Family & Carer Peer Worker- IVAnhoe

Full time lived/living experience role, Ivanhoe and/or north region
- Not for Profit, salary packaging benefits, flexibility & wellbeing support
- Collaborative & highly skilled team with career development opportunities

**About the**North East Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect**

Access Health and Community leads the North East Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect in partnership with Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC), healthAbility and Inspiro, to deliver mental health and wellbeing services for families and carers in North East Metro region of Victoria. We aspire to provide a service of hope, recovery and humanity to improve the mental health and wellbeing of families and carers within our community. Our service is codesigned, governed and led by people with lived/living experience as families or carers of people with mental health and/or substance use challenges.

**The opportunity**

The Family and Carer Peer Worker role provides practical, safe, welcoming, compassionate and emotional connection and support for family, carers, and supporters of individuals, with mental health and/or substance use challenges. Supported by the Team Leader, Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect, and Lived/Living Experience Practice Lead, this role involves one-on-one direct support and delivery of peer support and psychoeducation groups to inspire hope and confidence in families, carers and supporters to achieve improved health and wellbeing with a focus on their strengths and resilience as part of their recovery. This is a fulltime position Graded at SACS Level 3 or Level 4 depending on qualifications and experience.

**What you will be doing**
- Draw on your lived experience and understanding of mental health and/or substance use as a family member to connect and engage with people who are accessing services and programs at the North East Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect.
- Provide a safe, welcoming and compassionate environment for families to feel supported, listened to, and understood.
- Understand and reflect on families’ support needs and work to increase the capacity of the North East Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect.to flexibly respond to the needs of people who access the service.
- Work to inspire hope and confidence in families, carers and supporters to achieve improved health/wellbeing and/or focus on their strengths and resilience as part of their own recovery.
- Engage and empower participants, clinicians and the community to better understand the family/carer/supporter perspective.
- Build supportive and respectful relationships with all people engaged in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect.

**What you will bring**
- Be willing to effectively, respectfully and appropriately use your lived experience as a family member, carer or supporter of someone with mental health and/or substance use challenges in your role.
- Relevant training, qualifications and/or experience in family/carer peer support. Training such as Intentional Peer Support (IPS) training, a Cert IV in Peer Support or previous paid/voluntary role in lived experience family/carer work highly desirable.
- Experience facilitating/co-facilitating peer support or psychoeducational groups is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated understanding of the key issues affecting families, carers and supporters of people with MH and/or AOD concerns, and how these may intersect with physical health, gambling, neurodevelopmental conditions, intellectual and physical disabilities.
- Demonstrated understanding of recovery-oriented and strengths-based approaches and family-inclusive practice.

**Attributes**
- A genuine commitment to supporting families and carers in line with the Victorian Royal Commission Recommendations.
- An ability to work sensitively and from a trauma-informed approach with people of diverse cultures, abilities, ages, sexualities and gender identities.
- Lived or living experience as a family member, carer or supporter of someone with mental health and/or substance use challenges.
- Demonstrated behaviours consistent with Northeast Metro Family and Carer-led Centre values.

**North East Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect** **Culture & Benefits**

Our team members share a common commitment and passion to make a positive impact, and we believe that this shared ethos creates a range of benefits for all who work with us. From opportunities for personal and professional growth to a sense of purpose and belonging, our culture promotes an environment of success and fulfilment.

**Applications close date**: 2nd February 2025

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