• Be part of the establishment of a new model of mental health service delivery
• Join a supportive and committed group that values your contribution and knowledge
• Develop key skills and connections to assist your professional & personal development

About the new service

The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System has challenged us to think beyond incremental improvement to deliver a mental health system that helps all Victorians live their best lives. In a region characterised by fragmentation, complexity, and access barriers, implementing the Greater Geelong and Borough of Queenscliffe (GGQ) Local Mental Health and Wellbeing Service is a key step in realising this goal.

The GGQ Local Mental Health and Wellbeing Service is delivered by a consortium of equal partners: Barwon Health, Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative Ltd, Wellways Australia and ERMHA365.

The GGQ Local Service is underpinned by positivity, hope and inclusion. No matter whether a consumer, carer or provider enters or seeks assistance via digital platforms, contact centre, or physical locations, the first engagement will always start with a simple question: “Welcome, how can we help?” Drawing on established services, networks, and pathways, the GGQ Local Services provides seamless integration between local, area and wellbeing services for the benefit of consumers, carers, and providers. This is supported through standardised assessment tools, treatment and support processes, care plans and care coordination, colocation of services and regional navigational pathways.

About the Opportunities

We are seeking the participation and contribution of lived experience community members on the GGQ Local Service Governance Group.

The Local Service Governance Group holds accountability and governance for the implementation and establishment of the Local Service, and holds clinical and operational oversight, governance and accountability.

These roles are integral to ensure that the perspectives of consumers and carer are central to the implementation, delivery and evaluation of the service.

Responsibilities as a Committee member

Members of the GGQ Locals Governance Group will be expected to:

• Provide specialised expertise and experience relating to specific Lived Experience workforce disciplines, roles, functions and other identified priority areas
• Bring a constructive and solutions-focused approach to improving the wellbeing of mental health workforce, that considers the workforce as a collective with a shared vision and purpose, while also supporting responsiveness to discipline-specific wellbeing risks that arise.
• Identify and facilitate relationships with additional stakeholders and expertise as required to support the work of the Governance Group

About the key requirements

• There are two consumer positions and two carer positions available:
  • Consumer positions require experience of mental ill-health and recovery
  • Carer positions require experience of supporting family, friends or loved ones through their experience of mental ill-health and recovery
• Established connections to consumer lived experience workforce networks or family carer lived experience workforce networks.
• Understanding of the regions mental health system
• Able to attend monthly meetings and participate in preparatory work, working groups and follow-up work (totalling approximately 16 hours per month at commencement).

Preference will be given to people

• Living or working in the Greater Geelong and Borough of Queenscliffe areas
• Who have completed, or are willing to complete Board Governance education and training
• Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people are encourage to apply

Information Sessions

We will be conducting information sessions on the GGQ Governance Group, and the functions of LE member roles on:

• Thursday 25th of August 2022 at 4-5pm
• Monday 5th September 2022 at 10:00-10:30am

Please email [email protected] to register your interest in attending.

Time Commitment & Remuneration

The initial time-commitment for these positions will be 16 hours per month (two business days). However, as the group moves out of its establishment phase, this time commitment may be subject to change.

Ideally, members will attend as a representative of their organisation within normal work hours. Where a member is not attending in a paid capacity, remuneration applies in line with the pay scales of the registers as agreed by Tandem, VMIAC and the Department. As per the Mental Health Lived Experience Framework, the level of engagement required will be to “Collaborate (co-design)”. The daily rate may vary depending on the length of the meeting (still to be determined) and the pre-reading requirements.

Current rates for “Collaborating” are as follows:

• $435 full day rate
• $218 half day rate

To submit your application click Apply Now.

Diversity and Inclusion

The GGQ Local Mental Health and Wellbeing Service is committed to reconciliation, lived experience and inclusivity. We strongly encourage and warmly welcome people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, people with a lived experience of mental health and disability and people who identify as LGBTIQA+ to apply. Even if you only meet some of the criteria, we’d love to hear from you.

If we can assist you with any reasonable adjustments in order to submit your application for this role, please contact the Mental Health Recruitment team via email at [email protected], using the subject line: Lived Experience Community Members - Governance Group, Mental Health & Wellbeing Services - Geelong enquiry via EthicalJobs, and noting your preferred method of communication and contact details and a member of the team will be in touch.