• Title: X2 Carer/Key Supports Lived Experience Worker- Eating Disorders
• Hours: 22.5 hours per week
• Award: Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award
• Classification: SCHADS 4.2
• Location: Place-based Cairns and state-wide Service reach Telehealth

To apply and be considered for this position, you need to submit the following:

• Current resume (maximum three pages)
• Response to Key Selection Criteria (maximum two pages)
• Contact details for three referees
  

For this position, you need to have a Lived Experience of caring for/supporting someone with an eating disorder.

EDQ has two newly funded positions for Carer Lived Experience workers placed based in Cairns!

The Carer/Key Supports Lived Experience Worker offers recovery-focused peer support to carers and key supporters of individuals with eating disorders. This role sits across the carer/key supports and lived experience teams. The worker provides a safe and compassionate environment where carers can connect with someone who understands the challenges of supporting a loved one through recovery from an eating disorder.

This position operates within a collaborative team environment that is responsive to service users' needs and committed to continuous improvement and best practice principles. The Carer/Key Supports Lived Experience Worker is also required to work within the Vision and Mission of Eating Disorders Queensland (EDQ) and contribute to organisational objectives.

Eating Disorders Queensland (EDQ)

EDQ is a state-wide, community-based not-for-profit organisation. We support both individuals who are living with an eating disorder, their carers, loved ones, and key support people.

Support options include therapeutic and psychosocial support for individuals, coaching, and community connection for carers. EDQ also provides early intervention opportunities with community education events focused on creating healthy relationships with food and our bodies. We are passionate about eradicating weight stigma and diet culture.

Our Values: Nurture, Empowerment, Integrity, Innovation, and Collaboration.

Working Principles

• Valuing relationships, self-care, care and connection through engagement and capacity building.
• Strong collaborative shared decision-making environment around service delivery.
• Respectful and recovery-orientated empowerment and strengths-based processes promote empowerment, self-determination, inclusion, and choice.
  • Promoting individual and social change as well as prevention.
  • Valuing each person and lived experience.
  • Recognising the interactive impact of individual factors, family factors (including genetics), socio-cultural factors, and gender on developing, maintaining, and preventing eating issues.
  • We value the vital role that medical and psychiatric services can have in recovery from an eating issue and offer our services as a partner and an alternative to the medical model, depending on the client’s need.

Workplace health and safety (WHS) responsibilities: All employees must take reasonable care for their health and safety and that of other personnel affected by their conduct.

Perks & Benefits

• Supportive and collaborative work culture and public health events and advocacy
• Ongoing training and supervision throughout the role
• Close to multiple public transport options
• A workplace that values the voice of lived experience.
• Safe culture for those with a lived experience of eating disorders
• Salary packaging and leave loading offered

Key Responsibilities

• Work in line with EDQ’s policies and procedures
• Work in line with EDQ’s Lived Experience Practice Framework.
• Provide information about eating disorders and available internal and external support/treatment options
• Understanding and practical knowledge of Motivational interviewing.
• Understanding and utilising RAVES principles around adequate nutrition
• Be able to conduct a one-on-one peer support session with carers, structuring sessions in line with carer needs
• Deliver recovery-oriented intentional peer support to carers and loved ones supporting those with an eating disorder
• Maintain appropriate boundaries around intentional carer peer support and appropriate self-disclosure, and do not move into a therapeutic or friendship role.
• Foster a collaborative culture committed to reflective practice, individual/team supervision, professional development, and professional ethics.
• Provide telephone support, information and referral services to clients, families, carers, professionals, and the broader community.
• Provide education to clients on the eating disorder sector, available treatment options, and concepts such as Phases of Recovery.
• Provide a lived experience role in groups, community engagement events and peer mentoring programs.
• Proactively communicate as a team member, contributing to shared work functions and team processes.
• Maintain a client management system that includes session notes, measurement tools, and report generation.

Reporting Relationships

This position reports to the Lived Experience Team Coordinator.

Funding:

All positions offered by EDQ are conditional on recurrent funding from the Qld Government. Therefore, EDQ offers fixed-term contracts that are in line with funding timelines.

Key Selection Criteria: RESPOND TO THE CRITERIA IN YOUR APPLICATION

• Have a lived experience of supporting someone with an eating disorder
• Holding a qualification in Peer/Lived Experience Work or Allied Health/Public Health/Human Services (or similar) is highly valued but not essential.
• Training and experience in the eating disorders field are highly valued but not essential.
• Has completed (or willing) EDQ Carer Peer Mentor training; EDQ’s online meal support training – The Shared Table and First Steps to Eating Disorder Support – Non-Clinical Training.
• Be familiar with and align with state and national peer workforce guidelines.
• Deliver carer peer support sessions within an intentional peer worker framework and be knowledgeable in motivational interviewing, solution-focused, and strengths-based approaches.
• The ability to communicate the process of eating disorder recovery to carers/loved ones whose person is still going through recovery
• A high level of awareness around personal self-care, boundaries and a range of practical strategies used to maintain wellness.
• A focus on intentional peer support, motivational interviewing techniques and a strengths-based approach.
• Familiarity with the eating disorder sector, including different treatment options available.
• Work in collaboration with an extended treatment team driven by carer goals and needs.
• Demonstrated abilities in interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and engagement strategies, especially in engaging people with eating disorders.
• Support state-wide service; travel might be required.

Applicant must possess or obtain the following:

• Valid and current driver’s license
• Queensland Working with Children Check (‘Blue Card’)
• Queensland ‘Yellow Card’ Application for criminal history screening

Applications are invited from Australian citizens or persons with full Australian residency status with relevant experience. People of diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply for this role.

Please submit your application click 'Apply Now' by the closing date. We will be conducting interviews as we receive applications.