​Stroke is one of Australia’s biggest killers and a leading cause of disability amongst adults. One stroke occurs every 19 minutes in Australia and 27,428 Australians experienced a stroke for the first time in 2020. There are currently over 445,000 Australians living with stroke. The economic cost of stroke exceeded $6.2 billion, with a further $26.0 billion in lost wellbeing - due to short and long-term disability, and premature death. In addition;​

• 8,703 Australians will die because of stroke this year.
• 24 percent of strokes occur in people aged 18-54; in 2012 this age group represented 14 percent.
• Regional and rural Australians are 17% more likely to experience a stroke than their metropolitan counterparts.

In 2050, without action, 50,600 Australians will experience a stroke for the first time and there will be 819,900 survivors of stroke in the community. Despite public misperception, stroke is largely preventable, it is highly treatable, and survivors can make a good recovery with when they receive evidenced based emergency treatment, the appropriate rehabilitation and community support. 

About the organisation​

Stroke Foundation is a national charity that partners with the community to prevent, treat and beat stroke. We stand alongside survivors of stroke and their families, healthcare professionals and researchers. We build community awareness and foster new thinking and innovative treatments. We support survivors on their journey to live the best possible life after stroke. We are the voice of stroke in Australia, and we work to:

• Raise awareness of the risk factors, signs of stroke and promote healthy lifestyles.
• Improve treatment for stroke to save lives and reduce disability.
• Improve life after stroke for survivors.
• Encourage and facilitate stroke research.
• Advocate for initiatives to prevent, treat and beat stroke.
• Raise funds from the community, corporate sector, and governments to continue our mission.

Stroke Foundation is an equal opportunity employer that offers generous salary packaging and opportunities to undertake professional training and development. People with a lived experience of stroke, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Our Values of Courage, Excellence, Compassion, Integrity and Leadership are an integral part of our culture, brand and positioning. These values inform our decisions and behaviours in our dealings internally within the organisation, and externally with our stakeholders. All employees will demonstrate behaviors aligning with these Stroke Foundation values.​

Overall purpose of the program

Our StrokeSafe Education Program is a grassroots, prevention-focused program delivering lifesaving messages about stroke to community groups and workplaces across Australia.

The StrokeSafe Program was founded in 2012 with federal government funding support and currently has 120 trained volunteer speakers based primarily in metropolitan locations. The volunteer speakers deliver 30-45 minute presentations on key stroke prevention messages including:

• What is a stroke
• The FAST signs of stroke
• How to reduce your stroke risk.

Many of the speakers are stroke survivors and weave their personal story into the presentation making it powerful and engaging. Presentations to non-profit community groups are free. Workplace presentations are asked to provide a fee to support our work.

Why is the program important?

• 450,000 Australians live with the effects of stroke. Two thirds of those have disability that impedes their ability to carry out daily living activities unassisted.
• There is no postcode untouched by stroke. By 2032 more than 709,000 Australians will be living with the effects of stroke.
• Our StrokeSafe Education Program has demonstrated a positive change in participant behaviour, providing them with lifesaving prevention-focused tools and information to identify a stroke and reduce their risk.
• Many volunteer StrokeSafe Speakers are stroke survivors and the ongoing engagement with the program is used as a tool for many during their recovery.

Key Responsibilities

• Supporting the Community Engagement team, you will promote the StrokeSafe program to the community, including to:
• Contact community groups, local government, large workplaces and various other community stakeholders
• Identify new opportunities to promote the program e.g. newsletters, networks, online directories
• Identify focus areas for promotion in regional and metro areas.
• Engage with stakeholders over the phone or via email or phone to promote bookings or take bookings directly.
• Record communication in accordance with Community Engagement team requirements (e.g. Excel or Salesforce)

Skills and Experience

You will be a customer-focused person who enjoys working in a team environment.  Specifically, you will have:

• Highly developed administration, organisation and time management skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; comfortable contacting community groups, businesses and other stakeholders on the phone
• Attention to detail
• Ability to use Microsoft packages including Outlook, Word, Teams and Excel
• Willingness to learn to use Salesforce
• Helpful and courteous manner
• Ability to work in a team or independently

Work Health and Safety Responsibilities

• All employees will contribute to a healthy, positive and supportive work environment.
• All employees must comply with Stroke Foundation’s Work Health and Safety Policies and Procedures.
• All employees must adopt safe work practices that comply with Work Health and Safety requirements and must not wilfully place at risk the health and safety of any other person in the workplace.
• The physical requirements of the position (or any physical limitations) will be discussed prior to your commencement; and​

Pre-Employment Checks

This position is subject to the following:

• National Police Check.
• Professional Reference Checks. 
• Evidence of up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination is required for this role (unless a valid exemption exists).