Cultural Practitioner

An opportunity to strengthen cultural connection, identity and belonging

At Uniting Communities, we believe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people should have the opportunity to maintain strong connections to their family, community, culture and Country.  This is a Part-time role 3 days/week.

We are seeking a Cultural Practitioner to join our Foster Care team and provide culturally informed support to foster parents, practitioners and managers.

About the role

Working collaboratively as part of the Foster Care team, you will help strengthen culturally safe and responsive practice for foster parents caring for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.

You will provide cultural advice, guidance, resources and practical support to foster parents and practitioners, helping them build their understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, kinship systems, connection to Country, child-rearing practices and cultural identity and belonging.

You will also:

• Support cultural planning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.
• Help foster parents strengthen children's connections to family, community, culture and Country.
• Build and maintain relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, Elders, cultural leaders and Community Controlled Organisations.
• Provide culturally informed support to foster parents through placement commencement, transitions and ongoing care.
• Contribute to recruitment, engagement and welcoming activities for foster parents.
• Establish peer support, buddy and networking opportunities for foster families.
• Facilitate cultural learning opportunities, community engagement activities and events.
• Work collaboratively with internal and external services and community organisations.
• Contribute to reflective practice and ongoing cultural learning across the team.

About you

We are looking for an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person who brings strong cultural knowledge, community connections and the ability to support culturally safe practice in foster care.

Your experience may be gained through lived, professional or community experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families, communities or organisations.

You will bring:

• This is an identified position. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Understanding of the importance of cultural identity and belonging for children and young people.
• Knowledge of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle.
• An understanding of the impacts of colonisation, the Stolen Generations, racism and intergenerational trauma.
• Experience supporting carers, families or practitioners to develop culturally safe practice.
• Strong community connections and the ability to build respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and services.
• The ability to communicate respectfully about culture, identity, family, community and Country.
• Confidence providing cultural advice while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries, confidentiality and child safety.
• Strong communication, organisation and relationship-building skills.

Qualifications and experience

A Certificate IV in Child, Youth and Family Intervention or equivalent is required.

A relevant tertiary qualification in areas such as Social Work, Psychology, Behavioural Science, Human Services or Youth Work is desirable but not essential. Recognition is given to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural knowledge, community connection and lived experience.  

Experience developing or delivering cultural learning, presentations, group activities or training will be highly regarded.

What’s in it for you?

Apart from knowing you’re genuinely making a difference every day, Uniting Communities offers:

• Generous salary packaging options (up to $15,900 per year pre-tax, plus an additional $2,650 Meals and Entertainment card). To see how this could potentially benefit your take home pay, visit our salary packaging provider, Access Pay.
• Access to Cultural leave, purchased leave options, and paid parental leave.
• Flexibility and an inclusive work environment committed to your wellbeing and professional growth.

You’ll be joining a passionate, supportive team dedicated to driving meaningful change.

Learn more about our work and the benefits on offer unitingcommunities.org

How to apply

We’d love to hear from you!

Please submit your application as soon as possible, as we'll review applications on an ongoing basis. For more information, reach out directly to Pooja Wankhede – Senior Talent Acquisition Adviser on 0427 983 ***

Uniting Communities considers that being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is a genuine occupational requirement for this position under sub-s 56(2) of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (SA). Applications for this position are therefore only open to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strat Islander applicants.  We take the safety of children, young people, and vulnerable adults seriously. Successful candidates must adhere to our code of conduct and undergo relevant pre-employment checks.