“Full citizenship for all people living with mental health issues in Australian society”

About the Role

• Part Time (4 x 0.8FTE) roles
• Permanent Position
• CSD Level 2: Salary between 64k – 69k depending on skills & experience+ super + salary packaging
• Location: Head to Heath service Geelong

The Head to Health Geelong (HTHG) centre is an exciting new service which provides the Geelong community an alternative service to attend when experiencing mental health crisis. Service delivery will reflect principals of Trauma Informed Care and Recovery Oriented practice.

Peer Support Workers are integral members of the team and represent 50% of the workforce within Head to Health Geelong. Peer Support workers draw on their lived experience of recovery from mental illness, mental health crisis or caring for someone living with a mental illness to instil confidence and hope in others about the journey of recovery. You must have a lived experience of your own mental illness/caring role, and a rich understanding of the processes of recovery. You must be willing to purposefully use your own story to help others further their own understanding of recovery.

You will work alongside a multi-disciplinary team inclusive of mental health clinicians, mental health registered nurses and medical officers Delivering a Peer First and Peer Last approach, the Peer Support Workers will support a high engagement model of care, through actively greeting and supporting guests (consumers) throughout their time at Head to Health Geelong.

The HTHG centre will operate in accordance with a 7 day per week rotating roster which may include a late morning and afternoon /evening shifts to service operational requirements.

What will you bring?

Engage guests and develop trusting and professional relationships that respect worker/consumer boundaries

Seek to learn about the guests’ interests, their connections with family and friends, and work with the consumer in building their capacity to be part of their community

Provide emotional support to guests by constructively applying lessons learnt through your own lived experience, i.e. be a bearer of hope that recovery can and does occur

Work as part of a team in assisting guests to engage with the practices associated with the Head to Health Model of care i.e. assisting the guests in collaborative support and care planning

Engage with your supervisor in completion of a probation assessment, a bi- annual performance review, regular supervision and a corresponding training and development plan

Mandatory requirements:

• Neami National will require, as part of our condition of employment, that all candidates applying for any position must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (or have received one dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine and have a scheduled appointment to receive their second dose.)
• Candidates will be required to provide appropriate evidence of COVID-19 vaccination to Neami National.
• Lived experience of mental illness, mental health crisis or caring for someone living with a mental illness and demonstrated experience of recovery
• Experience of the public or private mental health system
• Mental Health Qualification: It is a requirement of the Peer Support Lead position that you hold, and provide Neami evidence of, a Mental Health (or equivalent Human Services, Community Services) qualification of Certificate IV level or above, or complete such a qualification within 2 years of your commencement of employment
• Current Vic Working with Children Check
• Police check (refer to PD) – disclosable outcomes considered
• Willingness to undergo a Disability Worker’s Exclusion Scheme (DWES) Check

Why work with us?

Neami offers its staff a variety of incentives, such as:

• Being a part of a new and innovative way of supporting people in a Mental Health Crisis:
  • Philosophy of Care – Focus on innovative and trauma informed service provision underpinned by a philosophy co-designed with people with a lived experience of mental health
  • Calm and respectful environment
  • Team approach – multi-disciplinary, inclusive of all voices (including the lived experience), learn from each other
  • Internationally recognised model
  • High profile service
• Ongoing comprehensive Learning and Development training
• We are looking for people committed to changing the way people experience a mental health crisis are supported
• Development and career growth opportunities within HTHG and Neami more broadly
• Diverse and inclusive organisation
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

How to apply:

If you feel you have the skills and experience to succeed in this role, then please apply before the close date.

The terms and conditions of the role are listed in the attached position description. If you have any further questions not addressed in the advertising words or position description, please contact:

Di Nally – Regional Manager – 0408 057 139 or di.nally@neaminational.org.au using the subject line: Peer Support Workers - Head to Health Geelong enquiry via EthicalJobs.

We celebrate multidisciplinary teams and value the rich skills and experiences brought by applicants from a range of sectors and professional backgrounds. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.