Download Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

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SOLICITOR
Legal Intake Co - ordinator
(4 to 5 days per week – 0.8 to 1.0 negotiable)
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Introduction to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre is seeking to employ a Solicitor as Legal Intake Co –
ordinator in our Human Rights Law Program. We are looking for a passionate lawyer with a
commitment to social justice who wants to be part of one of Australia’s best pro – bono law
programs and most innovative human rights organizations.
The Human Rights Law Program is one of 25 programs within the ASRC. The ASRC is staffed by a
team of 30 paid staff and 700 volunteers. We are an independent, non – profit human rights
organization dedicated to fighting for the rights of asylum seekers without fear or favor. We provide
a one stop welfare, aid and advocacy service to over 2500 asylum seekers fleeing war, torture and
persecution from 98 countries around the world.
The ASRC proudly has a policy of turning no asylum seeker in need away and in 8 years has
assisted over 7000 asylum seekers with everything from medical care, counselling, food, aid and
ESL classes to legal advice, employment assistance and social and community development
programs.
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ASRC Human Rights Law Program
The Legal Intake Co – ordinator will be working as part of the Human Rights Law Program. The
Human Rights Law Program since it was established in 2002 has provided over 100,000 hours of
free legal assistance, advice and advocacy and won asylum for over 1000 asylum seekers. In
addition to its advocacy at the coalface the law program also engages in legal education, policy
and law reform. In 2008 – 2009 we undertook a wide range of work from making submissions to
the Senate Inquiry into Mandatory Detention, to lobbying for gender guidelines to the Refugee
Review Tribunal to launching this month our Legal Position Paper: A Case for Justice.
This position is for a Solicitor who wants the challenge of working for a truly independent human
rights law program. A law program that is holistic in nature, fearless in its advocacy and works from
a humanitarian model of practice that believes all asylum seekers have the right to legal advice.
The Human Rights Law Program has a small team of paid staff (including a Legal Program Co –
ordinator and Complex Case Co – ordinator) and a team of approximately 70 volunteer lawyers,
barristers, migration agents and law students who donate their time to the program on a regular
basis.
The ASRC provides a Monday to Friday and Wednesday evening legal/immigration assistance
service providing assistance to clients at all stages of the refugee determination process, including
at the Department of Immigration stage, Refugee Review Tribunal stage, Federal Magistrates
Court stage and the Ministerial Humanitarian Intervention stage.
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SOLICITOR (LEGAL INTAKE CO – ORDINATOR)
Key Responsibilities
1. Assess the cases of all new clients seeking asylum that present to the Human Rights Law
Program. This includes: (with the support of the legal team) determining which cases have
legal merit, allocating cases to solicitors (paid and unpaid staff within the legal program)
and making referrals where appropriate.
2. Providing legal casework, advice, representation and advocacy services to new legal
clients through the refugee determination process.
3. Supervision of unpaid staff that are providing legal assistance to new legal clients.
4. Recruit, induct, train and supervise new and existing legal volunteers on an ongoing basis
on a rotating roster with the rest of the paid staff within the law program.
5. Engage in human rights advocacy, campaigning and lobbying around key human rights
issues as directed by the Legal Program Coordinator
Accountability
The Legal Intake Co - ordinator is accountable to the Legal Program Co - ordinator. As is the case
with all staff (paid and unpaid), ultimate accountability is to the CEO and ASRC Board.
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Selection Criteria
Essential

Solicitor with current practicing certificate or Registered Migration Agent. Solicitors who
are not yet registered as Migration Agents will be required to register as a Migration Agent.

Experience in providing legal casework and advocacy for marginalized communities
(Examples: asylum seekers or refugees, or Culturally and Linguistically Diverse clients,
homeless, destitute and institutionalized clients or high needs/complex clients or clients
who have experienced trauma)

Ability to work effectively as part of a team and be committed to a strong teamwork culture.

Well developed organizational skills including: the ability to delegate, strong time
management skills, good communication skills and openness to ongoing learning and
development.

Ability to take initiative and work independently and self – sufficiently when required.

Ability to thrive in a chaotic and under resourced work environment

Demonstrated knowledge of the refugee determination process and the legal barriers and
challenges faced by asylum seekers in succeeding

Demonstrated commitment to principles of social justice and human rights

A sense of humour, strength of character and passion
Desirable

A Registered Migration Agent

Experience of working with volunteers

Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary context

Coordination experience
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Conditions
Hours of work
The position is a 4 to 5 days a week (negotiable). Initially the successful applicant is provided with
a 12 month contract with a 3 month probationary period. Ongoing employment after this date,
pending work performance.
Salary
This is a 0.8 to 1 EFT (negotiable) position. The salary for the position is $49,064.08 per annum
(pro – rata). All paid staff on parity at the ASRC. While the pay is not great we have excellent
conditions including 6 weeks leave, carer and compassionate leave and an RDO a month (all pro –
rata). The reality is no one works at the ASRC for the money but rather to be part of a place that
truly makes a difference to the lives of people and their human rights.
In addition, approximately $16,000 per annum pro rata can be salary packaged, plus employer’s
superannuation contribution and annual leave loading.
Making total value of package $54,140.33 (pro – rata)
And in addition

1 RDO per month (at pro – rata rate)

4 weeks leave loading (pro – rata)

6 weeks annual leave (2 weeks of leave are given as a bonus during the specified
Christmas time) pro rata

15 days sick leave (pro – rata)

2 weeks compassionate leave (pro – rata)

7 days carers leave (pro – rata)
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
4 weeks paid maternity leave, if employed at ASRC for the previous 12 months (pro – rata)

2 weeks paid paternity leave, if employed at ASRC for the previous 12 months (pro – rata)
Application Procedure
Please provide your Curriculum Vitae, your application addressing the Selection Criteria, and
contact details for three professional referees. Your application must be received by Monday 6th
July by 5pm. Applications should be addressed to Kon Karapanagiotidis, CEO, Asylum Seeker
Resource Centre. They can be sent by post to 12 Batman St, West Melbourne, Victoria, 3003 or
delivered in person to reception (upstairs 10am-5pm Mon-Fri).
Please note faxed or e – mailed applications will not be considered.
No late applications will be considered. Applicants who are successful in being short-listed will be
contacted for an interview. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by mail.
For enquiries regarding the position, please contact our CEO Kon Karapanagiotidis on (03) 9326
6066 or [email protected]