Consumer Peer Worker

Monash Health; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 60,000 - 72,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Orientation program

Reflective supervision

Mentoring from Peer Work Leads

Higher Education Recognition Allowance

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Monash Health is seeking a Consumer Peer Worker Level 2 or 3 to provide one-to-one peer support in its Adult Inpatient Mental Health Units at Ward E (Casey Hospital) or Unit 1 (Dandenong Hospital). The role offers 0.8 EFT for Unit 1 and 0.7 EFT for Ward E with alternating days, focusing on recovery, safety and person-centered care.

You will use your lived experience to connect with consumers, support their recovery, and navigate mental health services while working within a multidisciplinary

Qualifications

• Declared personal lived experience of mental illness and recovery.
• Ability to use lived experience to inspire hope and recovery.
• Knowledge of peer work principles and mutual support.
• Completion of IPS training, or willingness to complete for Level 2.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-to-one peer support drawing on lived experience.
• Share lived experiences to offer hope and support using IPS principles.
• Support recovery and navigate mental health services for consumers.
• Promote self-advocacy and informed choices about treatment and care.
• Develop connections that are inclusive and respectful of diversity.
• Escalate clinical risk concerns to the clinical manager.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary team and attend handovers and discharge planning.
• Support Level 3 with guidance to Level 1 and 2 peer workers.

Skills

Lived experience

Peer work

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Team collaboration

Education

Cert IV Peer Work

IPS training

Job description

About our Lived & Living Experience Workforce at Monash Health

The Adult Inpatient Mental Health Units (Ward E and Unit 1) provide a supportive environment for people experiencing significant mental health challenges who require a higher level of care and support than can be offered in the community. The units have a multidisciplinary team where consumers receive individualised care focused on safety, recovery, wellbeing and preparation for transition back to the community.

About the Role

Join our team as a Consumer Peer Worker Level 2 or 3 (depending on prior experience) on a part time ongoing basis to work in our inpatient mental health service based in the Ward E (Casey Hospital) or Unit 1 (Dandenong Hospital).

• Unit 1 has 0.8 EFT (4 days per week) available.
• Ward E has 0.7 EFT (alternating 2 and 3 days per week) available.
• Provide one to one peer support for consumers drawing upon personal lived and/or living experience of mental ill health and recovery
• Purposefully share lived experiences with consumers utilising IPS principles of connection, worldview, mutuality, and moving towards, to offer hope and support
• Support people in their recovery who often have complex mental health challenges in their lives and may have experienced significant trauma
• Support understanding and navigation of the Mental Health system and relevant support services
• Promote consumer self-advocacy through supported decision making, ensuring individuals are empowered to make informed choices about their own treatment, care and support.
• Support consumers to engage with services that promote recovery and reduce the risk of relapse
• Support consumers to develop strategies to take care of their own mental health and wellbeing
• Make connections that build on strengths and are inclusive of diversity (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, CALD, and LGBTQI+)
• Facilitate consumer peer-led groups
• Develop mutual connections with consumers whilst maintaining professional boundaries
• Escalate any concerns relating to clinical risk to the clinical manager
• Work closely with the multidisciplinary team to promote supported decision making and family inclusive practice
• Attend multidisciplinary team meetings (e.g. handover, clinical review, discharge planning) to advocate for consumers' needs and preferences
• For level 3 - Provide support and guidance to Grade 1 and 2 peer workers as required, including supporting the orientation of new employees

About You

As a designated consumer lived experience role, you will have a declared personal Personal lived and/or living experience of mental ill health and recovery, as well as experience accessing support from mental health services (accessing public mental health services is desirable).

You possess a deep understanding of mental health challenges through your own lived experience as a consumer and are passionate about supporting others. You have a genuine commitment to enhancing the lives of individuals with mental health difficulties and their carers. With a strong focus on inclusion, diversity, and person-centred care, you bring excellent communication and interpersonal skills to your work. Your enthusiasm, compassion, and ability to collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary team set you apart. You are driven to pursue a meaningful and purposeful career, with a desire to grow as a lived experience health professional. As an experienced peer worker, you are dedicated to fostering reflective practice in collaboration with others.

What You Need

As a senior-level peer work role you will demonstrate the following key skills, experience and knowledge (see attached level 2 and 3 Position Description for a complete list of requirements):

• Declared personal experience of living with mental illness, including experience as a mental health service user.
• Ability to use your own lived experience to inspire hope in belief and recovery.
• Knowledge of peer work principles and the ability to support others from a mutual perspective.
• Completion of Intentional Peer Support (IPS) training, or for a level 2 willingness to complete, is essential.
• Experience working in a designated lived experience role is desirable for Level 2 and a minimum of two years experience is essential for Level 3.
• Working towards completion of a Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work or a similar qualification is desirable.

What the Lived & Living Experience Workforce at Monash Health offers:

• Comprehensive orientation and induction program.
• Up to 2 hours reflective supervision per month, plus group co-reflection spaces.
• Support and mentoring from Peer Work Leads.
• Higher Education Recognition Allowance.
• Funded Lived & Living Experience professional development and training opportunities.
• Quarterly Lived & Living Experience Workforce forums.

Monash Health employees enjoy a range of benefits including:

• Salary packaging options that increase your take-home pay.
• Comprehensive Health and Wellbeing program.
• Free flu vaccinations.
• Private health insurance at discounted rates.
• Health imaging services.
• + more

For a confidential discussion and to explore this opportunity further, please reach out to Gabby Hewson, Inpatient Consumer Peer Team Leader 0448 869 ***.

Monash Health exists to reimagine care, so that people can live their best lives.

We provide safe and equitable care, for every stage of life, delivered with world-leading expertise and over 175 years of experience.

As a leading academic health service, we're committed to providing tomorrow's care today by integrating research, teaching and training into everyday practice.

Our team of 24,000 people are full hearted, open minded and all in. Together, we provide more than 250 integrated services for every stage of life at over 50 locations and in the community across south-east Melbourne, Victoria, serving 1.2 million residents in the South Metro Local Health Service Network.