Peer Worker - Tambo

• Extensive investment in facilities and people supporting our significant service expansion
• Free On-site Parking
• A culture where people care

A career in the forensic mental health sector is diverse, challenging and rewarding. A career at Forensicare will be like no other. If you're passionate about supporting people in their mental health recovery, Forensicare is where you need to be. You will be a part of a caring and supportive team, making a real difference to people living with the dual stigma of mental illness and offending. We approach our work with curiosity and a commitment to understanding the unique needs of our consumers and carers. Working across community, hospital and prison settings, you can learn, apply your specialist skills and advance in your profession. Together, we can contribute to a more connected, compassionate mental health and criminal justice system.

Job location

Based at Thomas Embling Hospital just 15 minutes north of the city and Ravenhall Correctional Center. With significant growth planned for the team, our Lived Experience team are an integral part of implementing recovery approaches for mental health consumers and carers. Lived experience workers bring expertise developed from their own mental health experiences.

Forensicare provides specialist forensic mental health services across 12 of Victoria's 14 prisons with expansion underway to include Western Plains in the Barwon region. This position based at Ravenhall Correctional Centre in Melbourne's west, provides 75 prison-based custodial mental health beds as well as assessments and outpatient services provided in maximum-security forensic mental health complex within the medium-security prison.

About the Role:

The purpose of this position is to provide support and advocacy for consumers at Thomas Embling Hospital. The Peer Support Worker will work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to provide direct support to consumers during their recovery. The position will also work as part of the Lived Experience Team.

Duties:

• Support consumer leadership and participation in their treatment and recovery.
• Facilitate/Co-facilitate Recovery Groups.
• Promote the safety and respect of consumers.
• Co-write notes with consumers about peer interactions on relevant documentation software.

About You:

• Lived Experience as a consumer or Carer of mental health services and/or Criminal Justice System. Considerable experience in a similar designated consumer lived experience role.
• Demonstrated commitment to mental health consumer recovery.
• Proven ability to handle confidential and sensitive information (e.g. criminal history records) with discretion and in a non-judgemental way.
• Ability to work within a team and to manage workload with limited supervision.

What you need:

• A personal lived experience of being a mental health consumer or carer of a mental health consumer and/or experience with the Criminal Justice System. 
• An understanding of the Mental Health and Criminal Justice system.
• Be commitmented to work as part of a multi-disciplinary and lived experience team,
• Qualifications in Mental Health or a willingness to work towards such.

A culture where people matter.

• Excellent supervision and investment in the skill development of all our team members.
• Well defined career pathways existing across our Directorates with multi-disciplined Teams.
• Salary Packaging Options available – Mortgage, Rent, Car, Expenses.
• A leading, multi-faceted approach to safety, with unparalleled strategic, practical, individualised and team-based supports to minimise risks and fear and maximise safety and security, underpinned by our workplace health and safety strategy.
• Celebration and reward for good performance, through employee recognition.
• Access to an employee assistance program – an external, confidential, self-referral employee wellbeing program, for personal or work-related matters.
• A mental health and wellbeing program providing psychological, peer support and critical incidence response programs.

For more information on Careers at Forensicare, visit https://www.forensicare.vic.gov.au/careers

*Please Note - Applications will be reviewed and Interviewed as they are received.

Eligibility

• COVID19 (x3), Influenza and Immunisation requirements specific to position Infection Control requirements
• This position is subject to a satisfactory Police Check, however is not a barrrier to employment.

Forensicare is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to attracting and developing a diverse workforce which reflects the community we serve. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people who identify as LGBTQI, people with a lived experience of disability, as well as people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Forensicare promotes our guiding principles of curiosity, purpose, strong ethics, compassion and fairness; and promotes behaviours that are consistent with these values at all times. Forensicare is an equal opportunity employer and offers a smoke free environment.

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