Switchboard Victoria is based on the lands of the Yaluk-ut Weelam clan of the Boon Wurrung peoples. 
 
We acknowledge that our work takes place on lands that are under colonial occupation and that sovereignty has never been ceded. We hope to pay our deepest respects to Boon Wurrung elders, past and present, and wish to extend this respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People across this Country we know as Australia.

About Switchboard Victoria (Inc.) 

Switchboard Victoria is a community-based, not for profit organisation that provides peer-based, volunteer driven support services for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and gender diverse, Intersex, Queer, Asexual and more (LGBTIQA+) people and their friends, families and allies. 

Our current activities include: 

• Phone and web counselling and referral – Switchboard is the Victorian partner in the national QLife service. QLife provides anonymous and free LGBTIQA+ peer support and referral for people in Australia wanting to talk about sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings, or relationships.
• Community connections for older LGBTI people – Switchboard’s Out and About program aims to reduce social isolation and loneliness through creating friendship and connection between LGBTI seniors living anywhere in Victoria and peer volunteer visitors.
• Rainbow Door - is a free specialist LGBTIQA+ helpline providing information, support, and referral to all LGBTIQA+ Victorians, their friends and family. Rainbow Door supports people of all ages and identities with issues that may include suicidal thoughts, family, and intimate partner violence (including elder abuse), alcohol and other drugs, relationship issues, sexual assault, social isolation, mental health and wellbeing.
• Suicide prevention - research and development of suicide prevention resources and programs for LGBTIQA+ communities.
• QTIBPoC Programs - The QTIBPoC programs aim to build greater equity for Queer, Trans, Intersex and Bla(c)k, Indigenous and/or People of Colour and People of Faith. In consultation with key stakeholders, Switchboard’s QTIBPoC Programs will build internal capacity to meet QTIBPoC community needs and extend into targeted services.
• Training Program – Switchboard delivers a range of training to the community and service sector organisations. Trainings offerings include LGBTIQA+ Inclusive Practice, How to Recognise and Respond to F/IPV, How to Talk About Suicide Safely, Everyday Racism in the Workplace and Peer Support Training. Staff are accredited to deliver LivingWorks programs ASIST and safeTALK.
• Rainbow Families - Connecting and supporting LGBTIQA+ parents, carers, and their families. Supporting services to develop and deliver rainbow family-inclusive better practice across Victoria.

Position details

Title: Suicide Prevention Support Worker

Organisation: Switchboard Victoria (Inc)

Employment type: 0.8 FTE, 30.4 hours/week

Classification & remuneration: Social and Community Services Employee, Level 5 Pay Point 1 as per the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award 2010. This includes an additional 11.5% of superannuation and the option of salary packaging. Tax benefit available from salary sacrifice, package of up to $15,899.

Location: St Kilda

Reports to: Suicide Prevention Team Leader

Direct reports: Nil

About Suicide Prevention  

At Switchboard, we’ve made it our core work to respond to the challenges of suicide among our LGBTIQA+ communities.

Switchboard is passionately involved in providing dedicated LGBTIQA+ peer-led suicide prevention programs, services, and initiatives across Australia.

We are a leading LGBTIQA+ organisation working nationally to provide suicide prevention, intervention and postvention programs to LGBTIQA+ people with a strong emphasis on building community resilience through peer-led and lived experience activities.

Position overview

The Suicide Prevention Support Worker provides 1:1 peer-led and short-term case support to people who are accessing Switchboard’s Suicide Prevention Program.

Many people who have experiences around suicide will face complex challenges to their wellbeing that can include isolation, suicidal distress, AOD, family violence, housing, employment instability and financial difficulties. This position plays a key role in responding to people who contact our suicide prevention service by offering non-judgemental, empathetic and person focused support, and facilitating referral into appropriate services.

The Suicide Prevention Support Worker has a particular focus on working with LGBTIQA+ people who are experiencing grief after a suicide and LGBTIQA+ people who have lived experiences around suicide, including thoughts of suicide, suicidal distress, bereaved after a suicide and their carers.

The Suicide Prevention Support Worker works as part of the Suicide Prevention team and reports directly to the Team Leader who will provide supervision and debriefing. Additionally, the Suicide Prevention Support Worker will regularly connect with the Rainbow Door Case Management team through a community of practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Work within intersectional feminist, anti-racist, anti-oppressive organisational guidelines, and practice frameworks
• Provide 1:1 peer-led support to program participants over the phone, email/text and/or via Zoom
• Utilise specialist suicide prevention knowledge, strengths based, trauma informed, client focused and harm minimisation approaches in interactions with service users
• Facilitate referrals into appropriate support services, particularly Rainbow Door Case Management program, bereavement counselling and suicidal distress programs.
• Maintain a caseload of maximum 10 individuals
• Use and maintenance of client information system
• Contribute to continuous development of specialised suicide prevention approach to case management and support
• Work in a professional manner following the organisational Code of Conduct including respecting the diversity of staff teams, stakeholders and service users and upholding the values of Switchboard
• Attend team meetings, case planning meetings, specific training and keep up to date with any materials emailed or sent out as part of the ongoing development and debrief processes
• Participate in communications to help inform planning, program reviews and policy and practice and evaluation
• Actively participate in internal and external supervision
• Other duties as directed by Team Leader and Management

Key Selection criteria

Essential:

• Applicant must identify as part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender diverse, Intersex, asexual (LGBTIQA+) [Switchboard Victoria has an exemption under the Equal Employment].
• Commitment to cultural awareness and competence in service provision with multicultural and/or multifaith and First Nations communities.
• Qualifications in counselling, social work, psychology, community services or equivalence in experience working in peer, lived experience or social and emotional wellbeing roles.
• Demonstrated peer support or case management experience which emphasises a holistic approach and strong client advocacy.
• Excellent organisation and communications skills (written and verbal) including demonstrated skills and ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with people who identify as LGBTIQA+.
• Understanding of the issues impacting LGBTIQA+ people, their families and communities including social determinants of mental health and suicide.
• Demonstrated ability to be self-directed, to work independently and as an active team member.

Desirable

• Personal experience around suicide, such as thoughts of suicide, suicidal distress, bereaved after a suicide or caring for a loved one.
• Experience working with multicultural and/or multifaith communities and First Nations communities.
• Previous experience in working in suicide prevention programs or in the area of loss and grief.
• Demonstrated knowledge of non-clinical and lived experience approaches to suicide prevention.
• Experience working in Aboriginal communities, particularly social and emotional well-being, Aboriginal health workers, and Aboriginal community development.
• Completion of ASIST training in the last 2 years.

To find out more and apply

Please carefully review the selection criteria for this position, which you should systematically address in your application (this does not have to be a in a separate document), which should also include your resume listing all relevant employment and volunteer experience and qualifications.

How to apply: Please use the form accessed via the "Apply Now" button to apply with a resume, cover letter and document addressing the essential selection criteria above.

Contact: For more information, please contact Suicide Prevention Team Leader, Anna McFee.

Email: [email protected] using the subject line: Suicide Prevention Support Worker enquiry via EthicalJobs

Switchboard Victoria is committed to supporting diversity and inclusion in our workforce and will consider all qualified applicants, regardless of sex, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability or national origin.  Switchboard especially welcomes and encourages applications from people who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander; trans, gender diverse or intersex; disabled; carers; live with HIV, are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), People of Colour and/or People of Faith; identify with having lived experiences of suicide and mental ill-health.

Find out more about working at Switchboard at http://www.switchboard.org.au/