• Provide IPS informed, person-centred wellbeing services to individuals experiencing psychological distress
• Fixed term role until 30 June 2027, Part time 22.8 hours/week and Full time
• Greater Shepparton Location  

Mind strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, people with a lived experience of mental ill health and recovery, and applicants from all cultures, genders, sexualities, bodies, abilities, spiritualities, 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

We are seeking Peer Practitioners to join our team in a new wellbeing support service within the Greater Shepparton area. The successful applicant will utilise their lived/living experience of mental health challenges and recovery to provide relational, short-term supports to service users.

In this role you will work within a team of Peer Practitioners and specialist support workers. The service will offer 2-3 weeks of care to those experiencing distress and involve flexible ways of connecting with service users including telehealth, outreach and on-site supports. 

About the innovative service

• Distress Brief Support (DBS) is a community-based, early intervention program designed to provide immediate, compassionate support to people experiencing psychological distress.
• The service is part of a national trial under the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement, with a focus on co-design, lived experience leadership, and community engagement.
• In Greater Shepparton, DBS has been tailored to local needs and is delivered entirely by workers with lived experience.
• Working in partnership with Primary Care Connect, the DBS service will be offered through community engagement points and a short-term support team, which provides 2–3 weeks of assistance, connection, and referrals based on individual needs.

Key responsibilities

• Utilise your own lived/living experience of mental health challenges and recovery to inform your work.
• Be grounded in the discipline of Lived Expertise, drawing from your own lived experience, informed by a commitment to social change, human rights, dignity and choice.
• Disclose your lived experience in an appropriate and purposeful manner to empower, bring hope and support the recovery of service users.
• Demonstrate knowledge and abilities gained from both an individuals lived/living experiences, collective impacts and Lived Expertise.
• Work with people experiencing psychological distress, both carers and service users, as well as working with a diverse range of community members and stakeholders in the region.

What you’ll bring

• Previous experience in using lived experience expertise in a dedicated Peer role strongly desirable.
• Experience, expertise and/or desire in working directly with people with mental health challenges and their families and carers.
• An understanding and ability to articulate how Lived Experience work is distinct and unique, including the values, principles, and practice of the discipline.
• Experience or ability to acquire skills in understanding needs and working collaboratively to plan wellbeing supports using evidence informed approaches and tools.
• Experience and/or commitment in providing empathic person-centred, relational support.
• Completion of Intentional Peer Support Core and/or Advanced training is highly regarded.

Benefits

• Salary packaging up to $15,900 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.
• Learning and development opportunities.   

Interested?

To obtain a position description and apply online click Apply Now to visit Mind Careers - reference number 497558. Online applications must be submitted by the closing date. Please contact the person below for more information.

Lisa Williams –Program Coordinator

[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]

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.