Harm Reduction Peer Worker

**Employment Status**

Permanent Part Time

**Program**

Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Services

**Location**

Drugs and Alcohol Services

**Hours Per Fortnight**

64

**Position Summary**
- Join a passionate team providing Harm Reduction and AOD treatment services
- Bring your lived and or living experience of drug use to assist others seeking assistance
- Great work/life balance Permanent Part Time - 64 hours per fortnight

**About the service**

Barwon Health’s Drug and Alcohol Service (DAS), provides treatment and harm reduction services to people wanting to access services regarding their substance use. DAS has a range of harm reduction services including providing the needle and syringe program, naloxone training and provision, opioid replacement assessments and linkages to prescribers, Hep C screening and treatment and overdose support and education. We provide comprehensive assessment, counselling, non-residential withdrawal, brief intervention and bridging support, and care co-ordination for people seeking treatment for their substance use.

DAS is located in central Geelong in newly refurbished offices and is in close proximity to University Hospital and has a staffed NSP at Corio Community Health Centre. The central location provides great access to the Geelong shopping and arts precinct, the Geelong Waterfront and public transport.

**About you**
- Able to identify as having lived and/or living experience of drug use
- Clear understanding of the health and social issues affecting people who use drugs
- Demonstrated understanding of the principles of health promotion and the social and structural determinants affecting the health of people who use drugs
- Understanding of peer support principles
- A commitment to operating with a high degree of professionalism and personal integrity within a harm reduction and community development framework
- Lived experience of engagement with AOD services

**About the role**

As the successful applicant and as part of the Barwon Health inter-professional Drugs and Alcohol Service (DAS), duties of your new role include but are not limited to;
- Assisting with the facilitation and growth of Harm Reduction Peer Advisory Group(s)
- Contributing to the development of Barwon Health Alcohol and Drugs (AOD) programs
- Brining a lived experience perspective of drug use to the design, implementation and evaluation strategies of the program
- Providing one on one and/or group peer support to people who use drugs and their carers and family members within agreed models of care and MHDAS peer work scope of practice

**What we offer**
- 5 weeks annual leave with the option to purchase additional leave
- Professional development opportunities
- Doorstep to the Great Ocean Road, Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast
- Attractive salary packaging benefits
- Living Expenses capped at $9,010 and includes repayments on mortgages, credit cards, personal loans and rental payments
- Meal Entertainment & Accommodation capped at $2,650 and includes food and drink consumed in a social or entertainment settings and some accommodation expenditure

**Diversity and Inclusion**

At Barwon Health we are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We embrace diverse life experiences and the perspectives of our people, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, cultural background, disability, or sexual orientation.
- This role must be fully vaccinated for Covid-19 and influenza and meet the requirements of the Barwon Health immunisation policy._

Melbourne, Victoria

**Selection Criteria**

Essential: Can you please list Barwon Health's values?
Essential: Can you please choose one of Barwon Health's values and describe a situation in the workplace where you have displayed this value?
Essential: Do you identify as having a lived or living experience of drug use?
Essential: Do you have a current drivers licence recognised in Victoria?
Essential: Please describe you understanding of health and social issues affecting people who use drugs.
Essential: Please describe your understanding of peer support principles.
Essential: Do you have a lived experience of engagement with AOD harm reduction and or treatment services?
Desirable: Please describe your understanding of contemporary harm reduction theories/frameworks
Desirable: Do you have group facilitation experience?
Desirable: Do you have experience in delivering education/public speaking skills
Desirable: Do you have work experience or training in peer work?
Desirable: Do you have training in intentional peer support?
Desirable: Do you have a cert 1V or above in AOD, Community Development, Health Promotion or similar qualification or equivalent work expereience?
Essential: I agree, to commence employment, I am required to meet Barwon Health’s immunisation requirements (including full Covid-19 and Influenza vaccination) set out in the Staff Immunisation Policy. I acknowledge that meeting this requirement is mandatory and a conditi