Eating Disorder Specialist Consumer Peer Worker

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.

• Permanent, Part-Time (0.8 EFT / 64 Hours)
• Lived Experience Worker Level 2 or 3
• Based in Armadale
• Salary Range: $70K to 76K + Superannuation
• Regular professional supervision and career development opportunities
• Salary packaging & benefits, including novated leasing, flexible health insurance options, and discounted childcare services

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a brand-new, purpose-built residential eating disorder service, opening in May 2025.
• Join a specialist statewide program at Alfred Health, driving innovation in eating disorder care.
• Work alongside senior management and key stakeholders, including Eating Disorders Victoria.
• Access to Fitness Passport – a subsidised gym membership across Melbourne.

About Us

Ngamai Wilam is a 12-bed residential eating disorder treatment facility in Armadale, set to open in May 2025. Jointly funded by the Australian Federal Government and the Victorian Government, this specialist service is managed by Alfred Health.

Ngamai Wilam provides 24/7 trauma-informed, recovery-focused care in a gender-inclusive, home-like therapeutic environment. With a strong emphasis on family and chosen supports, the service is dedicated to long-term recovery and person-centred care.

As part of AMAH Statewide Services, alongside WREN (Women’s Recovery Network), Ngamai Wilam is at the forefront of innovative mental health care, integrating Open Dialogue principles to promote collaborative and holistic recovery.

About the Role

As a Consumer Peer Worker - Specialist Eating Disorders, you will play a pivotal role in supporting individuals on their recovery journey from eating disorders. Drawing from your own lived experience, the role focuses on providing peer support, coaching, and guidance, with particular attention to the unique challenges of eating disorder recovery. This role involves working alongside the multidisciplinary team to provide individual and group support, empowering participants to take an active role in their recovery and supporting participants with developing a health relationship with food.

You will contribute to the recovery process by sharing your personal experience, offering hope, and fostering a sense of connection. You will support participants in navigating the complexities of eating disorder recovery, ensuring that the lived experience perspective is central to service delivery and team practices.

In this role, you will:

• Provide one-on-one peer support to individuals in the Ngamai Wilam Residential Program, using your lived experience of eating disorder recovery to create a trusting and empowering environment.
• Engage participants in both individual and group sessions, offering emotional support and practical strategies for managing eating disorder symptoms and challenges.
• Actively participate in the therapeutic group program, facilitating or co-facilitating activities focused on recovery from eating disorders, such as body image work, emotional regulation, and self-compassion.
• Provide structured meal support, offering coaching and encouragement to participants during mealtimes to help them overcome fear foods, eating challenges, and develop healthier relationships with food.
• Contribute to therapeutic family meals, supporting families in understanding the impact of eating disorders and fostering a collaborative, recovery-focused environment at the family level.
• Offer consultation to the multidisciplinary team, sharing insights from a lived experience perspective to inform treatment approaches and interventions tailored to eating disorder recovery.
• A willingness to use your lived experience to support others in their recovery journey from eating disorders, with a focus on empathy, hope, and empowerment.
• Ability to provide coaching and support to individuals and groups, specifically in relation to eating disorder recovery, including meal support and managing eating-related challenges.
• A commitment to consumer-led recovery and a deep understanding of the principles of peer support in the context of eating disorder treatment.
• Ability to work with individuals from a strengths-based perspective, helping them build self-efficacy, develop coping strategies, and navigate the complexities of eating disorder recovery.
• Effective communication skills, including the ability to document recovery progress and communicate clearly with team members.
• Knowledge of the unique aspects of eating disorder recovery and the challenges participants face in their treatment journey.

Qualifications & Eligibility

Essential

• Lived experience of an eating disorder and a personal recovery journey, with a thorough understanding of the unique challenges and recovery processes involved.
• Experience providing peer support, particularly in the context of eating disorders, either professionally or in a volunteer capacity.
• Current Victorian Driver Licence

Desirable

• Experience working in a multidisciplinary team in the context of eating disorder treatment and recovery.
• Experience facilitating groups or support sessions focused on eating disorder recovery, body image, and emotional regulation.
• Formal qualifications, such as Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work or Intentional Peer Support Core Training, are desirable but not mandatory.

Interested? Apply Now!

If you’re excited about being a part of a new specialist eating disorder service, click APPLY to submit your resume and cover letter.

NOTE: Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

For more information, contact Peter Pamouktsis via email: [email protected]

Applications Close: 11pm AEST, Friday 16th of May 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