Senior Youth Peer Support Worker hEP

Alfred Health

Alfred Health is a leader in health care delivery, improvement, research and education. We are the main provider of health services to people living in the inner southeast suburbs of Melbourne, from ambulatory to inpatient and home and community-based services.

Are you a person with a lived/living experience of mental health challenges as a young person? Do you have experience working as a consumer lived experience peer worker or other lived experience role? 

Be involved in an innovative youth mental health program that is making a real difference in the community and join the Youth Program team at headspace Early Psychosis and make an impact supporting young people.

• Permanent, Part-time (3 days per week)
• Salary Package: $45k - $49k + Superannuation
• Based in Bentleigh with some travel required between locations
• Have peer work experience & can bring leadership skills to support our team

What's in it for you

• Great team culture and a supportive multi-disciplinary team environment
• Frequent professional development opportunities and regular professional supervision
• Fitness Passport (Subscription membership across numerous gyms)
• An opportunity to be involved in changing perceptions and reducing stigma surrounding mental health issues

ABOUT US

The Youth Program at headspace Early Psychosis provides a range of services to young people (12-25yrs), families, and professionals. Services are strengths-based and value-driven so that they support young people to achieve personally meaningful recovery goals and enable cultural change within the organisation.

The recovery program includes some components whereby those with expertise by experience of mental illness/distress will work alongside those with expertise by profession to devise and deliver the programs.

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING

"Peer support work is the use of someone’s personal lived experience of ‘mental illness’, recovery, and/or use of mental health services to support other consumers."  (Department of Health and Human Services 2018)

As the Senior Youth Peer Support Worker, you will provide support and leadership to Youth Peer workers to ensure best practice and consistency in peer support within a recovery-oriented framework.

You will also provide mentorship to the Youth Peer Support workers in the program and maintain group and individual peer support to the young people of headspace Early Psychosis.

WHAT YOU’VE GOT

• Lived experience of psychosis or other complex mental health challenges as a young person.
• Experience working as a Consumer Peer Support Worker, within the youth sector desirable (minimum 2-3 years), knowledge of peer principles and the ability to support people from a mutual perspective by sharing lived experience.
• Experience mentoring, coaching or guiding Youth Peer Support workers.
• Understanding of the role of orientation, supervision, ongoing personal/professional development and other mechanisms that sustain motivation and enthusiasm for service participation among young people and for oneself.
• Australian working rights and current Influenza vaccination
• Current Victorian Driver License.
• Current Working with Children Check or willing to obtain one and be willing to undergo a Background Check.

WHAT YOU’LL GET

• Relevant training (Peer Support, group facilitation, Open Dialogue)
• Regular line management and discipline based supervisions
• Support from the Youth Program team dedicated to promoting the voice of lived experience within the headspace Early Psychosis program

OTHER BENEFITS

• Portable long service leave from other public health services
• Great employment benefits as part of Alfred Health:

       - Wellbeing initiatives

       - Salary Packaging & Novated Leasing through Maxxia.

       - Flexible Heath Insurance coverage through HCF Health Insurance

• Opportunities to participate in Discovery College

• Located close to public transport and cafes

If this opportunity sounds like it is for you, click the APPLY button, including your cover letter responding to the Key Selection Criteria, and your resume. Please ensure your cover letter is separately attached.

For more information regarding the positions please contact Jessica Anson (Youth Program Manager) on ph: 0437 863 358 / [email protected] or Pru Howell-Jay (Consumer Peer Program Co-ordinator) on ph: 0436 858 674 / [email protected]

NOTE: Applications without both cover letter and resume will not be accepted, nor will late applications.

Applications Close: 11pm AEST, Sunday 22nd June 2025

Alfred Health is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce that reflects the community we serve.  Applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are encouraged.

In accordance with the Health Services Amendment (Mandatory Vaccination of Healthcare Workers) Act 2020, health care workers in Category A or B roles (as determined by the department’s risk ratings) are required to be vaccinated against influenza or hold an acceptable medical exemption. 

Website: www.alfredhealth.org.au