Community Development Worker - Dandenong

Job description

• Be involved in the establishment of the new Locals – a key system transformation
• Deliver positive, person centred wellbeing services to people with mental health and AOD challenges
• Permanent role | Full time
• Dandenong 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, spiritualities, ages and backgrounds.
Mind Australia is one of the country’s leading community-managed specialist mental health service providers with a range of residential, mobile outreach, centre based and online services. We have been supporting people living with the day-to-day impacts of mental illness, as well as their families, friends and carers for over 45 years.
We provide practical and motivational support that helps people to develop the skills they need to move on, thrive and improve the quality of their lives. It’s an approach to mental health and wellbeing that looks at the whole person in the context of their daily life. Mind is committed to diversity and social inclusion.
About the role
The Adult and Older Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing services, also refer to as “Locals”, are a key recommendation from Victoria’s Royal Commission into the mental health service system’s transformation. The Locals will act as the ‘front door’ service to the mental health system and will provide a continuum of care and support, including clinical interventions, wellbeing supports, and therapeutic support through an integrated mental health and alcohol and other drug framework approach. These services will have a ‘no wrong door’ policy, ensuring accessibility to all individuals seeking support.
The Community Development Worker will actively engage with the local community, especially disadvantaged, marginalised, and hardly reached groups, to promote the Local, promote mental health, reduce stigma and promote wellbeing. In this role you will draw upon evidenced informed Community Development theory and approaches, including intersectional and cultural practice, to inform the work they do. This role will work collaboratively with all practitioners within the Local to develop community education, social connections, therapeutic groups, events and capacity building.
Key responsibilities

• Conduct local needs assessments to understand current engagement with diverse consumers, families and carers and identify opportunities for participation and partnership development.
• Work with the Service Operations Manager to develop and implement a community engagement plan.
• Engage local consumer, family and carers in co-design activities.
• Identify community assets, connect with these, record these in an assets register, and create pathways for consumer to link with these to support their recovery and wellbeing.
• Develop strategic relationships across the community to support the Life Links model, including education, training, neighbourhood houses, support groups, events, safe spaces.

What you’ll bring

• Tertiary qualifications (minimum Certificate IV) in Mental Health, Peer Work, Psychology, Social Work, Community Development, Health Promotion or other health related field as designated by Mind and/or equivalent experience in a similar industry.
• Specific qualifications relating to Community Development work will be highly regarded.
• Proven experience in Community Development and engagement work, using approaches such as asset-based Community Development and co-design.
• Proven track record in building and maintaining effective working relationships with a diverse range of community stakeholders.
• Effective project management expertise including initiating projects, supporting lived experience participants, and coordinating and managing meetings with multiple stakeholders.

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.)
• Generous leave entitlements including 8 weeks paid parental leave, 17.5% annual leave loading.
• Learning and development opportunities.
• Work within a passionate and collaborative team as part of establishing a new service.

Interested?
To obtain a position description and apply online click Apply Now to visit Mind Careers - reference number 494646. Please contact the person below for more information:
Lisa Williams, Locals Establishment Service Manager
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.
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