If you have a practical knowledge and understanding of young people (and/ or you may be a young person) and have a lived experience of mental health and the recovery process, headspace Wollongong is looking for a Peer Worker to join their team!

About us

headspace provides support to young people aged 12-25 experiencing mild to moderate or emerging mental health issues. The multidisciplinary team at headspace Wollongong work to improve health, social, vocational and educational outcomes for young people.

Grand Pacific Health is the lead agency of headspace Wollongong. We are a not-for-profit, primary health care organisation providing locally-tailored, high quality physical and mental health services across NSW and the ACT.

About the position

As a Peer Worker, your own lived experience of life changing mental health challenges, mental health service use, as well as periods of healing and personal recovery will be critical to support young people accessing the service with their own lived experience of the same.

The Peer Worker works collaboratively with other team members at the centre to provide individual support to young people to facilitate their engagement and social inclusion. The Peer Worker will rely on and apply personal life experience of mental health and recovery to support young people experiencing similar challenges.

Based in headspace Wollongong, this opportunity is part time (15 hours per week), fixed term until 30 June 2025 with the possibility for extension. Hours and days are negotiable.

Why join GPH?

– Flexible work arrangements to find your best work life balance
– Continuous learning and development opportunities
– Regular supervision and support within your team
– Generous salary packaging options – increase your take home pay
– We make a positive difference to the lives of those we support!

We are looking for someone with:

1. Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work (or commencement or a willingness to work towards qualification within first year)
2. Direct lived experience of life changing mental health challenges, mental health service use, as well as periods of healing and personal recovery.
3. Commitment to safely and purposely share lived experience to engender hope and support others on their personal recovery journey.
4. Ability to utilise interpersonal skills to develop and maintain effective and mutual relationships with young people

Interested?

Visit our website www.gph.org.au/employment to download Position Description and our Employee Benefits Information and click the ‘apply’ button to submit your application.

During application you will have the opportunity to provide information responding to all selection criteria in the position description. Please ensure that you address all criteria – if you do not include this, it may mean that your application will progress to the next step in our recruitment process.

For more information contact: David Wootton, Service Manager headspace Wollongong, phone 02 4220 7660 or email [email protected]

Applications close: Sunday 22 October 2023

*Please note that short-listing of candidates will commence prior to the closure of this role, so please do not delay submitting your application.

We welcome applications from people with lived experience of mental health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from the LGBTQI community, young people from multicultural communities and people with a disability.

Selected applicants will be asked to provide evidence of compliance with COVID-19 Vaccination.