Youth Family Violence Lived Experience Advocate

FVREE (Family Violence Realities and Regional Empowerment Exchange) – Ringwood VIC

Casual/Temporary

No experience required

3d ago , from FVREE (Family Violence Realities and Regional Empowerment Exchange)

- Job CategoryLived Experience, Advocacy, Support Services
- Employee TypeCasual

Contact information

- Contact NameSami Barkman
- Contact Phone0467 900 ***

Summary

Youth Family Violence Lived Experience Advocate Role

Aged 18 - 25*? Want to help create change for other young people?

Have you experienced violence, abuse, harm, control, or feeling unsafe at home, in your family, or in a relationship?

Do you care about making things better for other young people?

Then this may be the role for you!

We're looking for young people to join FVREE's Youth Lived Experience Advisory Group and use your voice and lived experience to shape services, resources and systems that respond to family violence.

Paid casual role with an above-award hourly rate of $67.04, including casual loading.

- We anticipate the group to meet twice per month, approximately 6 hours total monthly time commitment.
- In person in Ringwood
- Until 30 June 2027, with the possibility to extend

*While this role is intended to elevate the voices of young people aged 18-25*, we recognise that lived experience journeys don't always align neatly with age brackets and may consider applicants who are a few years older.

About FVREE

FVREE is the specialist family violence service for Melbourne's east. We work alongside people experiencing family violence and elevate lived experience knowledge to improve services, systems and communities.

We believe young people are experts in their own lives, and that meaningful change happens when young people are involved in shaping the decisions that affect them.

Youth Family Violence Lived Experience Advocate Role

Aged 18 - 25*? Want to help create change for other young people?

Have you experienced violence, abuse, harm, control, or feeling unsafe at home, in your family, or in a relationship?

Do you care about making things better for other young people?

Then this may be the role for you!

We're looking for young people to join FVREE's Youth Lived Experience Advisory Group and use your voice and lived experience to shape services, resources and systems that respond to family violence.

Your experiences matter. Your voice can help create positive change!

- Paid casual role with an above-award hourly rate of $67.04, including casual loading.
- We anticipate the group to meet twice per month, approximately 6 hours total monthly time commitment.
- In person in Ringwood
- Until 30 June 2027, with the possibility to extend

*While this role is intended to elevate the voices of young people aged 18-25*, we recognise that lived experience journeys don't always align neatly with age brackets and may consider applicants who are a few years older.

About FVREE

FVREE is the specialist family violence service for Melbourne's east. We work alongside people experiencing family violence and elevate lived experience knowledge to improve services, systems and communities.

We believe young people are experts in their own lives,



and that meaningful change happens when young people are involved in shaping the decisions that affect them.

Our approach is trauma informed, strengths based, and personcentered. Check out our website for more about us.

What's a Youth Family Violence Lived Experience Advocate?

A Youth Family Violence Lived Experience Advocate is a young person who has experienced violence, abuse, harm, control or feeling unsafe from a parent, carer, family member, partner or someone close to them. They use their lived experience, knowledge and insights to help improve services, systems and supports for other young people.

You'll work alongside other young people and FVREE staff to:

- Share your ideas and perspectives
- Help design resources and projects
- Influence services and systems
- Represent young people's voices in consultations, workshops and public speaking
- Create positive change for young people

Is this role right for me?

This role may be a good fit you if you:

- Feel ready to reflect on and share your experiences
- Want to make a difference for other young people
- Are passionate about creating positive change
- Enjoy sharing your ideas and working with others
- Want to help build safer communities
- Are open to learning from people with different life experiences and perspective

Who can apply?

We'd love to hear from young people aged 18-25who:

- Live, work, study in Melbourne
- Have experienced violence, abuse, harm or feeling unsafe from someone close to them
- May also have experience of using harmful, controlling or violent behaviours in the past towards family (biological or chosen) and in dating, intimate or sexual relationships
- Want to use their experiences to improve support for other young people
- Are in a safe and stable place in their lives and feel ready to reflect on their experiences

We want this group to reflect the diversity of our community and bring together voices that are too often missing from decision-making. This includes young people who identify as First Nations, LGBTIQA+, multicultural or multifaith, and/or as a person with disability, as well as young people who may have used violence, unhealthy, controlling or harmful behaviours or unhealthy relationships.

We know there is no single experience of violence, abuse or harm. Some young people have experienced harm from others, some have then used harmful, controlling or violent behaviours themselves, and many have experienced both. We especially encourage applications from young people with experience of using violence who are no longer using these behaviours and feel ready to reflect on their experiences.

Additional Requirements

- Be willing to get a Working with Children's Check
- Be willing to complete a National Police Check
- Be ready to use your experiences to help create positive change for other young people
- Not be a current FVREE client (past clients are welcome to apply)





A note about police checks: We recognise that some people who have experienced family violence may also have lived experiences with the justice system. This is not a barrier to employment, and we encourage you to reach out to us if you would like to have a conversation about anything that may come up in the police checks.

This opportunity is for young people who are in a secure and stable place in their lives and feel ready to reflect on their experiences. It is not suitable for young people who are currently in crisis or currently using harmful, controlling or violent behaviours.

What will I get out of it?

- Build confidence, leadership and advocacy skills
- Connect with other passionate young people
- Gain experience in consultation, community engagement and public speaking
- Access training, support and professional development opportunities
- Make new friendships and expand your networks
- Help shape family violence services, systems and supports for young people
- Make a real difference by ensuring young people's voices are heard and valued

Hear from our current Youth Family Violence Lived Experience Advocate's about why they enjoy being on FVREE's Advisory Group:

"Sharing my story and feeling validated and supported in doing so. Hearing the impact of my sharing from others. Working alongside others who are so passionate and encouraging"

"Being able to talk about my most vulnerable experiences. Being able to channel my advocacy and expertise into something very fruitful."

Have questions about this role?

Have questions about this role? We'd love to hear from you!

Contact Sami Barkman or Rebeckah Loveday on (03) 9259 4***

For assistance uploading your application you can get in touch with the People and Culture team:

For assistance uploading your application you can get in touch with the People and Culture team: ***************@fvree.org.au

Our commitment to safety, equity, diversity and inclusion

We believe that the unique and diverse contributions of all our people at FVREE create our success. To ensure that our culture and our services continue to incorporate everyone's perspectives and experience, we encourage applications from people of diverse backgrounds, communities, identities and abilities.

*This position is being recruited as a special measure under section 12 of the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic). We are committed to increasing opportunities for young people with lived experience and encouraging stronger youth representation in the design, delivery and evaluation of our services. Applications are therefore sought from young people who meet the selection criteria and bring relevant lived experience.

FVREE is a Rainbow Tick Accredited and inclusive employer. We do not discriminate based on someone’s ability, age, gender, body, sexuality, relationship, faith, or culture; staying true to our commitment as an equitable and safe place of employment for our people.

FVREE is a child-focused and child safe organisation and is committed to promoting and protecting the safety and interests of children. All appointments with FVREE are subject to a police records check, working with children check and reference checks.

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📌 Youth Family Violence Lived Experience Advocate (Melbourne)
🏢 FVREE (Family Violence Realities and Regional Empowerment Exchange)
📍 Melbourne