Peer Support Worker

**Description**:
Assist consumers through their mental health or AOD journey through a lived experience lens
Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team to coordinate comprehensive assessments and care plans
Part time role, 6-7 days / fortnight. SCHADS Level 4 ($41.52-44.68/hr)

About the Service

The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System has challenged us to think beyond incremental improvement to deliver a mental health system that helps all Victorians live their best lives. In a region characterised by fragmentation, complexity, and access barriers, implementing the Geelong - Queenscliff Mental Health and Wellbeing Local (GGQ Local) is a key step in realising this goal.

**The GGQ Local is delivered by a consortium of equal partners**: Barwon Health, Watharoung Aboriginal Cooperative Ltd, Wellways Australia and ermha365.

The GGQ Local is underpinned by positivity, hope and inclusion. No matter whether a consumer, carer or provider enters or seeks assistance via digital platforms, contact centre, or physical locations, the first engagement will always start with a simple question: “Welcome, how can we help?” Drawing on established services, networks, and pathways, the GGQ Local provides seamless integration between local, area and wellbeing services for the benefit of consumers, carers, and providers. This is supported through standardised assessment tools, treatment and support processes, care plans and care coordination, colocation of services and regional navigational pathways.

The three core elements of our service are people, purpose, and place and we are seeking mental health professionals ready to be part of a central and accessible service that understands the needs of their community.

About You

Passionate about mental health, AOD and seeing people reach their potential. You will have relevant skills, experience and qualifications and be looking for an opportunity to improve the way the sector operates. In detail, you will possess:
Proven customer service in developing & delivering solutions to consumers, carers and families
Knowledgeable in accessing a range of relevant community resources, particularly in the areas of health, drugs and alcohol, legal, income support, employment and recreation
An understanding of approaches to crisis management and risk management within the context of supporting individuals with complex needs
An aptitude for team work that is matched with excellent people skills, with effective interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to contribute positively within a team, influence and negotiate with others
Completed or willing to undertake Intentional Peer Support training with substantial experience or less formal qualifications with specialized skills sufficient to perform at this level

About the Role

We take appropriate actions to ensure that our staff and the people we support are as safe as possible. You will be expected to adhere to all OHS standards, requirements and processes, including (but not limited to) wearing appropriate PPE and regular hygiene and cleanliness practices.

The vision of the GGQ Local is a unified, mental health and wellbeing system that is underpinned by the approach of “How can we help?’

Using your own lived experience of mental health, you will support consumers through their journey using your own lived experience. The role of the Peer Support Worker will entail the following:
Engage with participants and their families in an appropriate manner and maintain an ongoing supportive relationship, leveraging your lived experience where relevant through 1:1 and group support, consistent with the Individual Placement and Support model
Design and develop case plans using a psychosocial framework to identify and assess needs, and support the development and review of support plans
Ensure the delivery of recovery focused support matched to participant need, including the facilitation and co-facilitation of groups
Support participants and their families through the discrete program areas including referral, assessments, recovery planning, participation and exit, ensuring the process is streamlined and responsive to their needs
Create links and relationships with local service providers, clinical mental health and/or other allied health professionals and services in order to assist with referral pathways and meeting the needs of participants

The service currently operates from Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. However, expansion of the service will soon see increased hours to 8am-8pm, Monday to Sunday. Successful applicants must be willing to move to a rotating roster of AM and PM shifts, including weekends and public holidays.

It is a requirement of this position to meet all compliance requirements concerning NDIS Work Screening, Working with Children Check, work rights and possess a current & valid driver’s licence.

What we can offer you

ermha365 is an agile and innovative non-profit with a growth agen