• Job Reference No V0320
• Fixed Term Part-Time position

At Better Health Network (BHN), the Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) Worker within the Harm Reduction program plays a crucial role in supporting the health and wellbeing of clients who use drugs. Based at South Melbourne and Prahran, you will provide clean injecting equipment, consumables, and education on safer drug use.

This role also involves offering naloxone education and responding to clients at risk of overdose. You'll support clients through referrals to AOD, mental health, allied health, and other services, contributing to their overall health improvement.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide an accessible, client-focused, and evidence-based service to people who use drugs.
• Offer practical education and advice on safer using practices, management of injecting sites, wound care, and disposal of used equipment.
• Support service users with referrals to other services within and external to BHN.
• Keep up to date with current trends and drug alerts, new educational resources for emerging drug trends and associated harms.
• Contribute to the planning, evaluation, and development of BHN NSP programs.
• Participate in needle/syringe retrievals around the BHN sites and practice safe disposal techniques to discard used equipment.
• Assess and monitor service users who present at the NSP at risk of overdose or in distress due to risky substance use.
• Ensure data collection is accurate and timely.
• Contribute to quality and continuous improvement processes to ensure the NSP continues to meet the needs of the service users.
• Participate in relevant internal and external meetings.

Requirements and Attributes:

• A professional qualification in Cert IV AOD/ 4 Core Competencies minimum or other AOD/harm reduction qualification/Living Lived Experience.
• Experience in Needle and Syringe Programs.
• Demonstrated ability to provide evidence-based harm reduction interventions to people who inject drugs.
• Excellent knowledge of drugs, reducing harm, injecting related injuries and diseases and sexually transmitted infections is provided.
• A clear understanding of the social model of health, trauma informed care and recovery orientated practice.

Benefits and Perks of Working with BHN:

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Supportive and inclusive workplace culture.
• Opportunities for professional development and training.
• Flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance.
• Engage in meaningful work that positively impacts the community.

What makes BHN Tick?

Better Health Network (BHN) encompasses more than 22 locations and has over 800 staff work in multi-disciplinary teams to deliver health and disability outcomes. BHN is a responsive and agile community health service, providing a wide range of healthcare, social support, disability, and welfare services for all members of the community.

BHN provides services spanning all periods of life including specialist childhood, youth, and aged care services. In achieving its vision of health and wellbeing for all, BHN is guided by our distinct service principles which include working with people and communities to achieve their health goals, understanding the context in which people live their lives, providing friendly, affordable, and holistic service.

If this role is the one you’ve been looking for click Apply Now. Interviews will be held immediately on shortlisting.

For information about the role and position description, please contact Lucien Keene, Program Lead-AOD Harm Reduction at [email protected], using the subject line: Needle and Syringe Program Worker enquiry via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.

Please note that prior to any commencement of employment, pre-employment checks must be complete. These will include reference checking, a national criminal history and right to work check, proof of vaccinations and a working with children check. Better Health Network is an equal opportunity employer.

We encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds, including those from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, and LGBTI+ communities.