Peer Worker

Work Initiatives; Maitland; On-site; AUD 80,000 - 86,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Gratis Leave

Wellness Leave

Parental Leave

Accrued Day Off

Annual Leave Loading

Flexible work

Professional development

Learning & Development

Fitness Passport

EAP

Job summary

Neami National is seeking a Peer Support Worker in the Community Living Supports program to bring lived recovery experience into psychosocial support. You will walk alongside people experiencing mental health challenges, offering hope, practical support and genuine connection.

The role emphasizes recovery as personal, non-linear, and led by the person, with a focus on building trust and community ties. The organisation supports wellness and strives for inclusive work practices across Australia,

Qualifications

• National Criminal History Check (police check) with disclosable outcomes considered.
• Current Working with Children Check.
• A valid driver’s licence.

Responsibilities

• Build trusting, reciprocal relationships with people living with severe and complex mental health challenges.
• Support independence, wellbeing and community connection on clients’ terms.
• Provide psychosocial support grounded in mutuality, empathy and respect.

Skills

Lived experience

Professional identification

Sharing lived experience

Job description

For all people in Australia living with mental health and wellbeing challenges to live a life that is meaningful to them.

• Full-Time Permanent Position
• Classification: SCHADS Level 3 with a salary range of $80,087 - $85,877 per annum + Superannuation
• Salary packaging arrangements providing tax benefits available for living and entertainment expenses increasing your take home income where part of your wage is paid tax free each pay, savings thousands in tax each year

About your new role

The Peer Support Worker role within the Community Living Supports (CLS) program brings the power of lived and living experience into psychosocial support. Peer Support Workers use their personal experience of mental health distress and recovery to walk alongside people, offering hope, practical support, and genuine connection.

In this role, you will build trusting, reciprocal relationships with people living with severe and complex mental health challenges, supporting them to strengthen independence, wellbeing, and community connection on their own terms. Peer support is grounded in mutuality, empathy, and respect, and recognises that recovery is personal, non-linear, and led by theperson themselves.

About Neami National

We’re Neami. We’re big believers in everyone having the opportunity to live a full life. We support people to achieve wellbeing and mental health outcomes that matter to them. We provide services across Australia for mental health and wellbeing, housing and homelessness, and suicide prevention.

For some people, this means having a stronger sense of self. For others, it may mean nurturing relationships or building the confidence to tackle tomorrow. We support people to improve their quality of life in a way that suits them.

We’re proud to support 34,000+ people living with mental health challenges each year across Australia and offer services over 40 different Indigenous lands.

Values

Together with our vision and purpose, our values define who we are and guide the way we operate. They are fundamental to our identity, and we align all our actions with them.

• Connecting
• Learning
• Belonging

What will Neami offer

• Generous leave entitlements including Gratis Leave, Wellness Leave and Parental Leave
• Optional monthly Accrued Day Off (ADO) for full-time staff
• 17.5% Annual Leave Loading
• Flexible work arrangements are available for maintaining your work-life balance
• Professional development through regular practice development sessions and coaching with your supervisor
• Ongoing extensive in-house Learning and Development programs to encourage learning and skill-building
• Fitness Passport membership to support your health and wellbeing (available in most States/Territories and subject to minimum working hours and/or length of service)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through TELUS - providing holistic health and wellness supports and resources to Neami staff and their immediate family

What you will bring to the role

• Personal lived/living experience of recovery as a family, friend or carer. Your recovery experience may be related to mental health, suicidal crisis, drugs and alcohol use or trauma
• Willingness to identify or be identified by others as a professional with lived experience of recovery
• Willingness to share and draw on lived experience purposefully in the role to instil confidence and hope in others about the journey of recovery

What the role requires

• National Criminal History Check (police check) - disclosable outcomes considered
• Current Working with Children Check
• A valid driver's licence

If you have any further questions not addressed in the job advertisement or position description, please contact:
Peter Lewis, Team Leader - Hunter New England Psychosocial Services, @neaminational.org.au

If your application is shortlisted:

• We may invite you to have an informal phone conversation to discuss the role and get to know more about your experience and interest and answer yourquestions.
• We may invite you to an interview (which may be in person or conducted online via Microsoft Teams) with up to three panel members from Neami.

Applications Close: 13 November 2026

Be Yourself

Neami values and celebrates diversity ing multidisciplinary teams and the unique backgrounds, experiences and contributions that each person brings to our community. First Nations people, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities and culturally and linguistically diverse people are encouraged to apply. Our aim is to create a workforce that is accessible, inclusive and reflects the community in which we live.

Neami is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We commit to providing accessible and safe physical and online environments for all children and young people. Click here for the full statement.