Current employment opportunities are listed here.

We do not have a formal volunteering program and have very limited opportunities for casual volunteers due to the relational nature of our work. Participating in the week long City Exposure experience may lead to part-time volunteering opportunities or to residential staff opportunities.

 

Current Employment Opportunities

Urban Seed Youth and Schools Team

 

Urban Seed is an ecumenical Christian not-for-profit organisation that combines street work in the heart of Melbourne with education programs and a strong independent voice on urban, business, social and political issues including homelessness, drug addiction, problem gambling and poverty. 

Urban Seed currently visits and is visited by secondary schools throughout Victoria and presents on urban issues such as homelessness, alcohol and drug abuse, violence, poverty, and our work with people affected by these issues.

Urban Seed’s attraction is its hands on experience with these issues and street culture that allows us to share anecdotes and stories that bring urban issues alive for students and help break down stereotypes.

In 2007 Urban Seed spoke to more than 15,000 secondary school students through running interactive walks around the city and presenting creative at school seminars aimed at complementing curriculum needs.

 

Position description for Youth and Schools Team Member

Time fraction: 2 days a week (Tuesday and either Thursday or Friday)

 

Jobs:

Education activity facilitation

• Lead at least 4 sessions a week on issues such as homelessness, addiction, stereotypes, vocation, branding and identity, and community work skills.

Curriculum Development

• Participate in training to develop walks and seminar content and delivery.

Administration

• Assist in other youth and schools activities or administration as needed.

Credo Lunch

• Attend at least one Credo lunch per week.
• Participate in some other Credo activities such as Credo Retreat and Credo Christmas.

Participate in the organisational life of Urban Seed

• Attend Tuesday weekly Youth and Schools Team meeting.
• Participate in other Urban Seed activities including Tuesday morning admin meeting, monthly Discernment Days (negotiable), Annual Urban Seed staff retreat and AGM.

             

Qualities we’re looking for:

At a time of change for the youth and schools team we are looking for a person who:

 

• Is an excellent listener and communicator.
• Can display personal experience and/or specialist knowledge of the issues we cover.
• Will be a team player with the current youth and schools mob.
• Will participate in the broader life and community of Urban Seed.
• Has an interest in and passion for education and young people.
• Is reliable, responsible and organised.
• Is self-reflective, and able to take feedback.

Interested people should contact Tim Jeffries or Samara Pitt at the Den on 9663 0699, or via email at tim.jeffries@urbanseed.org or samara.pitt@urbanseed.org

 

Central House Residential Staff

Title: Central House Residential Staff

Hours: A minimum of 24 hrs per week, between 8am-5pm Mon-Fri

Contract: Calendar Year

Responsible to: Designated Mentor (Mentors to be allocated at the beginning of each year).

Part A: Context: The role of resident at Urban Seed is designed to be valuable to both the organisation and to the individual.

1. Value to the Organisation

· Residential staff significantly contribute to the running of Credo and the sense of a community in and around Credo. The residents also provide a presence in and around the building assisting our drug harm minimization goals.

· Residential staff embody and model the non-profit and volunteer values of the organisation

· Residential staff embody and an interruptible lifestyle

· Residential staff model a Christian lifestyle

2. Value to the Individual

The residential experience allows residents to:

· Develop relationships with people at the margins

· Gain experience and skills in working with marginalized people

· Develop their Christian faith through practical Christian mission to the marginalised

· Practice hospitality through their home in the city

· Explore intentional living with other Christians.

· Seek to balance work (paid and unpaid) and interruption, maintaining care for self and others.

Part B: Position Responsibilities:

1. Participation in Credo Cafe

· Cook or clean in at least two lunches a week

· Share in other defined Credo duties (not necessarily restricted to residents): Pontis, market shop, Campbell’s shop, tea towels, Credo Gathering

· Participate in weekly Credo team meetings and Credo training times

· Take part in Credo community activities including recreation, camps and retreats

2. Hospitality & Relationship building

· Extend hospitality to people who have contact with Urban Seed, including people from

o lunch

o educational activities

o mission exposures and short term mission experiences

· Seek to develop two committed relationships with marginalized people who attend lunch and extend hospitality to them on a regular basis.

3. Relational and critical response

· Respond to crisis situations in and around the building after hours as they arise

· Monitor back door activity outside of normal business hours

· Keep an open and interruptible schedule enabling response to people in need

4 Participate in an elective area of Urban Seed’s work

In addition to the above, each resident will participate in a further elective area of Urban Seed’s work, nominally for 4 hrs/wk, including a block of time in the Level 3 office.

First year residents will begin by rotating through at least 3 areas of Urban Seed’s work, spending 2 months working in each area under the area co-ordinator.

Each resident (first year residents at the end of the rotation period; continuing residents at the beginning of the year) will, in consultation with the Formation and Development Coordinator, select an area of ongoing elective work based on discernment of their gifts, interests, and/or calling. They will then develop a role description under the relevant area coordinator.

5. Participate in the organisational life of Urban Seed:

· Participation in common worship on Tuesdays 5.30-6.30pm

· Participation in key Urban Seed meetings:

o Credo Team meeting (Tuesday afternoon) – see Section 1

o Urban Seed Staff meeting (Tues morning)

o Relevant elective area meeting – see Section 4

o Quarterly strategy meetings

· Participation in other Urban Seed activities including:

o Journal launches

o Annual Urban Seed retreat and AGM

· Participate in the roster for Urban Seed news to the church congregations

· Attend the Commissioning and Farewell CSBC services for residents

6. Property Obligations:

· General building security after hours

· Assisting with access to the building after hours where possible.

Part C: Support and Sustainability

· Residents are strongly encouraged to find ways to spend one weekend each month away from Central House. How this is best achieved will need to be negotiated amongst residents.

· Residents are also strongly encouraged to develop at least one significant spiritual support (spiritual director, mentor, confessor) external to Urban Seed. Urban Seed is able to offer some assistance with this where necessary.