Enhanced Family Peer Worker

About Orygen

Orygen is Australia's Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health and the largest translational research organisation dedicated to youth mental health in the world.

For over 30 years, Orygen has led groundbreaking early intervention and developed evidence-based models of care to improve the mental health outcomes of young people aged 12-25.

About the job

The Enhanced Family Peer Worker offers empathetic listening, while providing support, information and connection, drawing on their own lived experience of supporting their own children, young adult family members and significant others with mental ill health to contribute to assertive and intensive wrap around care of young people and families accessing services at headspace Melton.

Reporting to the Senior Family Clinician – FAST you will:

• Family Peer Work – Provide timely engagement, brief interventions, and assertive support for families through the FAST clinic model, including psychoeducation, advocacy, and intentional sharing of lived experience to foster hope and empowerment.
• Service Access & Support – Deliver both informal and structured support options such as drop-ins, appointments, outreach, and group programs (e.g. Tuning into Teens) to promote sustained family engagement and culturally safe, inclusive care.
• Collaboration & Care Planning – Work closely with clinical staff and the FAST team in intake, assessment, co-facilitation of sessions, and care planning to integrate peer and clinical perspectives in family-inclusive practice.
• Stakeholder & Community Engagement – Build strong connections with community organisations and internal stakeholders, link families to relevant supports, and develop tailored resources to strengthen family capacity and access to services.
• Development & Evaluation – Contribute to team learning, reflective practice, service planning, and evaluation activities, while participating in ongoing professional development to strengthen Family Peer Work practice.

Skills and experience

The following criteria must be met for consideration for this position:

• Cert IV in Peer Work, and/ or Foundations of Peer Work and/or Core Intentional Peer Support training.
• Personal experience supporting a child or young adult family member experiencing mental ill health or alcohol and other drug (AOD) issues, who is not currently a client of an Orygen-led headspace centre or of Orygen.
• Previous experience in a family peer work role within youth mental health, AOD, community, or similar health services.
• Confidence and ability to approach families and work collaboratively with a wide range of individuals.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt to changing needs.

Benefits

• $76,372 - $81,905 pro rata commensurate with skills and experience + 12% superannuation and $15,900 in NFP salary packaging + $2,600 meals and entertainment card.
• Make a real impact on young people in a dynamic, youth-centered environment.
• Support Orygen's mission for youth mental health and contribute to positive social change.
• Be part of a team that values collaboration and innovative thinking, driving impactful results.
• Orygen offers confidential counselling and support services to all staff, including new employees, to help manage work-life balance and personal challenges.
• Enjoy a collaborative, inclusive environment that integrates research and clinical care.

How to apply

If you're ready to make a difference in youth mental health and be part of a collaborative, innovative team, apply now.

For the full position description, visit

This is a part time (0.6 FTE, 3 days per week) contract until 17th December 2027

Applications will close on 13th October (10am), unless a suitable candidate is found sooner.

Before applying at Orygen, it's important to understand that you may encounter sensitive information related to mental health as part of your work. Being aware of this and how it could affect you is essential in deciding if this is the right opportunity for you. 

Orygen is committed to providing diverse, equitable and inclusive environments for Staff and anyone connected to Orygen. We strive to continue building a culturally safe workplace where our values underpin the way we work and our commitment to First Nations people of Australia, young people and their families, people with disabilities, LGBTIQA+ people and CALD communities. We strongly encourage applications from First Nations people.

Orygen is a child-safe organisation and is committed to promoting and protecting the safety and well-being of all young people and embedding safeguarding practices into all our programs and services. All employment appointments are subject to holding a valid working with children check and successful police check.