• Champion community, family and carer engagement in the establishment and development of a family and carer-led service
• Fixed term 9 month role | Part time 22.8 hours/week
• Loddon Mallee Location

Mind strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, people with a lived and living experience of mental ill health distress and recovery, and applicants from all cultures, genders, sexualities, bodies, abilities, spiritualties, ages and backgrounds.

Mind Australia is one of the country’s leading community-managed specialist mental health service providers with a range of residential, mobile outreach, centre based and online services. Mind has been supporting people experiencing mental health and wellbeing challenges to find help, hope and purpose in their lives for more than 45 years.

We provide practical and motivational support that helps people to develop the skills they need to move on, thrive and improve the quality of their lives. It’s an approach to mental health and wellbeing that looks at the whole person in the context of their daily life. Mind is committed to diversity and social inclusion. 

About the role

The Loddon Mallee Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect Centre will operate across the Loddon Mallee region through a partnership with Mallee Family Care.  Centres have been established in Bendigo, Swan Hill and Mildura along with satellite sites across the region. Families, carers and supporters seeking information, advice, referral and peer support will be able to access Centre-based services, receive outreach support and support through telephone and other virtual platforms. Staff will have a lived or living experience as a family member, carer or supporter of someone living with mental ill-health and/or substance use challenges and will deliver services utilising a relational recovery approach, trauma informed practice and peer support. One-on-one support and group-based support will be provided including Mind Recovery College. 

We are seeking a self-motivated, compassionate Community Engagement Advisor for a fixed term, part time (22.8 hours per week) opportunity to work in the Loddon Mallee region. You will utilise your expertise to build relationships with stakeholders and  to champion community, family and carer engagement and establish the new service supporting families, carers and loved ones of people experiencing mental ill health and/or substance challenges. The role will support development of workforce capability, identify opportunities for participation and partnership development, and enhance relationships with existing family and carer support groups, service providers and agencies.

Key responsibilities

• Utilise your own lived experience of mental ill health and recovery to inform your work and the work of the team.
• Work collaboratively with stakeholders, families, carers and supporters to develop, establish and implement the Centre to best suit the needs of the community.
• Ensure cohesiveness in the design, planning and delivery of services with the aim of optimising resources and delivering the project within timelines and on budget.
• Conduct regional needs assessments to understand current engagement with communities and identify opportunities for participation and partnership development.
• Support the development, implementation and evaluation of a community engagement plan, co-design activities and participation initiatives.
• Build community partnerships, lead identification of resources, incorporate community, families and carers voices in decision making and develop workforce capability. 

What you’ll bring

• Tertiary qualifications (minimum Certificate IV) in Mental Health, Peer Work, Social Work, Community Development or other health related field and/or equivalent experience in a similar industry.
• Prior lived or living experience and willingness to support families and carers through sharing learnings and recovery-orientated practice is desired.
• Expertise in working with people with mental health issues, AOD issues, complex needs and interacting with families and carers.
• Previous experience in community engagement, community development and family work using asset based development and co-design approaches.
• Capability to manage community, family, carer and supporter engagement in the establishment of services, develop workforce capability and identify opportunities for participation and partnership development.
• Demonstrated understanding of the Community Services sector and ability to build strong relationships with partners, service providers, agencies and key stakeholders.

Benefits

• Salary packaging up to $15,900 p.a. allows you to allocate a portion of your pre-tax income to cover living expenses (e.g. rent, mortgage, child care, car leasing expenses etc.)
• Option to access Meal and Entertainment allowance up to $2,650 p.a. via Salary Packaging.
• Learning, development and career opportunities.

Interested?

To obtain a position description and apply online click on Apply Now to visit Mind Careers - reference number 495567. Please contact the person below for more information. 

Jo Pallant, Service Manager VIC North Western Region

[email protected]

The successful applicant is required to complete comprehensive reference and background checking prior to employment, including a Working with Children Check, NDIS Workers Screening Check and the ability to obtain vaccinations against COVID-19.