Consumer Peer Support Worker

Northern Health; Lisboa; On-site; EUR 26,000 - 38,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and wellbeing program

Salary packaging

Flexible/work options

Job summary

Northern Health is seeking a Consumer Peer Support Worker to join the HOPE Program at Mill Park, Melbourne. You will provide peer support using lived experience to help consumers in suicidal distress and psychosocial distress, promoting hope, connection and recovery.

You will work with clinicians and carers to support engagement with care, wellbeing goals and community supports, while maintaining professional boundaries and contributing to service improvement.

Qualifications

• Lived experience of mental health challenges, suicidal distress and recovery.
• Strong empathy and ability to use personal experience to support others.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for multidisciplinary work.

Responsibilities

• Provide intentional peer support to HOPE consumers using lived experience to promote hope and recovery.
• Build respectful relationships with consumers and support engagement with care and community supports.
• Advocate for consumer voice and self-determination throughout the HOPE episode of care.
• Contribute to team discussions, care planning and service delivery from a lived-experience perspective.
• Maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries in line with organisational requirements.
• Participate in supervision, reflective practice and ongoing professional development.

Skills

Lived experience

Empathy

Communication skills

Education

Peer work qualification

Job description

Employment Type: On Going Part Time (PT)

Location: Northern Health (All Campuses)

About Northern Health As an organisation we have a clear focus on how we service and partner with our community, including our strategy of helping the community stay well when at home. Our reputation of community minded, inclusive and progressive is matched to none.

Northern Health is located in the rapidly growing northern suburbs with projected growth the biggest in the state. With a booming, culturally rich and diverse community, and less than an hour's drive from the CBD (still within the bounds of Myki and ride-sharing), Melbourne's North is fast becoming the place to be.

Northern Health are seeking applications from motivated and suitably experienced Consumer Peer Support Worker to join the HOPE Program, Mental Health Division at Mill Park, 64 hours a fortnight.

Northern Health is the major provider of acute, maternity, sub-acute, mental health, specialist, community and home-based services in Melbourne's rapidly growing outer north.

Services are provided through our six main campuses: Northern Hospital Epping, Broadmeadows Hospital, Bundoora Centre, Craigieburn and Mernda Community Hospitals Centres and Kilmore District Hospital. In addition, Mental Health Services are provided at Epping, Broadmeadows, Jacana, Preston, Mill Park, Mernda and Coburg.

About the Role The Consumer Peer Support Worker is a valued member of the Hospital Outreach Post-suicidal Engagement (HOPE) Team and provides purposeful peer support to consumers experiencing suicidal crisis and psychosocial distress.

Drawing on their own lived experience of mental health challenges, suicidal distress and/or recovery, the Consumer Peer Support Worker offers hope, empathy and practical support to consumers accessing HOPE.

The role works collaboratively with consumers, carers and multidisciplinary team members to promote recovery-oriented practice, strengthen consumer choice and self-determination, and support engagement with therapeutic interventions and community-based supports.

The Consumer Peer Support Worker contributes lived experience perspectives to clinical care planning, service delivery and team discussions, helping ensure care is person-centred, trauma-informed and responsive to the needs of consumers and families.

This position is responsible for

Providing intentional peer support to consumers of HOPE using lived experience to promote hope, connection and recovery.

Building respectful and collaborative relationships with consumers and supporting engagement with care, wellbeing goals and community supports.

Advocating for consumer voice, choice and self-determination throughout the HOPE episode of care.

Contributing lived experience perspectives to multidisciplinary team discussions, care planning and service delivery.

Supporting recovery-oriented and trauma-informed practice within the team and broader service.

Working collaboratively with clinicians and external services to support coordinated care and transitions.

Maintaining accurate documentation, confidentiality and professional boundaries in accordance with organisational requirements.

Participating in supervision, reflective practice, professional development and service improvement activities.

Contributing positively to team culture and demonstrating organisational values in day-to-day practice.

To be successful in this role you will have

Lived experience of mental health challenges, suicidal distress and recovery, with the ability to use this experience purposefully and safely in peer support practice.

A strong commitment to recovery-oriented, trauma-informed and person-centred care.

Demonstrated ability to build trusting and respectful relationships with consumers, carers and colleagues.

Experience supporting people experiencing psychosocial distress and navigating mental health or community support systems.

Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.

Ability to advocate for consumer voice, choice and self-determination.

Sound organisational skills, including the ability to maintain documentation and manage competing priorities.

Commitment to professional boundaries, reflective practice, supervision and ongoing learning.

A respectful and inclusive approach to working with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Relevant peer work qualification or willingness to obtain, and ability to meet organisational compliance requirements.

Applications close Wednesday 7 October 2026

Why work at the Northern Health NH offer a range of benefits which support and reward staff both personally and professionally.

Our staff benefits include award winning facilities and campus partnerships, Professional development and events, an award-winning Health and wellbeing program and financial benefits.

Health and Wellbeing programs, including our new 'Thrive' program

Flexibility in the workplace and extra leave options and support

An inclusive and culturally safe space

Access to salary packaging & EAP

Comprehensive Library services for learning, research, clinical decision-making, leisure and wellbeing (onsite and online)

Work with us! Northern Health is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce which reflects the community we serve. Applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as applicants who are LGBTIQ+, who have different abilities, or are from culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds are encouraged.

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