The Community Development Officer plays a crucial role in driving and facilitating positive outcomes for individuals from diverse Arabic speaking countries by planning, developing and evaluating comprehensive programs that support the client groups overall development and wellbeing. This key role focuses on strengthening community partnerships and building capacity within Arabic‐speaking communities with a strong focus on youth. You will design and deliver impactful programs, fostering collaboration and empowering individuals to achieve their goals and enhance their well‐being. The position requires strong relationship‐building skills, program development expertise, and a commitment to community engagement. They work closely with the community; including youth, adults, seniors, community and faith leaders as well as a range of community organisations, education and other specialist service providers to identify and address emerging needs, empower the community, and foster a sense of belonging and connection.
About Arabic Welfare
Established in 1984, Arabic Welfare provides services to individuals and families from diverse Arabic speaking countries. We support our clients to realise their aspirations toward full participation in Australian life, and work closely with service providers to achieve this goal. Arabic Welfare staff are bilingual and bicultural, and our team includes qualified and experienced social workers, counsellors, youth and community development workers and Registered Migration Agents.
Our Values
Voice
Listen to our community and be their voice.
Respect
Treat all individuals with dignity and respect.
Quality
Strive for excellence in everything we do and always look for how we can improve.
Connect
Connect our community to the services they need.
Inspire
Inspire our community to achieve their goals and dreams.
Accountability
Be accountable to our community, collaborators, and partners.
Why work with us
* Enjoy a competitive base salary plus superannuation of 12%
* Salary packaging options available; allowing you to increase your take home pay by accessing salary packaging benefits of up to $15,900
* Annual leave loading of 17.5%
* Free onsite parking available
* Supportive, friendly and family oriented work environment
* Flexible working arrangements where it meets operational requirements.
Qualifications
Relevant tertiary qualification in health or community services, such as social work, psychology, community development or related disciplines.
* In-depth knowledge of the welfare sector, service navigation, including program development, implementation, and evaluation
* Ability to build and nurture strong relationships and partnerships with community, health, employment and education service providers such as schools and AMEP providers as well as community and faith leaders
* Ability to identify and address emerging community needs
* Experience in designing and delivering information sessions, group work, and case management
* Collaboration with interdisciplinary teams to support positive client outcomes
* Well-developed communication skills in both written and verbal presentations
* Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently
* Bilingual fluency in Arabic and English
Key Selection Criteria
* Community Engagement (Group Work) & Capacity Building:
* Consult and engage with Arabic-speaking communities including youth, adults, seniors, faith leaders to understand local issues and develop strategies.
* Develop, facilitate, and evaluate tailored projects to address community needs, including potentially registering new groups.
* Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to improve outcomes for the target group.
* Identify emerging needs and service gaps to inform program delivery and expansion.
* Foster and maintain relationships with community and faith leaders to facilitate partnerships and referrals.
* Lead, manage, and implement a youth-focused engagement project from start to finish, incorporating activities such as music, sports, and arts to strengthen participation and community connection.
* Work closely with Arabic Welfare's Youth Advisory Group to ensure youth voices are embedded in program design, delivery, and evaluation, and to support meaningful youth participation and leadership.
* Demonstrate a basic understanding of gambling and gambling harm, with the ability to deliver education and information sessions to raise awareness and support prevention of gambling harm within the community.
* Facilitate a structured peer-support therapeutic program delivered as a series of sessions, focusing on connection, wellbeing, and the prevention of gambling harm through education, discussion, and skill-building activities.
* Case Management:
* Conduct initial assessments to identify client needs, aspirations, and barriers to accessing services.
* Provide ongoing support using strength-based and trauma-informed case management practices.
* Facilitate referrals to appropriate services.
* Build collaborative relationships with service providers and stakeholders.
* Attend relevant meetings to ensure effective client support.
* Partnership Management:
* Develop and implement strategies to cultivate and maintain strong, mutually beneficial partnerships with key stakeholders including community groups, community and faith leaders as well as community organizations, government agencies, other service providers.
* Proactively identify and pursue new partnership opportunities to expand the reach and impact of Arabic Welfare's services.
* Negotiate and manage partnership agreements, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and effective collaboration.
* Regularly assess the effectiveness of existing partnerships and adjust as needed to optimise outcomes.
* Represent Arabic Welfare effectively in partnership meetings and collaborations.
* Program Evaluation & Reporting:
* Maintain accurate client and program data, including data entry and project reports.
* Contribute to funding reports and ensure accurate program delivery records.
* Actively participate in supervision and team meetings, adhering to AW policies and relevant legislation.
* Conduct evaluations, analyse data, and use findings to inform decision-making and future planning.
* Organisational & Sector Development:
* Provide oversight and direction for the organization's volunteer and student placement programs and contribute to employee well-being initiatives.
* Provide oversight and support for internal and external capacity-building programs through the design and delivery of training modules.
* Provide consultation and support to mainstream services to better meet the needs of the Arabic-speaking community.
Employment Requirements
* A willingness and ability to work flexible hours is required, including evening, weekend and other work-related commitments
* Employee will be required to use own vehicle for work.
Safety Screening
All competitive applicants will be required to undergo employment safety screening, including the following:
* National Criminal History Records check
* Working with Children check
* Reference checks
Applying for the position
* Send through a copy of your CV and Cover Letter addressing key selection criteria and role competencies above
* Applications close on Sunday 28th of June 2026
For more information: email info@arabicwelfare.org.au or (03) 9380 9536. Applications can also be submitted through Seek. Please note that the preferred communication method is via email.
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