About us:
Arafmi, founded in Brisbane in 1976, is a community organisation supporting individuals with mental illness and psychosocial disability, their carers and families. Serving as a peak for mental health carers in Queensland, Arafmi has broad and direct engagement with carers across the state and plays an active role in identifying carers’ needs and providing systemic advocacy across all government levels.
About the role:
We are currently seeking a Lived Experience Advocacy Lead to join the Systems Advocacy Team for a 2-year contract.
The successful candidate will advocate for the collective interests of family, carers, and kin of people living with mental ill-health in Queensland. You will be raising awareness, informing policy and systems planning through lived experience leadership, to support system advocacy and reform.
The Lived Experience Advocacy Lead plays a key role in in building organisational capacity, developing lived experience leadership skills, and actively participating in advocacy and system reform activities.
Key Competencies:
- Provide guidance and support to individuals with lived experience, helping them effectively communicate their perspectives in policy discussions.
- Implement strategies to enhance Arafmi’s advocacy capacity, ensuring engagement with a diverse range of people, including First Nations, remote, young carer, LGBTQIA+ and CALD communities.
- Develop and implement systems and processes that support lived experience participants, ensuring their needs and voices are heard and valued.
- Research, draft, and contribute to the development of mental health policy proposals and recommendations grounded in lived experience insights.
- Actively engage with government agencies, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders to build coalitions and partnerships.
- Represent Arafmi in policy discussions and contribute to stakeholder networks.
- Uphold the principles of mental health carer and consumer empowerment and inclusion.
- Design and deliver training programs relevant to advocacy and system reform.
- Contribute to the creation of materials that enhance the capacity of mental health carers in advocacy, policy development, and representation.
- Develop and implement strategies to raise awareness about mental health policy issues among the community, carers, and individuals.
- Ability to maintain accurate records of interactions, activities, and program outcomes.
- Assist in the preparation of reports for funders and stakeholders as required.
About you:
Skills and experience:
- Lived experience as a family member, carer, or kin of a person living with mental ill-health, the ability and experience of applying knowledge from these experiences in your work.
- Relevant sector experience in capacity development in advocacy and/or mental health, or qualifications in these areas.
- Demonstrated ability to develop lived experience leadership, advocate for policy change, and engage in system reform activities.
- Proven experience in engaging with stakeholders, including government agencies, advocacy groups, and communities.
- Demonstrated experience in the design and running of successful training programs relevant to enhancing community supports.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex policy issues effectively.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team while also being able to work independently and manage tasks efficiently.
- A willingness to work flexibly to contribute to the needs of the organisation.
Successful applicants will also require the following;
- A Yellow/Blue Card/NDIS Worker Screening or ability to obtain these
- NDIS Worker Orientation Module Certificate
- Must have a current driver’s licence as well as access to a personal registered motor vehicle, with full comprehensive insurance.
How to Apply:
Click ‘Apply for this job’ and attach your CV & a Cover Letter addressing how you meet the Skills and Experience section.
This ad will be close prior to the end date if a successful applicant is employed.