• Experience on the job training whilst you study to deliver recovery-orientated services to clients experiencing mental health challenges &/or distress
• Fixed term 10 month role | Part time 22.8 hours/week
• Frankston Location

Mind strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, people with a lived and living experience of mental distress and recovery, and applicants from all cultures, genders, sexualities, bodies, abilities, spiritualties, ages and backgrounds.

Mind Australia is one of Australia’s largest providers of community-managed psychosocial services, supporting people experiencing mental health and wellbeing challenges to find help, hope and purpose in their lives. Operating for more than 45 years and employing more than 1,300 staff around Australia, Mind is a leading employer of people with lived experience of mental health challenges, recognising their unique ability to connect with and motivate clients and guide recovery. 

About the role

The Sub-Acute short stay ‘step up, step down’ Prevention and Recovery Care (PARC) service is delivered in partnership with Mind, Victorian hospital networks and the health service supporting people with psychosocial disability transition from an acute hospital setting or to prevent hospital admissions by providing extra support to those entering directly from the community.

The Peer Cadet role will be hosted at 2 sites throughout the cadetship.

The Frankston Prevention and Recovery Care service (PARC) is a ten bed residential service providing services to clients aged between 16 – 65 years.

The Youth Prevention and Recovery Care service (YPARC) is a ten bed residential service providing services to youth aged between 16 – 25 years.

We are seeking a resilient, self-motivated Peer Cadet for a 10-month Fixed Term, Part Time (22.8 hours per week) opportunity in the Frankston area. You will be supported to deliver personalised support services and works collaboratively with clients to achieve their recovery goals through one-to-one support, shared supports, workshops and group work facilitation to enhance recovery, personal growth and moving towards a better future. 

To be eligible

To be eligible, applicants must submit a covering letter that addresses their ‘Lived/Living Experience’, as well as provide evidence of enrolment in the Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work before commencement of the cadetship period.

Applicants will also need to meet the selection criteria defined by participating organisations.

Online information sessions

Understanding more about what peer work is, and what the Peer Cadet Program involves, can help you make sure this is the right opportunity for you. Applicants should watch a pre-recorded session before applying. 

We invite potential candidates to watch one of our information sessions (online) to find out more about the program. Program leads from participating organisations will also be available to answer any questions you may have about this opportunity.

The agenda items for the information session are as follows:

• About the Peer Cadet Program
• What Is Peer Work
• What to Consider Before Applying to Become a Peer Cadet
• Peer Cadetship Expectations
• Peer Cadet Program Host Organisations
• The Application Process

Further information is available on the Lived Experience Career Compass website https://www.mindaustralia.org.au/peer-cadet-program-lived-experience-career-compass.

Questions about the program can be emailed to [email protected].

Key responsibilities

• Willingness to utilise your own lived experience of mental ill health and recovery and/or caring to inform your work and the work of the team.
• Draw on Mind’s Peer Work Framework and Model of Peer Work to guide your work.
• Learn to support staff and clients to return to a place of residence and a meaningful life supporting them through a staged approach to recovery
• Learn to aid in planning, developing and facilitating group work programs that will assist clients to build their skills, focus on their recovery and work towards transitioning back to their natural community.
• Build skills to be able to engage with clients to understand and respond to their needs

What you’ll bring

• Must be currently enrolled and/or undertaking Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work
• Intentional Peer Support (IPS) and/or Alt2Su training desirable but not mandatory
• Willingness to learn and engage with Lived and Living Experience values
• Ability to  learn and about draw on Mind’s Peer Work Framework and Model of Peer Work to guide your work
• Willingness to travel to Burnley head office and other locations for training, events and workshops

Benefits

• Salary packaging up to $15,899 p.a. allows you to allocate a portion of your pre-tax income to cover living expenses (e.g. rent, mortgage, child care, car leasing expenses etc.)
• Option to access Meal and Entertainment allowance up to $2,650 p.a. via Salary Packaging.
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), provided by Converge International, for you and your immediate family members.

Interested?

To apply click 'Apply Now' to visit Mind Careers - reference number 497533. Online applications must be submitted by 11pm on the closing date. Please contact the person below for more information.

Tim McGregor, Lived Experience Project Lead

[email protected] 

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to provide a positive, barrier-free recruitment process. If you require any support or reasonable adjustments to complete your application, please contact us at [email protected].

Position Description

 PD Peer Cadet (LE) 20250513.pdf

The successful applicant is required to complete comprehensive reference and background checking prior to employment, including a Working with Children Check, NDIS Workers Screening Check and the ability to obtain vaccinations against COVID-19.