* Location: Maroochydore, QLD
* Salary Range: $95,440 - $99,461 + Attractive Superannuation
* This vacancy has been identified to participate in VetPaths
Open Arms is Australia’s leading provider of mental health services for Australian current and former serving military members and their families. Open Arms are focused on meeting client needs through a combination of proven clinical practices and new and emerging evidence-based approaches. Open Arms is committed to embedding Lived Experience Peer work as an integral part of our service delivery environment. It recognises the importance of a culture where Lived Experience Peer work is supported and respected as a part of the way all mental health services are delivered. This role will work in a multidisciplinary team alongside clinical teams in delivering an efficacious service and will report to the Lived Experience Peer Team Leader.
Under the Open Arms Model of Care Community and Peer Workers utilise their Lived Experience to work within a multidisciplinary environment to respectfully support, promote hope and educate clients and stakeholders about strengths-based, recovery-oriented practices and community services to support early engagement, and trauma-informed mental health support. They will utilise their personal experience of military service or military family life, and of a mental health journey, which may include as a relative/carer of an ex Australian Defence Force (ADF) member who has experienced a mental health journey to inform best practice. Communication and interpersonal skills are paramount, and Community and Peer Workers must demonstrate high levels of integrity and emotional intelligence.
Community and Peer Workers provide goal focused and recovery oriented individual support to increase a client’s confidence and participation in the community, and with consent, liaise with clients’ family members, treatment providers, local support services and key stakeholders to ensure a holistic and therapeutic experience. Lived Experience Peer Workers provide co-facilitation for group programs in collaboration with Open Arms colleagues or external providers and play an active role in promoting Open Arms’ services in the community.
There is a current vacancy in South Queensland (North).
DUTIES
As an APS 5 Community and Peer Worker you will be required to
* Provide services under the Open Arms Model of Care for personalised peer support to current and former ADF members and their families who are experiencing, challenges or issues across their lifespan. Collaboratively identify client goals for their personal recovery, identify needs (eg. housing, counselling) and develop an individualised Action Plan to identify strengths and measure progress.
* Apply Lived Experience and knowledge of veterans’ and families’ to foster and sustain strong rapport with clients, acknowledging the expertise a client has and the guidance they can bring to their own life and mental wellbeing.
* Work within a multidisciplinary team, including working collaboratively and collaborating with team members in case review meetings, facilitate and co-facilitate relevant group programs, to influence a recovery approach to service delivery for veterans, current ADF members, and their families.
* Promote and represent Open Arms, Department of Veterans’ Affairs in the veteran community, build and maintain meaningful networks by working with key internal and external stakeholders including ADF, veteran and family specific community services, organisations and networks to break down barriers to care and increase awareness and visibility of Open Arms services.
* Exhibit behaviours that align with the APS values, Code of Conduct, Open Arms Model of Care and promote mental health recovery, hope, respect, empathy and wellness, role modelling resilience, emotional intelligence, and adaptability for our clients, and veteran community including stakeholder education and engagement.
* Undertake and maintain accurate and timely, records documentation, reporting and other administration requirements including confidentiality requirements, as per management systems, communication pathways, and relevant policies and procedures.
* Maintain Lived Experience led evidence-based processes through engagement in ongoing professional development, including Peer networks and supervision.
Key Skills required as an APS 5 Community and Peer Worker
* Lived Experience (see mandatory requirements) with specific Lived Experience training eg. Certificate IV Mental Health Peer Work, or willingness to undertake further training and development.
* Skills and knowledge to utilise Lived Experience to respectfully support and educate clients – drawing from a variety of lived experience backgrounds (for example employment, navigation of services, family and self-recovery)
* Strong skills in communication (written and verbal) including promoting Lived Experience values, principles and theories that underpin practice, advocate for the importance of recovery and engaging in trauma-informed mental health support to colleagues, community and stakeholders.
* High levels of integrity and emotional intelligence and an ability to abide and be accountable by confidentiality and privacy principles.
MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
* Working with Children (WWC) and/or Vulnerable People Checks/Clearance must be obtained prior to commencing in the position.
* Lived Experience, including personal lived experience of military service or military family life, and of a mental health journey, which may include as a relative/carer of an ex-ADF member who has experienced a mental health journey.
ELIGIBILITY
* Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the Australian Public Service (APS).
* Any successful candidate external to DVA offered employment will be required to undergo a pre-engagement screening check, even if they have a security clearance. The screening check is conducted in accordance with the Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework requirements.
* Any successful candidate will also be required to obtain and/or maintain, a baseline Vetting (AGSVA) security clearance as a minimum.
NOTES
This recruitment process may be used to fill ongoing and/or non-ongoing position/s. For more information about the role, please see the .
A merit pool of suitable applicants may be created which may be used to fill future ongoing and non-ongoing vacancies should they become available over the next 18 months.
Successful applicants engaged into the APS will be subject to a probation period.
We welcome people with diverse skills, experiences and perspectives. DVA is committed to building a workforce that reflects the community we serve and encourages applications from:
* Veterans and former Australian Defence Force members, whose skills and experience are highly valued across the APS
* Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
* People with disability
* People who identify as LGBTQIA+
* People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
We are a Veteran Employer of Choice! This means you benefit from a workplace actively supporting veterans and families of veterans – one that understands and values military experience. You’re joining an organisation publicly recognised for its commitment to fostering veteran-friendly employment pathways and long-term career success.
The Australian Public Service (APS) values the unique skills, perspectives, and experiences that veterans gain during their Australian Defence Force (ADF) employment and encourage veterans to apply. Support may be available to veterans transitioning to meaningful APS careers through participation in VetPaths, which offers veterans an opportunity to participate in a six-month program offering formal learning and development, career mentoring and activities for wellness and peer support.
RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme, you will be invited to participate in further assessment activities for the vacancy if you choose to opt-in to the scheme, declare you have a disability and meet the minimum requirements for the vacancy. All requests for reasonable adjustments will be considered and managed in consultation with you.
.