Regional Program Coordinator
Career Description
ABOUT LITTLE DREAMERS
We’re Little Dreamers, Australia’s leading non-profit organisation working with Young Carers around the country.
A Young Carer is anyone under the age of 25 who currently provides, or intends to provide, care in their family for a parent or sibling who has a chronic illness, mental illness, disability or addiction.
Founded in 2009 by a Young Carer, we love building and delivering high quality programs that create deep and meaningful impact in the lives of young people providing care in their families. And we’re pretty good at it too. To date, we have supported over 5,000 Young Carers, we deliver eight core programs alongside ad hoc supports, advocacy and community awareness campaigns. We have strong corporate partnership and funding relationships and have raised over $5 million to improve the quality of life for Young Carers around Australia. We have even received recognition from Queen Elizabeth II and have been named as an internationally best practice organisation for Young Carer support.
Our team is made up of over 50 incredible humans working across VIC, NSW, and QLD. We are humble, hungry and kind and work hard to reach our goals. We believe in a world where every single Young Carer is supported by someone or something by 2030. Sounds fun right?!
By joining the Dream Team, you will play an integral part in supporting young people who often miss out on having a childhood.
THE POSITION
We are on the hunt for a new Program Coordinator to join the Little Dreamers team in regional NSW. Program Coordinators will have the opportunity to deliver different programs each to a range of Young Carers keeping the job varied and every day different.
This will include working from the ground up alongside a team of Program Coordinators around Australia to efficiently run programs including site inspections, coordination of all program logistics (including risk assessment, program safety and first aid), pre- and post-program briefs and debriefs, on program coordination and engagement with volunteers, family and Young Carers. You will also be responsible for administration and reporting associated with your programs. As one of the first staff members on the ground in Port Stephens, you’ll also be leading our community engagement and Young Carer identification initiatives.
The Specifics
Coordinate and administer program delivery of allocated programs (face-to-face and virtual) and ad hoc tasks including, but not limited to:
- Timely, cost-effective and high quality program logistics including transportation, activities, venues and contractors where required
- Facilitating programs including running interactive activities, and providing information and support
- Organise and facilitate overnight Young Carer retreats (including staying overnight at the retreat location)
- Manage all risks associated with program delivery including conducting site inspections, risk assessments, pre- and post-program briefs and debriefs and on program safety and first aid
- Timely and accurate preparation, ordering and distributing of program resources, advertising materials and required forms
- Ensure accurate records regarding programs and participants
- Liaise with community organisations, partners and schools to support recruitment for programs
- Work closely with the Volunteer Coordinator to recruit volunteers for program deliver, create ongoing opportunities for those volunteers to feel engaged and supported with programs being coordinated and delivered
- Timely and accurate reporting to funders and partners with support from the Program Manager (NSW) and State Manager (NSW)
- Attending community engagement events in the Port Stephens/Upper Hunter region, and supporting the identification of more Young Carers in the region
Our programs will be held across the Port Stephens/Upper Hunter region, meeting the needs where our Young Carers are located. In order to perform the full extent of this role, you must be able and willing to regularly travel around the Port Stephens/Upper Hunter region. All staff attending face-to-face programs and events organised and facilitated by Little Dreamers are required to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations.
As our programs usually operate outside of usual school hours, your ability to work outside of these hours too is essential to your success in this role. Our programs sometimes run on weekends or on the evenings, during school holidays and occasionally during the day.
Other duties as required by the Program Manager (NSW) and State Manager (NSW).
Key Selection Criteria
The person suited to this role must have:
- Demonstrated experience in a similar position, coordinating and delivery interactive & recreational programs
- The ability to engage with, and deliver programs for, young people aged 6 – 25
- The ability to work as part of a team and autonomously
- A can-do, adaptable, resilient, positive and proactive attitude and approach
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to build relationships from the ground up and network effectively within the community
- Ability to foster and maintain a positive and optimistic outlook, sharing any relevant lived experience where appropriate to develop trust and rapport
- High levels of awareness and empathy, allowing for effective work with groups of vulnerable young people
- Ability to coordinate administration and logistics in a time pressured environment
- Goal focused with a keen desire to improve the quality of life for Young Carers
- Ability to attend overnight retreats and attending weekend programs
We’ll be stoked if you also have:
- Experience building relationships within a community to generate buy-in to a program / cause
- Established connection with local schools or Young Carer support networks
- Public speaking and/or facilitation of workshops for young people
- Personal insight into the impact of stigma and the subsequent effect this has for individuals, families and the broader community
- Lived experience as a carer or Young Carer
- Understanding of the community sector and the nuances of working in non-profit
- Nationally Accredited First Aid Certificate
- Full drivers license and access to a car
Personal attributes:
- Humble, hungry and kind
- A strong commitment and enthusiasm towards the purpose and mission of Little Dreamers
- Warm and friendly disposition with the ability to effectively convey empathy, understanding and care
- Energetic, positive and proactive attitude
- Action-oriented and driven to achieve results
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to build and maintain relationships of employees, Young Carers, their families and other stakeholders
- Flexible and highly responsive
- Reliable and accountable
Benefits
When you join the Little Dreamers Team, you join a community of people committed to making a difference. We come together with shared values, passion and a collaborative culture. We are a rapidly growing organisation with access to a lot of development opportunities. We operate within a leadership structure that accepts and embraces everyone’s ideas and hard work to create the world that we want to see for Young Carers.
Each day that you come to work you are changing a life. The more that Little Dreamers grows, the more impact we have and you’re a key part of that. We think that’s a pretty top perk, but we don’t stop there…
You also get access to salary packaging, internal EAP program, up to 10 days of paid carers leave, and generous parental leave packages.
Finally, we care as much about you as we do about our Young Carers. The Little Dreamers team is a family and we offer flexible working and regular team bonding events.
Application Process
Please email your application to careers@littledreamers.org.au,using the subject line: Regional Program Coordinator – Port Stephens. Please include the following:
- CV with cover letter including your responses to the Person Specifications.
- Two referees.
Applications will only be considered if they include all required components.
Please note shortlisted candidates will be contacted before the closing date. We encourage applications as early as possible to be considered for the position.
Classification
This is a part time position (22.8). This position is classified as a Level 2.3 employee under the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Industry Award 2010 (MA000100).
Please note: It is an offence under the Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 2005 for a person convicted of a serious sex offence to apply for this position. Any offer of employment at Little Dreamers is subject to a Working with Children Check and Police Check.
Little Dreamers is proud to be building our communities across Australia. We are an equal opportunity employer and promote a diverse, equal, and inclusive workplace. We highly encourage applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds to apply. This includes but is not limited to, people with lived experience in caring roles, First Nations, people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background, people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
