Peer Worker and Mental Health Worker

**Walk alongside people on their mental health recovery journeys and support them to realise their goals**:
Flourish Australia has a rewarding opportunity for a female **Peer Worker or Mental Health Worker **to join the **Women and Children's Program in Blacktown.**

The positions available are:

- **Ongoing full**-time**:

- **Casual**:

- Working a **rotating roster** **including** **weekends and evenings**:

- **Attractive hourly rates **equivalent to SCHCADS Level 3 **$32.54-$34.90/hour + 10% Super (+25% casual loading)**

**_Please note:_**_ This position has been certified as a special needs program or activity in accordance with section 126A of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 and is_**_ only open to female applicants._**

**About the Women & Children's Program**:
Flourish Australia's Women and Children's Program provides supported accommodation and outreach support to mothers parenting with a mental health issue that are homeless or at risk of homelessness. In this role you will be required to provide support to families through skill development, community access, community participation, positive parenting strategies and you will enhance opportunities for independent living and optimise family life. The care and support you will provide will be recovery focused, strengths based and trauma informed and will be tailored to meet the varied and individual needs of each family.

**About the Opportunities**:
As a **Mental Health Worker** or **Peer Worker**, you will work in the community to support people accessing our services who have a lived experience of mental health issues to achieve their hopes and dreams. You will play an important part in assisting people to maintain wellness and realise their goals.

On a day to day basis you will:

- Listen to and create opportunities and activities that meet the interests and goals of people.
- Encourage shared learning experiences, and support skill development at every opportunity through self-directed learning, information and education.
- Ensure that individual support is provided to a person that accesses Flourish Australia services that meet their recovery journey goals and is strengths based and led by the person wherever possible.
- Be ‘hands on’ and involved in direct service delivery.

We value lived experience and believe peer support is a powerful part of the mental health recovery journey. Therefore, our **Peer Worker** roles are for those willing to use their lived experience and personal recovery to mentor people with a lived experience of a mental health issue. You will use your lived experience to inform and contribute to staff learning, service understanding, and delivering person-led, strengths focused, recovery based service.

For more information about what it means to be a **Peer Worker** with Flourish Australia, please review the Position Description and the Peer Worker information statement “What You Should Consider Before Becoming A Peer Worker”.

For more information on the** Mental Health Worker** role, please read the Position Description.

**Who we are**:
Flourish Australia is one of Australia’s most experienced community mental health organisations. Our purpose is to support people to flourish, believe in their futures, and become contributing members of the community.

Our services are comprehensive and highly personalised because each person’s experience will be different and their needs, as an individual, are unique. Together we set goals, connect individuals with the right people, support services and opportunities to meet their needs.

**Selection Criteria**:

- Essential:_
- A relevant degree OR a Relevant Certificate IV or Diploma with 12-months relevant experience OR 2-years full-time experience working in mental health as recognised by Flourish Australia.
- A strong commitment to recovery-based practice in the workplace.
- Understanding of the challenges faced by people with a lived experience of a mental health issue.
- Understanding of, and ability to effectively use, Microsoft Office and knowledge of data information management systems.
- A current Australian Driver’s Licence.

**The Benefits**:
Flourish Australia recognises and values its people as demonstrated by:

- **Level 3 (SCHCADS)** on the Flourish Australia Enterprise Agreement (2018)
- **Tax-free Salary Packaging **available up to $15,900 (casuals ineligible)
- **Vehicle Mileage Allowance**:

- Generous leave provisions including **17.5% leave loading + 2 additional days of personal leave + extra day paid leave over Christmas/New Year + paid parental leave **(casuals ineligible)
- Family-friendly and **flexible working conditions**:

- Opportunities for **career progression,** **professional development and training** such as Mental Health First Aid and ASIST
- **Employee Assistance Program** for confidential wellbeing support
- **Inclusive initiatives** such as our **Rainbow Network and YarnUp** for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander sta