Peer Support Worker

Farmer Peer Support Worker | Farmer to Farmer Support Program | Townsville

• Employment Term: Full-time or part-time, maximum term to 30 June 2027
• Location: Townsville with outreach to Burdekin, Cassowary Coast, Charters Towers, and Hinchinbrook.
• Remuneration: $88k + Super + NFP salary packaging of up to $15,900 and $2,650 for meals & entertainment

Make a meaningful difference with UnitingCare Queensland

At UnitingCare we are leaders in crisis response, the protection of vulnerable people and children, financial resilience and family wellbeing. Our FaDS (Family and Disability Services) team work passionately across Queensland to make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

As a Farmer Peer Support Worker you'll be encouraged to grow, develop and feel empowered to make the everyday easier for the people we care so passionately about.  Let's make a meaningful difference, together

Your part in our UnitingCare team

We are looking for a Farmer Peer Support Worker to join our Farmer to Farmer Support Program and Suicide Bereavement Groups.

In this role you will:

• Provide peer support for those impacted by disaster to reduce initial distress, fostering short- and long-term adaptive functioning and minimising the risk of further harm.
• Provide opportunities for community engagement and community capacity building within the local farming and agricultural community.
• Distributing resource materials that may assist people in understanding loss and change in communities following a disaster, referral resources available to them for further support, and self-help tips for minimising the adverse effects of the disaster.
• Work with key stakeholders within the agriculture industry to create greater mental health awareness and promote help seeking.
• Collect statistical and reporting information of client contact, referrals made and emerging issues via the Crisis works data system.
• Attend and participate in training as required to remain current in providing the relevant skills required for the position.

What makes a difference for us?

• A background and/or links to the local farming community
• Tertiary qualification and/or experience in working within the Mental Health field or another relevant pathway.
• A positive Blue Card
• Drivers Licence
• Police History Check

Desirable

• Training in Suicide Intervention and/or prevention
• Completed training in Psychological First Aid(PFA) Framework
• Previous experience in a similar role
• Completion of Lifeline Telephone Counselling Course and/or relevant Case Management experience.

What makes a difference for you?

• Flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance
• NFP Salary Packaging: Save tax and increase your take home pay by salary packaging your everyday living expenses and bills (up to $15,900) and meal entertainment (up to $2,650) per annum. To learn more about this benefit watch the video via the following link: Salary Packaging Explained
• A recognition and rewards platform, providing employee discounts at hundreds of retailers, including everyday expenses, holidays, health insurance, annual awards celebration, wellbeing and employee assistance programs
• 12 weeks paid parental leave and 2 weeks paid partner leave, available after 6 months service, in addition to the government scheme
• Diversity and inclusive leave, offering paid gender affirmation leave and cultural leave options (paid and unpaid) for those who may celebrate Lunar New Year, Diwali, Ramadan, NAIDOC weeks and other significant cultural events
• Career development opportunities to challenge yourself, grow and make a meaningful difference
• A positive and inclusive team based on respect, shared standards, strong values and a commitment to serving others

We'd love you to be part of our UnitingCare family

Joining our FaDS, team, you'll also be welcomed as part of the UnitingCare family. The second-largest Queensland employer, we're a proud not-for-profit with more than 16,500 staff and 9,000 volunteers across our brands of BlueCare, Lifeline, ARRCS, The Wesley Hospital, Buderim Private Hospital, St Stephen's Hospital, and St Andrew's War Memorial Hospital, and have been leading by example for more than 100 years.

Child safe, Child friendly

UnitingCare is committed to being a Child Safe, Child Friendly organisation and will:

• Provide welcoming, safe and nurturing services for children
• Implement measures to prevent child abuse and neglect within our services
• Appropriately and immediately address child abuse and neglect if it does occur

Diversity & Inclusion

Our approach is simple – everybody is welcome here.  At UnitingCare, diversity is at the core of our who we are, our mission and our values. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all employees no matter their sex, race, culture, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity. Demonstrating our commitment to reconciliation and building long-term employment opportunities for First Nations peoples, UnitingCare strongly encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants for this position.

Safe workplace

We work hard to make our services welcoming and safe for every person. We are united in keeping children, young people and the elderly safe from harm, within our services, workplaces and the communities we support. We are committed to speaking up loudly for their safety.