About ARDS
ARDS Aboriginal Corporation has been working with Yolŋu communities in Northeast Arnhem Land for 50 years. We are led by Senior Yolŋu. Our vision is for Yolŋu to engage with the Balanda world as equals. We try to help Yolŋu to be strong in Yolŋu culture, and strong in understanding Balanda culture. We learn from each other and try to work in Yolŋu ways.
About the Role
We are looking for someone with strong experience in the youth justice space to join the ARDS Dispute Resolution Service. This role will support Yolŋu led dispute resolution happening in Galiwin'ku and the surrounding homelands on Elcho Island as well as in the Darwin area. The role will also coordinate ARDS' youth justice programs across Northeast Arnhem.
Our Dispute Resolution Service and Youth Justice programs aim to work within Yolŋu structures of gurruṯu (kinship) and rom (law) to maximise the ability of Yolŋu families and communities to take leadership in resolving conflict, supporting young people and having greater control over justice outcomes. This is a role for a skilled team-player who is enthusiastic about working in this challenging but exciting cross-cultural field of law and justice.
Key Duties
In this role, you will be responsible for:
* Supporting the Dispute Resolution Service in Darwin and Galiwin'ku. This will include:
* Supporting the recruitment, training and mentoring of Yolŋu staff to assist in the DR Service
* Alongside Yolŋu staff, identifying and assessing cases for dispute resolution
* Facilitating discussions, family conferences and pre-mediation meetings with relevant parties
* Co-facilitating mediation and restorative youth justice conferences
* Organising the logistics necessary for matters that are accepted by the DR Service.
* Coordinating the ARDS' Youth Justice Programs. This will include:
* Reporting, budget monitoring and liaising with stakeholders and funders relating to these programs,
* Participating in strategic discussions about youth justice policy and programs and proactively contributing to the team's understanding of youth justice matters.
* Contributing to an understanding of Yolŋu dispute resolution practices and advocate for greater Yolŋu control over peace-making processes.
About You
To be successful in this role you will have:
* Demonstrated knowledge of youth justice law and policy in the Northern Territory, including restorative conferencing and diversion pathways, as well as the youth justice criminal prosecution process, within the Youth Justice Act 2005 (NT).
* Demonstrated knowledge of the Australian legal and justice systems (particularly criminal justice and court and legal systems processes).
* Demonstrated knowledge of Australian and NT Government policy directions relating to Indigenous peoples, and appreciation of the environment in which services are funded and delivered in remote Australian communities.
* Demonstrated experience in youth work or youth justice, social work, mediation or restorative justice conferencing, community legal education, and/or law (criminal or youth).
* Communication skills and experience speaking in a nuanced way about complex and difficult topics in multilingual environments with diverse clients, stakeholders and staff.
* Experience using Plain English for spoken and written communications.
* Demonstrated project experience, including: fieldwork; project co-design; data collection and recording; monitoring & evaluation; preparing oral and written reports; achieving outcomes within agreed timeframes; and providing appropriate advice to key stakeholders.
* Experience interacting with government and non-government agencies and institutions in a community development, legal, policy or related context.
Ideally, you will also have:
* Experience working closely and collaboratively with Yolŋu people or other First Nations peoples, especially with a fieldwork focus in remote communities.
* Working knowledge of a Yolŋu matha language.
* Experience explaining the workings of dominant culture systems.
How to apply
If you are interested in this role, please request the full Position Description by contacting Xanthe Weaich at
After you have received the Position Description, please go ahead and click 'Apply' on this page and upload your:
1. Up-to-date Resume, and
2. Cover Letter that tells us why you suit this role, including how you meet the key selection criteria outlined in the Position Description.
Please note applications for this role will close at 11.59pm on the 15th February 2026.
We look forward to hearing from you