Peer Practitioner

Mind Australia; Greater Bendigo; On-site; AUD 52,000 - 78,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging up to $15,899 p.a.

Meal & Entertainment allowance up to $

8 weeks paid parental leave

17.5% annual leave loading

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Mind Australia Limited is seeking a Peer Practitioner for the Bendigo APARC service. This permanent part-time role (0.52 FTE, 20 hours per week) draws on your lived experience to support clients toward recovery goals in a peer-led, recovery-oriented approach.

You will engage individuals, design group activities, and connect clients with services to promote independence and wellbeing. Training and development are provided.

Qualifications

• Lived/living experience of mental health to support others.
• Strong communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Ability to build authentic relationships with clients and families.
• Experience working with clients with complex mental health needs is valued.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-to-one peer support grounded in lived experience.
• Apply IPS framework to support individuals in distress.
• Design and facilitate group programs for peer connection and wellbeing.
• Help clients access services and community supports promoting independence.
• Participate in regular training and supervision for practice development.

Skills

Lived experience

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Engagement with complex mental health

Education

Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work

Job description

• Utilise your lived experience to provide effective recovery support to people experiencing mental health challenges and help them achieve their wellbeing goals.
• Permanent, Part Time role - 20 hours per week

Mind strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, people with a lived experience of mental ill health and recovery, and applicants from all cultures, genders, sexualities, bodies, abilities, spiritualities, ages and backgrounds.

Mind Australiais one of Australia’s largest providers of community-managed psychosocial services, supporting people experiencing mental health and wellbeing challenges to find help, hope and purpose in their lives. Operating for almost 50 years and employing more than 1,300 staff around Australia, Mind is a leading employer of people with lived experience of mental health challenges, recognising their unique ability to connect with and motivate clients and guide recovery.

About the Service

The short stay Adult ‘step up, step down’ Prevention and Recovery Care (APARC) residential service, delivered in partnership with Victorian hospital networks and Health Services, supports clients aged 16-65 years with psychosocial disability to transition from an acute hospital setting or prevent hospital admissions for those entering directly from the community. The service provides individualised 1:1 support, shared supports and group work based on client’s strengths to enable people to achieve their recovery goals, enhance relationships with families and carers, develop social skills, build community networks, and increase confidence and capacity to live safely in the community.

About the role

We are seeking a self-motivated Peer Practitioner to join the Adult Prevention and Recovery Care Service (APARC) in Bendigo. This role will be a permanent part-time role at 0.52 FTE (20 hours per week). You will draw on your lived or living experience of mental health challenges to engage directly with people and provide empathetic, strengths-based support. You’ll support people to build confidence, strengthen independence and take meaningful steps towards their personal recovery goals within a recovery-oriented, peer-led approach.

Key responsibilities

• Provide individual peer support grounded in your own lived/living experience of mental health challenges.
• Utilise the Intentional Peer Support (IPS) framework to walk alongside individuals in distress.
• Design and facilitate group programs that support peer connection and wellbeing.
• Support people to connect with services and community supports that promote independence, wellbeing and participation in daily life.
• Participate in regular training, peer co-reflection, and professional development.
• Actively contribute to co-design and service improvement, championing the voice of people with lived experience.

What you’ll bring

• Completion of Intentional Peer Support Core and/ or Advanced Training, or Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work, is desirable but not required.
• Lived/living experience and willingness to support clients through sharing your own learnings and recovery orientated practice
• Experience working with people with complex mental health issues, as well as their families, support networks and carers.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build authentic and respectful relationships
• Current First Aid and CPR certifications and ability to perform these duties as required as part of the role.
• Ability to provide evidence of annual influenza vaccination or willingness to receive the annual influenza vaccination as required for the service.
• 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, childcare, car leasing expenses etc.)
• Option to access Meal and Entertainment allowance up to $2,650 p.a. via Salary Packaging.
• Generous leave entitlements including 8 weeks paid parental leave, 17.5% annual leave loading.
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), provided by Converge International,for you and your immediate family members.
• Fitness Passport - Access to our corporate health and fitness program, providing you and family with access to a wide choice of fitness facilities.
• Workplace Banking Portal that provides convenient access to a range of banking and lifestyle benefits offered through Mind’s CommBank programs.
• Professional development through regular Practice Development sessions and coaching with your supervisor.

Position Description

Mind is committed to a barrier-free recruitment process. If you require any adjustments to complete your application, please email **@mindaustralia.org.au

The successful applicant is required to complete comprehensive reference and background checking prior to employment, including a Working with Children Check, and NDIS Workers Screening Check.