About Children's Ground

Children’s Ground is a First Nations organisation. The Children’s Ground Approach is designed and delivered through the leadership of First Nations people. We are committed to systems change to ensure dignity, justice and equity for all children and families. Our work focuses on national reform as well as evidencing a new way of working.

The Children’s Ground Approach is a whole of community, whole of life approach. We privilege First Nations knowledge systems and practice. Over the course of a generation, led by local expertise, we create and deliver an integrated system that is centred on learning, development and wellbeing that responds to the child and their family through the key transition points from pre-birth to young adulthood.

Our approach recognises the cultural, social, and economic strength of our communities. We build on this over a generation to ensure a future for our children and grandchildren that gives them freedom, opportunity and rights to their culture and identity.

Children’s Ground operates in Central Australia and across the Top End, with support provided by a Melbourne-based Shared Services team.

About the role

The First Nations Research & Evaluation Officer will work alongside the Research & Evaluation (R&E) Team to support our monitoring and evaluation led by Children’s Ground First Nations staff, families and communities. This is a part-time 22.8 hours per week position to be worked Monday through Thursday. This is an identified position and only open to people of Aboriginal &/or Torres Strait Islander descent.

The focus of Children’s Ground evaluation and research is to demonstrate the impact of Children’s Ground Approach for children, families and communities. Children’s Ground is committed to community led practice that privileges First Nations culture.

The First Nations R&E Officer will play a key role in supporting the collection, analysis, and communication of data and stories from the communities we work with. This role is central to ensuring that the community voices and experiences, knowledge and data are collected, managed and used in ways that uphold First Nations Data Sovereignty principles. A core responsibility of the position is to support and promote community understanding, ownership and decision-making regarding Children's Ground data, ensuring communities are informed, empowered and engaged in how data is collected, accessed, interpreted and used. The role will also support the development of research and evaluation capability within communities and contribute to long-term monitoring, evaluation and learning.

This role will work with all communities in Central Australia that are currently working with Children’s Ground; Irrkerlantye, Mpweringke Anapipe, Yarrenyty Arltere, Uyenpere Atwatye, Ammonguna, Plenty Highway and any new communities.

Key Responsibilities

Engaging and working with First Nations families and communities about research and evaluation:

• Contributing to engaging children, families and communities in research and evaluation
• Regularly engage with staff, families and communities to explain and discuss Children's Ground evaluation and research activities, including how information and data are collected, used and reported
• Working with First Nations staff and families to build R&E knowledge skills in western evaluation and research
• Contributing to evaluation and research information and resources for staff and communities
• Engaging in and support peer learning – learning from other First Nations and Western trained staff and sharing your knowledge and experience with them too

Community ownership and governance of information and data:

• Work with communities to build local skills and ownership of data collection, data analysis, reporting and evaluations.
• Build community understanding of how Children's Ground collects, uses and reports information and data.
• Work alongside First Nations leaders, staff, families and communities to ensure their priorities and perspectives shape how information and data are used.
• Support communities to engage with evaluation findings and use information to inform local planning, decision-making and advocacy.
• Facilitate discussions about the purpose, use and value of information and data collected through Children's Ground programs.
• Ensure cultural protocols and community priorities are reflected in data collection, evaluation and reporting activities.

Evaluation and Research:

• Supporting First Nations staff to the design, collection, analysis, interpretation and reporting of evaluation and research activities, while ensuring communities remain informed, engaged and empowered throughout the process
• Supporting staff to collect their data every day to a high-quality using the Children’s Ground data entry app or web-based system or using paper-based forms
• Contributing to regular discussion and feedback of information and data with staff and communities, ensuring findings are accessible, meaningful and useful for local decision-making. – both of quantitative (numbers) and qualitative (stories) data
• Contributing to the development of culturally reflective and ethical approaches to evaluation and research – and supporting First Nations leaders, staff and families to lead and contribute
• Working on current research project with the research team and investigators 
• Working with First Nations leaders and communities to identify community priorities for research, evaluation and the use of information and data
• Working with staff and families to do local research projects – sometimes with external research and evaluation partners. Contribute to data analysis for evaluation reporting and research, with First Nations staff and communities
• Contributing to and participating in conferences, publications, presentations and other R&E related functions of Children’s Ground

Local community agency and respect for local cultural knowledge and life:

• Regularly talk with local First Nations people and elders to discuss local aspirations and gather stories and data to inform monitoring, evaluation and research
• Liaising with local First Nations people to ensure that our monitoring, evaluation and research operations do not undermine but actively promote local cultural knowledge, community priorities and self-determination
• Encouraging and support all First Nations families, valuing their ideas, strategies and aspirations

Key Selection Criteria

Essential

• This is an identified First Nations/Aboriginal &/or Torres Strait Islander position
• Connection to First Nations communities or demonstrated experience working with First Nations people and communities in a culturally appropriate and respectful way that supports community participation and self-determination
• Understanding of, and commitment to, community-led approaches to research, evaluation and decision-making
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport with community members. Ability to communicate information clearly and support people to engage with and interpret findings and data
• Ability to handle sensitive information with care, respecting privacy and confidentiality protocols
• Demonstrated ability to identify themes, insights and learning from qualitative and quantitative information
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Commitment to the principles of self-determination and cultural safety
• Ability to plan, organise and prioritise workload around importance and timelines
• Ability to work in a flexible team environment 
• Willingness to undergo a National Police Check and obtain an OCHRE Working with Children Check

Desirable

• Local First Nations language speaker
• Formal qualifications in research, social sciences, community development, public health, or a related field, or equivalent work experience
• Experience working within an evaluation or research setting - collecting qualitative and/or quantitative data (e.g., interviews, surveys, focus groups)
• Knowledge and skills in computer use
• An interest in working with children of all ages and their families
• Current driver’s licence
• Experience working in a start-up environment and implementation of processes and systems from scratch

What we offer

Salary Classification: Children's Ground EBA Level 4-5 ($93K - $106 pro-rata), depending on Qualifications and Skills.+ 12% superannuation + bonus leave

Salary Sacrifice options to increase take home pay (dependant on individual circumstances)

A collaborative, purpose driven organisation contributing to First Nations led systems change

How to Apply

We invite you to walk with us on this unique journey. To apply, please submit your current resume and a cover letter outlining your interest and relevant skills.

The preferred candidate will be required to undertake relevant pre-employment checks, including a National Police Check and Working with Children Clearance (NT).

In line with our workforce development strategy, Children's Ground strongly encourages and supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants to apply.