About us:

The Council to Homeless Persons is the Victorian peak body representing organisations and individuals with a commitment to ending homelessness.

About the volunteer program:

The CHP Peer Education and Support Program (PESP) is a leading, volunteer advocacy program that gives people who have lived without a home an opportunity to educate the community, advocate for improved responses and influence change in the sector.

About you:

• Participants in the PESP program come from a diverse range of backgrounds
• You are self-motivated, committed and have an interest in educating and influencing people within and outside the homelessness sector
• You are willing to speak publicly about your experience of homelessness and homelessness services, and able to work co-operatively within a team of other homelessness advocates
• You have good verbal communication skills, and are open to working with a wide range of people including; school children, community groups and policy makers at the Government level
• You are able to commit to a 2-year volunteer program that delivers great benefits for its participants

About the role:

The PESP team takes part in activities such as:

• Participating in working groups, steering groups or committees
• Media activities and public speaking
• Consultation with services and all levels of government
• Training delivery to the specialist homelessness and allied sectors
• Facilitating peer focus groups and interviews or surveys

PESP volunteer hours per week negotiable with PESP Team Leader.

PESP team members required to attend all 8 induction training days (1 per week for 8 weeks)

Prerequisites:

• Having experienced living without a home and accessed assistance from a Victorian homelessness service
• No educational, vocational or employment history is required, however PESP recruits must have basic literacy

What can we offer you:

As well as $80 honorarium for each day you are engaged in a PESP activity or training and $20 cash to cover childcare expenses where applicable, PESP volunteers receive ongoing training and support including media and public speaking training. Many participants have found that PESP has created pathways to new employment opportunities, improved their self-confidence and helped them to re-connect with social networks.

A position description is attached.