Combine your lived expertise, compassion, and skilled skill to support adults in distress.
Embarking on a career journey with Social Futures means becoming part of a mission that goes beyond just a job. We are a voice for social change, with a history spanning over 49 years.
Are you ready to start a new chapter that combines your lived expertise, compassion, and professional insight to walk beside adults navigating life’s challenges?
We are looking for a Peer Worker to join our Distress Support Program. This program is a community-based, non-clinical support service that provides immediate, compassionate assistance to adults experiencing situational, emotional, or psychological distress and connects them to longer term support.
The Peer Worker position gives you an opportunity to:
- Bring your authentic lived and living experience of distress and navigating support services as a foundation to connect with and support others
- Build safe, authentic, and respectful relationships with program participants, drawing on your lived experience, to foster trust, hope, and self-determination.
- Bring knowledge and understanding of navigating support systems, goal setting and support planning
- Support individuals to navigate community services, referral pathways, and practical resources to help them self-manage their distress and reach their goals.
- Engage families, carers, and natural supports where appropriate, promoting shared understanding and connection.
- Participate in reflective supervision and learning that supports your wellbeing, boundaries, and sustainability in the role.
The Heart of Peer Work
Peer Work is human work that is grounded in connection, mutuality, and hope.
It’s about walking along side people, not ahead of them.
It’s not therapy. It’s not fixing. It’s being with.
At Social Futures, Peer Workers use their lived experience safely and purposefully to build trust, share hope, and model recovery.
We’re looking for people who are not only passionate, but ready to bring heart into systems, and hope into workplaces.
To thrive in this role, you’ll bring qualities that keep peer work authentic and sustainable:
- Organisationally ready - comfortable working within policies, structures, and multidisciplinary teams.
- Emotionally aware - able to share lived experience in ways that are reflective, grounded, and safe for both you and the people you support.
- Clear boundaries and reflective - committed to supervision, growth, and sustainability.
- Collaborative - confident in your peer lens, and kind in your approach.
At Social Futures
Your lived expertise matters. We stand beside our people the same way we walk alongside our communities, with compassion, curiosity, and respect.
You’ll have the backing of a Lived Experience Practice Lead to support your practice, within a team that values authenticity, inclusion, and wellbeing.
Among the benefits, we offer flexible working options, access to ongoing learning and development, generous salary packaging, a staff wellbeing program, and the opportunity to bank additional days of leave each year.
Our values are Integrity, Learning, and Inclusion. These are not just words on a wall; they’re woven through every part of who we are at Social Futures. They guide how we show up for our people and our communities every day.
Why you’ll love working with us:
- Your voice will be valued and heard in our mission to support positive social change.
- You’ll be part of a supportive, diverse, and inclusive environment that celebrates individuality.
- You’ll have access to professional supervision, ongoing development, a connected peer support network, and guidance from our Lived Experience Practice Lead.
The successful candidate will have:
- Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work or Diploma Community Services.
- Ability to use personal lived experience of psychological distress to positively support others on their search for support services and willingness to share aspects of personal lived experience. This provides a role model for recovery, support and understanding for other consumers.
- At least 2 years’ experience in community services sector.
- Lived-experience of navigating the service system in Lower Hunter Region
- Excellent written and oral communication, interpersonal and negotiation skills, with the ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with all people to ensure effective relationships.
- Demonstrated well-developed organisational, time management and administrative skills with the ability to plan, prioritise and meet deadlines.
- Demonstrated experience in maintaining professional boundaries while engaging in person-centred work.
- A committed self-care and reflective practice routine, already integrated into your personal and professional life, ensuring your own well-being as you support others
We are proud to announce
Social Futures has been recognised as an accredited Great Workplace by WRK+. Our amazing team makes our workplace special.
We are a Rainbow Tick accredited organisation and an equal opportunity employer. We actively recruit from key communities including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, LGBTIQSB+ communities, people living with disability, people with lived and living experience, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Working with Children and National Police Checks are mandatory requirements for all staff.
How to Apply:
Please send us
- A copy of your CV
- A brief cover letter that outlines why you are a good fit for the role
To access a position description please click apply or click here
Applications close Monday 15 December.
We ensure clear communication and a response for every applicant.
For more information about Social Futures please visit our website:
https://socialfutures.org.au/work-with-us/
For further information, please contact Olga Bruvel on 0417 506 ***
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