that services provide culturally appropriate programs
- Establish and maintain partnerships with government departments, community agencies and local communities to promote the development of collaborative programs and initiatives related to improving achievements for Koorie children and young people
- Facilitate local Koorie input into the delivery of culturally appropriate educational services
- Support information sharing as per the Child Information and Sharing Scheme and follow‑up between educational services and families about educational issues and local and regional priorities

Expert Advice and Support

- Provide expert Koorie specific advice to a range of education services about culturally inclusive and appropriate strategies, and contribute to the regional responses to increase engagement, achievement and wellbeing of Koorie children and young people
- Access and analyse relevant quantitative and qualitative data, to provide strategic advice on the successful implementation of DE's Koorie education strategic priorities, including relevant regional and local place‑based initiatives

Program and Strategy Delivery

- Coordinate and implement initiatives for Koorie children and young people:
- Provide high level strategic advice to stakeholders in the facilitation of programs/services that deliver improved achievement for Koorie children and young people
- Facilitate the implementation of local and regional strategies aimed at improving the capacity of educational services to deliver culturally inclusive and appropriate programs
- Contribute to the provision and implementation of programs and initiatives aimed at improving Koorie engagement, achievement and wellbeing in a range of educational services
- Support the implementation and monitoring of targeted programs and strategies aimed at increasing engagement, wellbeing and achievement of Koorie children and young people

Who May Apply

These roles are identified positions and are available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants only. Confirmation of the Indigenous status of applicants may be requested. The Department of Education is committed to taking positive action to eliminate discrimination to the greatest possible extent. It recognises that discrimination can cause social and economic disadvantage, and the achievement of substantive equality may require the taking of special measures. To this end,



the Department of Education and Training considers these positions to be a special measure for the purposes of section 12 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic).

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines ). Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected].

Child Safe Standards

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

DE Values

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview

Other Information

Victorian Public Sector Values DE employees commit to the public sector values as outlined in Section 7 of the Public Administration Act 2004, DE has adopted these values For more information on the DE's values, visit: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/workm/Pages/Public-Sector-Values.aspx

Conditions of Employment

- All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements
- Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre‑employment conditions check
- A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided
- Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

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📌 Koorie Engagement Support Officer (KESO) - Western Melbourne Area, SWVR - 20012578 (Warrnambool)
🏢 Government schools
📍 Warrnambool