• EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Volunteer, minimum 3.5 hour weekly shift required
• REMUNERATION: None, volunteer position
• REPORTS TO: Volunteer Manager
• LIAISES WITH: EDV staff, volunteers and service users
• DURATION: Minimum 12-month commitment
• LAST UPDATED: January 2023

ABOUT US

Eating disorders are complex and debilitating mental illnesses that affect up to 1 in 20 people. Like any mental illness, they are not the fault of the individual and can affect anyone no matter their age, gender or background. While serious, eating disorders are treatable. With the right support, full recovery is possible for everyone.

Eating Disorders Victoria is the trusted guide for Victorians affected by eating disorders. We help people get the support they need to inspire hope and ensure the earliest possible recovery.

How we work

We are a committed, engaged and progressive community health service who value innovation. We are known for developing and delivering eating disorder services that can’t be found anywhere else in Australia, or even the world. We are a strong voice for people affected by eating disorders and actively advocate for our eating disorder affected community at state and national level.

We pride ourselves on being a vibrant place to work, where creativity, collaboration and lived experience are highly valued and supported.

All of our work is guided by our values of Connection, Courage, Optimism and Perseverance.

Where we are going

We are moving through an exciting time of reform in Victoria’s Mental Health System, and have every intention of ensuring eating disorders are fully supported in this new system. We want eating disorders to be considered core business when it comes to mental health, so that more Victorians are identified, diagnosed and put on the path to recovery, sooner.

We are focused on delivering high quality, data-driven community services that demonstrate the impact of our work, while underscoring the growing community demand for specialised eating disorder services. Underpinning this is an evolving culture of strong clinical governance, which supports the wellbeing of staff, volunteers and our service users.

We consider the lived experience workforce to be pivotal to the future of eating disorder treatment and are positioned to be leaders in this emerging field.

What we are looking for

We are looking for motivated and compassionate individuals who are passionate about supporting our community that are impacted by eating disorders. You are communication savvy and have the ability to adapt your style and confidently create a safe and trusted space for those seeking support. Whilst not expected to have all the answers, you will be trusted to problem solve and seek out answers independently, as well as being encouraged to seek out support from your volunteer peers and Hub Coordinator.

You may have experience or a passion for not-for-profit, health or mental health settings or perhaps studying and seeking more hands on experience in this space.

The following shifts are currently available in our Hub roster:

Wednesday morning: 9.30am – 1.00pm

Thursday afternoon: 1.00pm – 4.30pm

Friday afternoon: 1.00pm – 4.30pm

What we can offer you 

• A genuinely amazing place to work – we know that our people are our best asset  
• Support and encouragement to grow your professional skill set 
• Opportunities to engage in a fun social calendar of events 
• Hybrid working arrangements (flexibility to volunteer onsite or remote) 
• Professional development opportunities  

ROLE STATEMENT

Hub Volunteers participate in the direct provision of information, support and referral service. It should be noted that the Hub is not a crisis service, a counselling service or one that provides professional/medical/nutritional advice. Service users include individuals with an eating disorder, families, partners and friends, community members and health professionals.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Provide support, information and details of additional professional services to consumers accessing the Eating Disorder Hub via phone, email or web.
• Statistical data entry associated with Hub enquiries.
• Assist EDV with other administrative tasks as required.

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential:

• A willingness to volunteer onsite or remote under EDV’s hybrid volunteering model
• An understanding of eating disorders and related mental health issues.
• Understanding of the nature and purpose of support services in Victoria.
• Well developed written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to modify own style to meet the consumer’s needs.
• Ability to relate to people in distress.
• High level of personal accountability.
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a broader team of up to 20 Hub volunteers.
• Ability to establish meaningful contact (empower & build rapport) with service users from diverse backgrounds.
• Desire to take responsibility for own learning.
• Ability to take direction and use feedback to develop own professional capabilities.

Desirable:

• Lived experience of an eating disorder and or other mental illness or as a carer of a loved one with an eating disorder and or other mental illness.
• Counselling experience/knowledge.
• Experience working in a professional environment.
• Experience working in a voluntary capacity.
• Proficient with Internet, Outlook, Microsoft Office and Salesforce

Location:

The EDV office is based at the Collingwood Football Club Community Centre, Level 2, Cnr Lulie & Abbot Streets, Abbotsford, Vic 3067. Under the current volunteer Hybrid model, Hub volunteers are very welcome to attend the office for their weekly shift and just as welcome to volunteer remotely provided they have a safe, confidential space to do so.

Employment conditions:

• Voluntary role, minimum 12-month commitment. Volunteers will be rostered on the same shift each week (minimum 3.5 hours per week).
• Background checks & reference checks apply. Completion of the internal training program is compulsory
• Volunteers who have had a personal experience with an eating disorder &/or other mental health issues need to be recovered for a minimum period of 2 years and will be asked to participate in ongoing conversations with the Hub Coordinator to ensure that volunteering in this environment does not cause undue distress.
• In recognition of contribution to the organisation, EDV will provide each volunteer with a written reference after 12 months of continuous volunteering. EDV is also able to be a verbal referee for tertiary program applications and paid employment.

Ethical requirements: All EDV staff are required to adhere to the EDV Code of Ethics, Code of Conduct, Core Values and guiding principles and relevant organisational policies, practices and guidelines.

Wellness criteria: EDV values the lived experience of volunteers, staff and board members in the organisation. For anyone who discloses a history of a mental illness, including eating disorders, we recommend a two-year recovery period and a ‘Declaration of Wellness’ to ensure volunteering in this environment does not cause undue distress.

Intellectual Property: All information that volunteers have access to, create, contribute to, review or are otherwise privy to remains the property of EDV. This includes information relating to all EDV programs, processes, internal operations and strategic initiatives.

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply, please navigate to the 'Apply Now' section and include a resume and a cover letter which includes a specific response to each of the Key Selection Criteria (found on the position description).

Please combine these as a single document. Applications submitted to EDV via email will not be monitored.

If you don’t meet all of the key selection criteria, but are still keen to volunteer with us, we want to hear from you! Please just tell us what you will bring to the role within your application.

For more information about the role and working at EDV contact Melanie McTaggart at [email protected], using the subject line: Hub Volunteer enquiry via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.