Position Overview

The Community Engagement Officer plays a key role in supporting Youth Express community engagement and strengthening relationships with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, Elders, ACCOs, First Nations businesses, education providers, employment services, and community stakeholders.

This is a community-facing role focused on cultural connection, advocacy, engagement, and ensuring community voices help shape how Youth Express delivers its programs and services. The position works directly with community members, Elders, organisations, service providers, and internal program teams to support culturally safe, responsive, and community-led approaches across all areas of service delivery.

The Community Engagement Officer is responsible in building strong local networks, facilitating Community Yarning sessions, attending cultural events and meetings, identifying community needs and opportunities, and ensuring community perspectives inform program delivery, engagement strategies, and decision-making processes. The role also strengthens collaboration between the community, education providers, employment pathways, ACCOs, First Nations businesses, and service providers to improve participant outcomes.

The position captures community feedback, promotes culturally safe practice, and supports Youth Express to remain accountable, connected, and responsive to the communities it works alongside.

The role requires a strong understanding of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, cultural protocols, and respectful engagement practices, along with the ability to work independently while maintaining high standards of communication, accountability, and reporting.

Key Responsibilities

1. Community Engagement

• Organise, coordinate, and facilitate Community Yarning sessions across Youth Express NIAA-funded programs.

• Attend and actively participate in community engagements, cultural gatherings, meetings, forums, and events within the allocated region.

• Build and maintain respectful relationships with Aboriginal communities, Elders, ACCOs, First Nations businesses, organisations, education providers, employment services, and key stakeholders.

• Identify community priorities, barriers, emerging issues, service gaps, and opportunities that support positive cultural, educational, employment, wellbeing, and social outcomes.

• Ensure community voices, feedback, and perspectives are captured and communicated to internal leadership and program teams to inform continuous improvement.

• Support culturally safe practise, community-led, and strengths-based engagement across all Youth Express programs and activities.

• Strengthen partnerships between the community, ACCOs, First Nations businesses, education providers, training organisations, and employment services.

• Support participants to strengthen connections to culture, community, services, education, and employment pathways.

• Represent Youth Express professionally and maintain trusted relationships that strengthen community participation and engagement.

2. Cultural Responsibilities

• Represent Youth Express in a culturally safe, respectful, and professional manner at all times.

• Maintain awareness of local cultural protocols, community expectations, and cultural sensitivities across all engagement activities.

• Provide cultural guidance and advice to internal staff and stakeholders where required.

• Support the delivery, coordination, and promotion of cultural safety initiatives, workshops, training, and Community Yarning sessions.

• Support Youth Express programs to strengthen culturally safe practice and improve engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants, families, and communities.

• Promote community-led approaches and ensure community voice is reflected in program delivery and planning.

• Maintain respectful relationships with Elders, ACCOs, First Nations businesses, and community leaders.

• Support culturally appropriate referrals and community connection pathways for participants.

• Promote trauma-informed, strengths-based, and culturally safe practice across all programs.

• Support Youth Express to remain accountable and responsive to community priorities and needs.

3. Cross-Team Collaboration & Participant Support

• Work collaboratively across all Youth Express NIAA-funded programs to support culturally safe engagement and improve participant outcomes.

• Ensure community voice and cultural perspectives are embedded in program planning and delivery.

• Provide cultural advice and guidance to staff supporting participant wellbeing, engagement, education, training, and employment outcomes.

• Assist in identifying culturally appropriate referrals, supports, mentoring opportunities, and community connections for participants.

• Strengthen collaboration between community, services, ACCOs, First Nations businesses, education providers, and internal teams.

• Support coordination and facilitation of Community Yarning sessions and engagement activities.

• Share community feedback, emerging issues, and opportunities with internal teams to support service improvement.

• Promote consistent, culturally safe, and community-led practice across all Youth Express programs.

4. Meetings & Reporting

• Attend internal meetings on a fortnightly/monthly basis.

• Participate in community engagement meetings and stakeholder consultations within the allocated region.

• Record accurate meeting minutes and action items.

• Submit fortnightly engagement reports to the Community & Cultural Coordinator, including:

  • Community contacts made

  • Meetings and events attended

  • Emerging issues and opportunities

  • Outcomes achieved

  • Follow-up actions

  • Meeting minutes attached

5. Administration & Reporting

• Maintain accurate and confidential participant and program records using CRM systems and organisational databases.

• Complete timely and accurate data entry in line with organisational requirements.

• Collate and analyse program data to support monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.

• Prepare reports, case studies, and program evaluations demonstrating community impact.

• Ensure compliance with privacy, confidentiality, and data protection requirements.

• Maintain up-to-date engagement registers and stakeholder databases.

• Ensure timely communication and follow-up with stakeholders and community members.

• Manage scheduling, travel, and workload across the allocated region.

• Maintain records of meeting minutes and outcomes.

Essential Criteria

• Identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (in accordance with Section 50D of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984).

• Strong communication, facilitation, advocacy, and relationship-building skills with the ability to engage respectfully with community members, Elders, ACCOs, organisations, service providers, young people, families, and stakeholders.

• Demonstrated experience in community engagement, youth work, employment services, education, cultural programs, or participant support services.

• Demonstrated understanding of culturally safe, trauma-informed, and strengths-based practice.

• Strong existing community connections and ability to build and maintain stakeholder relationships within local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

• Experience facilitating workshops, presentations, yarning circles, and community meetings.

• Understanding of employment, education, training, and community support pathways.

• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and meet deadlines.

• Strong administration, data entry, and reporting skills, including minute-taking.

• Proficiency in CRM systems, Microsoft Office, and digital reporting platforms.

• Current driver’s licence and reliable transport.

• Willingness and ability to travel within the region.

Desirable Criteria

• Well-known, respected, and recognised within local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

• Qualification in Community Services, Aboriginal Studies, Youth Work, Community Development, Training & Assessment, Mental Health, or related field.

• Experience working with ACCOs, First Nations businesses, schools, training organisations, government agencies, or community services.

• Experience supporting culturally informed casework, mentoring, or participant engagement programs.

• Knowledge of local service networks and culturally appropriate referral pathways.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Attendance and active participation in internal meetings, community meetings, cultural events, and stakeholder engagements.

• Delivery and facilitation of Community Yarning sessions across Youth Express NIAA programs.

• Number, quality, and consistency of meaningful community engagements.

• Timely completion of reports, data entry, engagement registers, and meeting minutes.

• Strength and sustainability of relationships with Aboriginal communities, Elders, ACCOs, First Nations businesses, education providers, and service organisations.

• Positive contribution to participant engagement, cultural connection, and well-being outcomes.

• Increased cultural safety and culturally informed practice across Youth Express programs.

• Positive feedback from community members, Elders, stakeholders, and participants.

• Evidence of community feedback informing program improvement.

• Strengthened collaboration between the community, services, and the Youth Express program teams.

Other Duties as Required

• Contribute to organisational initiatives and represent Youth Express at community and sector events.

• Participate in ongoing training and professional development.

• Maintain awareness of community priorities, cultural practices, and sector developments.

• Respond flexibly to community needs and adapt engagement approaches as required.

• Undertake other duties consistent with the role as directed by management.

Reporting Structure

The Community Engagement Officer reports directly to the Community & Cultural Coordinator and operates within the broader Youth Express reporting structure.

The role works closely with:

• YDLR Coordinator

• Nyugumba Coordinator

• BLOOM Employment Coordinators

• BLOOM Education and Training Coordinator

• Youth Express First Nations Executive Manager

Additional support and guidance may be provided by senior management where required.

For further information regarding the position please contact Codie on 4931 2777.