We support individuals living with mental health challenges to achieve outcomes they value.

• Full Time Maximum Term Contract until 30 June 2025
• Classification: SCHADS Level 4 with a salary range of $82,123 - $88,367 per annum + Superannuation
• Salary packaging arrangements providing tax benefits available for living and entertainment expenses increasing your take home income where part of your wage is paid tax free each pay, savings thousands in tax each year
• Location: Whittlesea Vic Locals, South Morang VIC

About Neami National

"We're big believers in everyone having the opportunity to live a full life - and we give our all to support people to achieve wellbeing and mental health outcomes that matter to them.

For some people, this means having a stronger sense of self. For others, it may mean nurturing relationships or building the confidence to tackle tomorrow. Everyone has different life goals, and at Neami, we walk alongside people to help improve their quality of life on their terms.

We're proud to support 38,000 people living with mental health challenges across Australia and offer more than 70 services, over 45 different Indigenous lands. These services include mental health and wellbeing, housing and homelessness, and suicide prevention."

About your new role

The Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System recognised that communities play a critical role in supporting mental health and wellbeing, particularly in their role supporting social connectedness. One of the Royal Commission's recommendations is the establishment of a social prescribing trial within six of the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Local services (Local Services).

Social prescribing will support Local Services to refer people experiencing psychological distress, mental illness and/or addiction into non-clinical community groups to support community participation, inclusion and connection. Older adults and those experiencing social isolation and loneliness will be priority groups for the trials.

The link worker, which is a lived experience position, we be performing a dual role to:

• support the individual, their carers, families and supporters to engage with non-clinical activities to benefit their mental health and wellbeing; and
  enable sustained engagement with local community organisations, clubs and activity providers, ensuring their groups are safe, welcoming and inclusive places for people to access.
• A link worker will form part of a client's wider care team, working alongside other support workers to provide holistic care.

What you will bring to the role

• Learnings from personal experience of mental health challenges, distress and periods of healing, which may include service use. Your recovery experience may be related to mental health, suicidal crisis, drugs and alcohol use or trauma.
• Willingness to identify or be identified by others as a professional with lived experience of recovery.
• Willingness to share and draw on lived experience purposefully in the role to instill confidence and hope in others about the journey of recovery.
• Experience in the areas of social work, community health/welfare or allied health
• Ability to plan, use and continually review self-disclosure in a purposeful, meaningful and safe way for consumers, community and self.
• Experience in developing and facilitating group activities to meet the needs of participants and communities in relation to understanding suicide and prevention including self-care management practices.
• Experience consulting and working collaboratively with communities and other stakeholders and service providers.

What will Neami offer in return?

• Generous leave entitlements including paid parental leave, an Accrued Day Off each month, Gratis Leave and Wellness Leave
• Professional development through regular practice development sessions and coaching with your supervisor
• Ongoing extensive in-house Learning and Development programs to encourage learning and skill-building
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through TELUS - providing holistic health and wellness supports and resources to Neami staff and their immediate family
• Flexible work arrangements are available for maintaining your work-life balance

What the role requires

• National Criminal History Check (police check) - disclosable outcomes considered
• Current Working with Children Check - required before commencement of work
• Current Australian drivers licence and access to a car
• Australian working rights

How to Apply

The terms and conditions of the role are listed in the position description which can be found on the Neami Job Vacancy portal (select paper clip icon).

To apply for this position, please:

• Click the 'Apply Now' button where you will need to create a username and password.
• Upload your resume and cover letter.

When applying for this position, you are asked to tell us about your previous work experience, your suitability for this role and your answers to any target questions (where asked).

Please include in your application how you would prefer to be contacted (whether via email, text or phone call).

If you have any further questions not addressed in the job advertisement or position description, or if you require any adjustments to participate in the recruitment process, please contact:

• Alana Istanto, Service Manager Lived Experience at alana.istanto@neaminational.org.au, using the subject line: Community Link Worker - South Morang enquiry via EthicalJobs.

If you are excited about this role, but only meet some of the requirements, we encourage you to call or email us to talk about this opportunity. We're passionate about creating opportunities and supporting professional development.

If your application is shortlisted:

• We may invite you to have an informal phone conversation to discuss the role and get to know more about your experience and interest and answer your questions.
• We may invite you to an interview (which may be in person or conducted online via Microsoft Teams) with up to three panel members from Neami.

Be Yourself - Neami values and celebrates diversity including multidisciplinary teams and the unique backgrounds, experiences and contributions that each person brings to our community. First Nations people, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities and culturally and linguistically diverse people are encouraged to apply. Our aim is to create a workforce that is accessible, inclusive and reflects the community in which we live.