Mental Health Cadetship

Job Description:

• Friendly and supportive team environment
• 6x positions available
• 30x shifts over a 12-month period from February 2026

About The Role
St Vincent's offers a unique and highly specialized paid Mental Health Cadetship Program encompassing adult and aged mental health, in acute and community settings. Mental Health Nursing Cadetships offer paid employment experience, professional support to students undertaking a Bachelor/Masters of Nursing degree. Cadets undertake shifts at St Vincent's Hospital for a total of 30 shifts over the year to enhance the development of their skills and knowledge in mental health nursing, and assist with the successful completion of their studies. Cadets will work under the supervision of a Registered Nurse or Mental Health Clinician to observe and provide support across an array of clinical areas, within a defined scope of practice.

Duties include (but are not limited to):

• Supporting consumers throughout their recovery journeys and working alongside the multidisciplinary team
• Actively upholding a culture of hope by using optimistic language, supporting people and celebrating consumer's recovery efforts;
• Supporting consumers with available resources to achieve their recovery goals through education and support around coping strategies and symptom management
• Actively challenging stigmatizing attitudes, discrimination and social exclusion in line with the Recovery Model of Mental Health Care.
• Attendance of rostered shifts during the employment period
• Ensures that all care delivered is at all times supervised by a Registered Nurse
• Communicates effectively with supervising nurses about individual skills and learning needs.
• Ensures practice remains at all times within the defined scope of practice. The scope of practice is developed in accordance with current legal obligations in line with the classification.

Scope of Practice includes:

• Assisting with Activities of Daily Living
• Hygiene
• Housekeeping
• Therapeutic communication
• Participate in consumer activities programs such as Inpatient groups, and consumer meetings.
• Participate in consumer assessment, care planning and discharge planning.
• Supporting consumers with the recovery goals
• Working alongside the multidisciplinary team
• Develop knowledge of the roles of the carer consultant, consumer consultants and peer support workers.

Classifications for these positions will be
PSEN Level 1 Year 1
Your Contribution

• Evidence of enrolment in a full time Bachelor or Masters of Nursing degree and will be completing your final year of study in 2026
• Evidence of passing grades in all subjects completed thus far
• Excellent communication skills and demonstrates professionalism at all times
• Current National criminal history check, or willing to obtain

What We Offer

• Salary Packaging – Increase your take home pay
• Employee Assistance Program
• Ability to join Fitness Passport - Your pass to an extensive choice of fitness facilities
• Discounts and Promotions always available through our Foundation
• Career development & advancement encouraged
• Culture of continuous improvement
• Support from senior staff

About Mental Health
St Vincent's Mental Health (SVMH) provides high quality, recovery-oriented services across an adult area mental health service for the inner city areas of Yarra and Boroondara. The service utilises the Strengths Model of recovery and this model is embedded across all parts of the mental health service. In addition the acute inpatient service utilises the Safewards Model.

Working at St Vincent's
St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne (SVHM) is a leading teaching, research and tertiary health service. SVHM provides a diverse range of adult clinical services and is driven by values of Compassion, Justice, Integrity and Excellence. St Vincent's Mental Health is committed the recruitment and retention of high quality staff. We aim to support staff to maintain and develop their skills to provide excellent clinical care and to meet their own personal and career goals. The service has a strong education and research focus, in addition to affiliations with a number of universities and educational institutions.

Application

• Please attach the following to your application:

• Resume and cover letter

• Copies of 2x clinical placement reports (one being your most recent placement, and one being mental health).
• Certified copy of your academic transcript with a key
• Two referees (with at least one being a clinical referee)

Shortlisting for this position will commence immediately. We encourage you to apply promptly as the advertisement may close early should a suitable applicant be sourced.

We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and abilities. Inclusion is essential to our mission and diversity reflects the community we serve.
Please visit our website, for further information regarding our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment at SVHM.

SVHA has a duty of care under work health and safety legislation to eliminate and/or control the risk of transmission of vaccine preventable diseases in healthcare settings. You may therefore be required to undergo mandatory immunisations/vaccinations (including flu vaccinations).

This position is subject to a Victorian government direction regarding vaccination against COVID-19. Successful applicants must meet these vaccination requirements. Please contact us if you would like to know more.

Closing Date:

22 November :59pm

Reconciliation Action Plan:

At St Vincent's we acknowledge the importance of creating a work environment that is welcoming, safe, equitable and inclusive for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Employees. As part of our Commitment to Reconciliation and Closing the Gap in employment related outcomes, we encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
For further information, visit or get in contact at
View Reconciliation Action Plan

Code of Conduct:

View Code of Conduct