Aboriginal Peer Practitioner

Yilabara; Canterbury-Bankstown; On-site; AUD 55,000 - 83,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging up to $15,900

Leave perks: birthday leave, study lea

Annual picnic day leave

Fitness Passport

CommBank workplace banking portal

Flexible work arrangements

Job summary

One Door Mental Health is recruiting an Aboriginal Peer Practitioner for the Medicare Mental Health Centre in Canterbury, Sydney. This part-time role (4 days per week) is identified for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and runs as a contract until 30 June 2027.

You will provide peer-based support to people experiencing distress, build trust through lived experience, and collaborate with Indigenous services and community organisations to promote recovery-oriented practice.

Qualifications

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person with lived experience of mental distress and recovery
• Certificate IV in Mental Health, Peer Work, Alcohol and Other Drugs or related field is required
• Excellent relational and communication skills, with ability to share personal recovery stories appropriately
• Ability to work flexibly in response to changing work environments and as part of a team or independently

Responsibilities

• Provide peer-based support to people experiencing distress by building trust through shared experiences
• Promote a hopeful outlook and offer consistent, empathetic engagement
• Assist clients to set goals and access supports and services
• Build links with community partners to enable smooth transitions for clients
• Deliver outreach-based peer support including home visits and service visits
• Contribute to measurement of program outcomes and prepare required documentation
• Build meaningful connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients to ensure culturally informed support
• Collaborate with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services, Elders and community organisations to enhance service delivery

Skills

Peer support

Aboriginal identification

Lived experience

Intentional Peer Support

Relational skills

Flexibility

Education

Certificate IV in Mental Health, Peer Work, AOD or health related field

Job description

One Door Mental Health is recruiting for a part-time Aboriginal Peer Practitioner for its Medicare Mental Health Centre (MMHC) based in Canterbury in Sydney's Inner West. MMHC Canterbury is an adult mental health centre offering short to medium term episodes of care for those experiencing distress or crisis.

One Door is a pioneering, purpose-driven service provider dedicated to supporting individuals living with mental illness, along with their families and carers. With over 30 years of experience, One Door's innovative services and community-driven approach create a safe and supportive environment. It offers a full continuum of mental health services including early intervention, housing with support and complex care, to support people, families and carers across Australia.

Yilabara is a wholly Aboriginal-owned not-for-profit organisation that supports businesses to meet their corporate social responsibility objectives. We are proud to be assisting One Door to recruit to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identified position of Aboriginal Peer Practitioner.

Why work for One Door Mental Health

Transform Lives: Play a vital role in empowering individuals, helping them achieve their goals and improve their quality of life.

Competitive Salary Packaging: Maximise your take-home pay by salary packaging up to $15,900.

Fitness Passport: Take advantage of our discounted workplace health and fitness program, offering you and your family access to a wide range of gyms, pools, and fitness centres at a fraction of the regular cost. For 50% less than a typical gym membership, enjoy unlimited visits and stay motivated to maintain your health and well-being.

Leave Perks: Enjoy leave perks including birthday leave, study leave, and an extra annual picnic day leave!

Workplace Banking Portal: Access that provides convenient access to a range of banking and lifestyle benefits offered through our CommBank program.

About You

This is a part-time (4 days a week) Identified role for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and is a contract position until 30 June 2027.

Canterbury Medicare Mental Health Centre is expanding and moving to new premises and services will move from a 5-day a week delivery model to 7-days a week, requiring rostered weekend work.

You are an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Island person with lived or living experience of mental distress and recovery. You have:

highly developed relational skills, including demonstrating unconditional acceptance and positive regard

effectively and appropriately share learnings from personal recovery stories

understand how essential hope is, strategies to build hope, and holding hope for others

demonstrate the ability to sit with, hold and bear witness to someone's distress in an authentic way

transform adversity into expertise that can be empowering and helpful

understand and articulate how Lived Experience work is distinct and unique, including the values, principles and practice of the discipline

apply an Intentional Peer Support Framework to your practice

are known for your flexibility and adaptability including during periods of change

have a strong commitment to professional development and role modelling the delivery of services and approaches that are consistent with recovery-oriented practice from a peer/Lived Experience perspective.

Key areas of responsibility

The role is responsible for providing peer-based support to people experiencing distress by building trust through shared experiences, promoting a hopeful outlook, and offering consistent, empathetic engagement by:

participating in goal setting activities for people accessing the service

providing encouragement and support to access supports

providing support to clients to navigate and link to other community agencies and support systems to address their needs as required

forging strong links with community partners to enable a smooth transition of One Door's clients

delivering outreach-based peer support, including visiting clients in community settings and other services, to support engagement, reduce barriers to access, and assist clients to connect with appropriate supports

contributing to the measurement of program outcomes

preparing reports, case notes and other required documentation

building meaningful connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients to ensure culturally informed, responsible and respectful peer support

support collaboration and engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services, Elders, and community organisations to enhance service delivery and culturally safe practice.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person - One Door considers this to be a genuine occupational requirement for this position under section 14(d) of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW)

Lived/living experience of mental distress and recovery

Highly developed relational and communication skills (oral and written) including experience in sharing your personal story appropriately to support the recovery of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients in peer and other roles

Demonstrated understanding of the link between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes and homelessness and mental health challenges, and the effects of colonisation, dispossession, racism, systemic disadvantage and forced removal from family and community.

Experience in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in connecting and reconnecting with Country, Communities, Elders and kinship groups

Experience and expertise in or the willingness to work with people with mental health issues, their families and carers

Demonstrated knowledge of or ability to acquire knowledge in the application of family inclusive, recovery-oriented and trauma-informed approaches and practices

Demonstrated understanding of lived experience approaches including peer work, co-design and workforce development

Ability to work flexibly in response to a changing work environment, and to work as a member of a team and independently

Certificate IV in Mental Health, Peer Work, Alcohol and Other Drugs or other health related field or above

Current NDIS Worker Screening Check Clearance

Working with Children Check

Current Driver Licence and access to a comprehensively insured motor vehicle

Completion of Intentional Peer Support Core and/or Advanced Training