Casual
Based in Penrith
Working days between Monday and Friday
Level 3 on the Flourish Australia Enterprise Agreement (2018) hourly rates equivalent to $40.49 - $43.42/hour + Super + Casual loading!

About the Opportunity

As a Peer Worker or Mental Health Worker, you will support people accessing our services who have a lived experience of mental health challenges to achieve their hopes and dreams. You will play an important part in assisting people to maintain wellness and realise their goals. On a day to day basis you will:

Effectively and appropriately hold recovery and social citizenship conversations with people who access our services in order to connect with them, support them and build reciprocity, via mutual understanding, trust and shared experience.
Effectively and appropriately guide and support each individual in their recovery and be strengths, ability and possibility focused, whilst ensuring they are the leads in their own recovery journey.
Effectively contribute to decreasing stigma and discrimination around having a lived experience of a mental health challenge.
Support the person to access activities and opportunities that promote independence.
Support skill development at every opportunity through self-directed learning, information, training, and education.

We value lived experience and believe peer support is a powerful part of the mental health recovery journey. Therefore, our Peer Worker roles are for those willing to use their personal lived experience of a mental health challenge and recovery. Your personal lived experience of mental health challenges, trauma, recovery and navigating services is recognised as a form of Lived Experience Expertise. You use this expertise intentionally, safely, and purposefully to build relationships grounded in mutuality, shared understanding, respect, and hope. Through authentic connection and values-aligned self-disclosure, you support people to explore their strengths, rights, choices, and self-defined recovery goals, always honouring their roles as the expert in their own life.

It is not a requirement for Mental Health Workers to use their lived experience of a mental health challenge in their everyday work.

To learn more about becoming a Peer Worker with Flourish Australia, we encourage you to review An Introduction to Peer Work at Flourish Australia, which provides a clear overview of the role. You can also deepen your understanding of our Peer Work model by exploring our Peer Workforce Framework.

Full position descriptions for each role can be found below:

Peer Worker Position Description
Mental Health Worker Position Description

Please note - Successful candidates must maintain a Class C drivers license and proof of comprehensive insurance must be provided when required. You may be directed to use your private motor vehicle in the course of performing your duties when an organisational pool motor vehicle is unavailable. You will receive the Travelling Transport and Fares Allowance when using your private vehicle for work related purposes.

Who we are

Flourish Australia is one of Australia’s most experienced community mental health organisations. Our purpose is to support people to flourish, believe in their futures, and become contributing members of the community.

Our services are comprehensive and highly personalised because each person’s experience will be different and their needs, as an individual, are unique. Together we set goals, connect individuals with the right people, support services and opportunities to meet their needs.

Our positions are open to all suitably qualified applicants. We have a strong commitment to the participation of people with lived experience of mental health challenges in our workforce. We value diversity and encourage applications from suitably qualified people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities, LGBTQ+ communities and mature age candidates.

Selection Criteria

Essential:

A Certificate IV or above in a relevant field OR a minimum of 2-years full-time experience working in the human services field (as recognised by Flourish Australia).
A personal lived experience of a mental health challenge and recovery (Peer Worker only).
Willing and able to effectively, respectfully, and appropriately use your lived experience of a mental health challenge and recovery (Peer Worker only).
Demonstrated alignment to Flourish Australia’s values.
A strong understanding and commitment to recovery-based practice in the workplace.
Understanding of the challenges faced by people with a lived experience of mental health challenges.
Understanding of, and ability to effectively use, Microsoft Office and knowledge of data information management systems.
Maintain a current Australian Driver’s Licence.

For further information, please contact Kirsty Sinclair, Manager. E: kirsty.sinclair@flourishaustralia.org.au (please do not email applications).

The Benefits

Flourish Australia recognises and values its people as demonstrated by:

Level 3 (SCHCADS) on the Flourish Australia Enterprise Agreement (2018)
Family-friendly and flexible working conditions
Opportunities for career progression, professional development and training such as Mental Health First Aid and ASIST
Employee Assistance Program for confidential wellbeing support
Workplace Community Groups such as our Rainbow Network for LGBTQ+ staff members & allies and YarnUp for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff members
Exclusive personal Fleet pricing discounts with our preferred automotive supplier
Employee discounts at 400+ popular retailers (Woolworths, Expedia, Myer, Kmart etc)

All appointments with Flourish Australia's Mental Health Services are subject to an NDIS Worker Screening clearance, a National Criminal History Check, a WWCC, previous employment reference checks, satisfactory Australian residency status and other background checks. All successful applicants will be required to declare any private or secondary employment prior to commencement in line with Flourish Australia's Private or Secondary Employment Policy.