Peer Worker

Make an impact supporting young people, their families and carers

Austin Health is the major provider of tertiary health services, health professional education and research across three campuses in the north-east of Melbourne and state-wide.  We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our purpose, which is to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives.

Austin Health Mental Health Division (MHD) provides care and services through a comprehensive range of teams to meet the needs of mental health consumers and carers throughout Victoria. Services in the Mental Health Division are located across Austin Health and the community.

All mental health services work within a clinical framework that promotes recovery-oriented practice and supported decision-making. This approach to client wellbeing builds on the strengths of the individual working in partnership with their treating team.  It encompasses the principles of self- determination and individualised treatment and care.

About the infant Child and Youth Mental Health Service - ICYMHS

The Infant Child and Youth Mental Health directorate provides clinical and developmental  inpatient and community mental health services through the following service units:

• Child Inpatient Psychiatry Unit
• Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatry Unit
• Early Intervention Child and Family Residential Service- Booboop Narrkwarren Nagarra Jarra Noun
• Community infant child and youth teams
• Outreach teams - Adolescent Intensive Mobile, Youth Early Psychosis and Youth Brief Intervention
• Specialist clinicians and teams

About the role

The Inner North Infant Child  Community team -INCCT currently works with infants children and families who are experiencing significant mental health issues that impact on their wellbeing and development. Such children require significant support and case management. The team works predominately centre based though some outreach as required.

The Peer Worker will join INCCT to provide support to the team and the carers of the infants and children they work with. These roles are part of expansion to further embed lived experience workers in all teams within ICYMHS, thus supporting the implementation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System’s recommendations, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act, and any other relevant projects.

A regular day will see you:

• Support carers of the consumers who are accessing INCCT and ICYMHS
• Work with other disciplines in the team to ensure the consumer voice is considered in all planning and work 
• implementing service improvement initiatives
• Support and work alongside other lived experience workforce employees

About you

As an experienced Lived experience worker, you will be pivotal in bringing the perspective and voice of the consumers within the multi-disciplinary team-

To be successful in this role you'll bring with you:

• Relevant qualifications and/or experience
• Significant personal lived experience as a carer who has accessed area mental health services.
• The ability to work with and advocate for lived experience needs of all backgrounds, genders, sexualities, cultures, and abilities.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to present at forums and meetings

Our benefits

Working at Austin Health means enjoying a strong sense of purpose, engaging in meaningful work every day.  Our people also receive a variety of rewarding benefits, including:

• Greater take-home pay through generous salary packaging for living expenses, meals and holiday accommodation
• A suite of wellness initiatives designed to support you, including discounted fitness memberships and special offers on health insurance, and a comprehensive wellbeing program
• Mentoring, learning and career development opportunities
• Four weeks annual leave (pro rata for part time), plus purchased leave options 
• Flexible, hybrid working arrangements 

Inclusion at Austin Health

We celebrate, value and include people of all backgrounds, genders, identities, cultures, bodies and abilities.  We welcome and support applications from anyone identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, physically or culturally diverse, LGBTQIA+, and people of any age.

Work with us!

If you feel this role is right for you, we encourage your early application. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place prior to the closing date. This means we reserve the right to close a job ad prior to the advertised closing date.  All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory National Police Check and if required, a Working With Children Check. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, you are welcome to reach out to the hiring manager.