African Australian Multicultural Employment and Youth Services (AAMEYS) strongly endorses Victoria Police's aim to bring more African Australians into the force, as announced by the Victorian Government with $479,000 in funding for the recruitment.

AAMEYS has been a driving force at the forefront of this welcome and overdue initiative.
AAMEYS pays tribute to our partners in this initiative: Jesuit Social Services, Victoria University, Adult Migrant Education Service, employment agency Matchworks, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers and Victoria Police.

AAMEYS Chief Executive Officer, Dr Berhan Ahmed, said the induction today of up to 19 African Australians into a 15-week pre-recruitment course at Victoria University - with another group to start in April 2019 - is the culmination of many years of tireless endeavour. 

"Australians of African heritage are hardly represented in our police force, though the numbers in the African Australian communities are increasingly growing," he said. "Victoria Police, like all major institutions, needs to be more inclusive in its membership to better reflect our multicultural and diverse society which it serves."

"There is distrust between Victoria Police and some in these communities which also transfers to distrust with the whole justice system on the one hand and distrust of the whole community on the other. This has been a long-term problem, which we have been trying to overcome for over a decade.

"The recruitment of African Australians into Victoria Police, particularly those from refugee and humanitarian entry background, will be a huge step in building trust, understanding and a safer society for everyone."

Mr. Phil Brooker, AAMEYS Board member, said that up till now, recruiting African Australians into the force had been extremely difficult, citing cultural reasons as well as the justifiably high standards of Victoria Police entry.

He said many people migrate from Africa to Australia with good qualifications, but some - due to civil strife, famine and other hardships - come with little educational background or understanding of democratic societies.

AAMEYS and our partners in this initiative have used their expertise and experience to help us to reach this stage, building the stepping-stones to overcome the barriers and reach the required standards:

- Victoria University devising the pre-recruitment course which aims to develop the skills and the attributes to succeed in applying to enter the Victoria Police Academy.

- Jesuit Social Services in building social bridges for disadvantaged people to join the wider society have been working with African Think Tank , African Australian Multicultural and the many diverse African communities with main stream businesses to secure employment.

- Matchworks with its experience in dealing with the Federal Government including Centrelink.

- AMES with its long-standing expertise in migrant education.

- Maurice Blackburn with their understanding of the justice system and mentoring of potential recruits into Victoria Police.

- Victoria Police has been upfront in recognising they haven't been active enough with recruiting from a wider range of Australian communities, and now its willingness to support this initiative.

When Victoria Police announced in January 2017 one of the biggest-ever police recruitment campaigns, aimed at filling more than 3000 new policing jobs over the next four years, AAMEYS was ready to assist. We had many discussions with Victoria Police. AAMEYS then put this proposal to Victoria Police commissioner Andrew Crisp and this year, we are very pleased that the State Government has seen our project fit to support and fund this very important work and make it a reality.

AAMEYS and its partners have coached and mentored applicants who have chosen to join the initiative, and Victoria Police has screened those chosen. The majority of applicants have backgrounds from South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia.

Those applicants who don't succeed in becoming sworn Police officers may have the opportunity to become Protective Service Officers.
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"We want to make this journey a success," Dr Ahmed said. "The goal is building an environment of trust and inclusiveness, to have African Australians participating fully in Australian society, and creating respect for Australian democracy's institutions such as policing and the justice system."
 
For more info, contact Dr. Berhan Ahmed

POSITION TITLE: Employment Support
PROGRAM: Victorian government’s Jobs Victoria Program 
​STATUS: Two Part-time Positions
REPORTING TO Project Manager

1. African Australian Multicultural Employment and Youth SERVICES (AAMEYS) OVERVIEW

AAMEYS is a non-for-profit organization which aims to build stronger communities by empowering African-Australian youth to engage with their communities and participate in social and economic services. We are a community organisation that is run and managed for and by the communities. 

Our Vision
Building stronger communities to be resilient in all areas of life – Socio-Cultural/Economic/Political and building resilience as active citizens where they are directly involved in finding, identifying and managing solutions to impediments to their full participation.
 
Our Mission
AAMEYS partners with African youth, families and communities, and youth-serving organizations to advocate for policies and champion programs that recognize young people’s rights to information; accessible respectful services; and the resources and opportunities necessary to create equity for all youth irrespective of their race, disability, employment status or their parent’s employment or education status/attainment.
 
Our Purpose
We work to build strong communities where all people can live to their full potential -
by partnering with Service providers to support those most in need and working to change policies, practices, ideas and values that leads to inequality, prejudice and exclusion of young people.
 
Our Values,
Honesty and integrity in dealing with all members of the community and the service providers



2. PROGRAM BACKGROUND

​The Jobs Victoria support for job seekers for African and Pacifika heritage program is an element of Jobs Victoria that has been established to enable the Victorian government to enable to address disproportionately high unemployment rate of young people of African and Pasifika Heritage. The program represents an investment of $1.2 Million to ensure that all Victorians can benefit from the state’s strong economic growth.
 


3. KEY OBJECTIVES OF THE TWO PART-TIME POSITIONS 
The key objectives of these positions are:
3.1      To engage and recruit unemployed youth members of African Australian communities, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to support and encourage access to employment opportunities.
3.2      Liaise with Stakeholders, Employment agents and Local Small Businesses for job sourcing and to identify job seekers who would suite the employment opportunities
3.3      To drive successful African Australian youth employment planning and implementation and achieve the overall objectives, of the program.
3.4      To ensure support and guidance is provided to youth program participants to enable them to successfully undertake the Victorian government’s Job Victoria program process, and assist with necessary mentoring and skills metrics to match available jobs.
3.5      To provide effective and timely advice on the implementation and development of the program to the Project manager.
3.6      To establish and maintain effective partnership and working relationships with all key stakeholders of the employment and training providers.
3.7      To establish a good relationship and better understanding with the target communities and disadvantaged youth.
 


4.DUTIES 

4.1          Conduct individual client assessment to identify career progression path and to find the relevant (or close to) employment fields required for each participant in the program
4.2          Provide and assist clients in preparing CV’s and carry out simulated job interviews to prepare candidates for the available jobs
4.3          Promote the program, and engage with youth members of African Australian communities’ backgrounds, to encourage them to apply for employment by developing the necessary skills and employment culture.
4.4          Conduct interviews with clients and other stakeholders to determine the clients’ employment aspirations, experiences, abilities, skills and potential obstacles to employment
4.5          Liaise with employers and negotiate terms and conditions of employment, providing necessary support with on the job training for clients as required
4.6          Liaise closely and effectively with the clients and stakeholders to manage smooth transitions of the clients to employment.
4.7          Complete workplace analysis to assess whether the workplace will be a supportive environment for a client who may need some level of ongoing support from his / her co-workers.
4.8          Maintain high professional standards and confidentiality at all times
4.9          Focus particularly on measures to promote the program to, and to engage with, African Australians to support and facilitate employment outcomes.
4.10       Liaise with employers, negotiating terms and conditions of employment and providing on the job training for clients, if necessary
4.11       Oversee and lead participant engagement, mentoring, guidance, assessment, training and support during their participation in this program to help them become integrated and independent in the workplace.
4.12       Provide on-the-job training and assistance to the clients throughout the job placement and where necessary complete the task in accordance with employer’s work place requirement.
4.13       Prepare program progress reports fortnightly as required for presentation to the Project manager.
4.8      Compliance with relevant legislation
4.9      Commitment to continuous project and quality improvement.
4.10    Other duties as required.     



5. KEY SELECTION CRITERIA  

5.1          Ability to source jobs in partnership with our stakeholders, African Small Businesses and other employment sources.
5.2          Demonstrated experience in working effectively with culturally diverse community organisations and understanding their norms and challenges.
5.3          Demonstrated experience in career guidance and successful youth community engagement and working effectively with a range of key stakeholders.
5.4          Demonstrated experience in working effectively and empathetically with people from diverse cultural and personal backgrounds.
5.5          Demonstrated experience in working effectively with a range of organisations, including government, community, and not for profit organisations.
5.6          Capacity to establish and maintain effective networks of support and communication with clients and stakeholders.
5.7          Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including project progress reports, and capacity to fulfil the reporting and administrative requirements associated with the position.
5.8          Understanding and empathy with the mission and ethos of AAMEYS Services
5.9          Current driver’s licence
5.10       Valid Working with Children Check card
5.11       Successful Police Check to be conducted by AAMEYS Services prior to commencement.



6.        KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

6.1      Effective promotion and representation of the program.
6.2    Experience of using recruitment and employment principles, methods, techniques and resources
6.3      Achievement of key project objectives.
6.4      Maintenance of a safe, respectful and supportive work environment.
6.5      Excellent IT skills including the ability to use Microsoft Office, CRM, Cloud Technology, Social Media and other computer applications



7. QUALIFICATIONS  

Relevant tertiary qualification/s and/or experience in field required.
It would also be an advantage to have a relevant second language, other than English, to aid with communication with our clients of the program.

​

8. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT  
Conditions of employment are in accordance with the current AAMEYS Policy & Procedures, including the Code of Conduct. 


 
9. LOCATION 
​
Based at AAMEYS Footscray Office– Suite 108, 144 – 148 Nicholson ST Footscray, but also working at AAMEYS Flemington Office, Office No.2, 120 Racecourse Rd, Flemington Vic 3031 and other locations as required.
 
Salary Package including superannuation, annual leave and sick leave: $65,000

​“Ramadan 2018 Mubarak to everyone”

​On Thursday, 10th May 2018, AAMEYS participated in an inaugural African Cultural Day celebration at Ravenhall Correctional Centre. The aim of African Cultural Day event was to share African culture and identity within the centre and create harmony and social cohesion among inmates. Having cohesive and harmonious environment is believed to have significant impact in the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates. The event was well received by all participants, which included inmates, correctional staff, centre management and community members. AAMEYS played a significant role in the planning and implementation of this successful event.

Dr Behan Ahmed, CEO of AAMEYS, addressed the audience. In his speech, Dr Ahmed, stated Africa Day is celebrated globally and in Australia, in recognition to the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). Dr Ahmed, highlighted the role of African communities in the rehabilitation and reintegration of African background prisoners. Reflecting on resilience and bravery, Dr Ahmed stated, ‘bravery is no longer fighting like lions, as perceived during the 20th century, but rather admitting when you are wrong, have made a mistake or need help’.

Recidivism is high among young African Australians, who lack ongoing support and acceptance, which is a concern for the broader community and AAMEYS in particular, which deals with young people and their families who are marginalised on daily basis.

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