Lived Experience Peer Workers – Based at Skylight Elizabeth

SCHADS Level 4: Casual Positions

Must be available Monday to Friday and 15 to 38 hours per week

Skylight Mental Health is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce including people from all genders, ages, sexualities, cultures, backgrounds. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culturally and linguistically diverse people and people with mental health lived experience of recovery.

We are recruiting Lived Experience Peer Workers to work at our Elizabeth office. The Lived Experience Peer Workers will work closely with participants to promote recovery, inspire hope and facilitate a process wherein participants can work toward their goals and wellbeing. The Lived Experience Peer Workers will work with participants via telephone, web chat and in person, providing short term services in the office and community. The Lived Experience Peer Workers will network with other providers, make new connections and maintain existing relationships with other organisations.

Under the general direction of a Team leader, the Lived Experience Peer Workers will assist in the development, delivery and evaluation of high-quality Skylight programs. The Lived Experienced Peer Workers will contribute to a collaborative and flexible team culture, to build immediate, respectful and compassionate relationships with program participants using strengths based, trauma informed approaches. This will include providing practical support and work to establish connections with and for the participant to connect them to longer term supports.

Lived Experience Peer Workers are required to draw from their own learned personal recovery experience from mental distress and are at a point in recovery where these experiences can be applied in a work setting to benefit others. Lived Experienced Peer Workers will have the experience, knowledge and resources available to them for self-care and reflective practice for continual growth. Lived Experienced Peer Workers inspire hope, offer non-judgmental supports, walk alongside people and build capacity.

Requirements for Success

• A tertiary qualification relevant to the health or mental health sector, minimum Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work and/or a minimum of 2 years’ experience in mental health related peer work

• Sound knowledge and awareness of mental health challenges

• Lived experience of mental health recovery and excellent skills in the safe and appropriate use of these in the support of Skylight customers and participants

• Capacity to work both autonomously and within teams

• High level of understanding of person centred, trauma informed and strengths-based practice

• Proficient knowledge of Microsoft programs and relevant software

• DHS Working With Children Check and NDIS Worker Check

• Current SA Drivers Licence and willingness to use own registered, insured vehicle

• Current knowledge of northern-based services and existing relationships with providers desirable

The role will be predominantly based at Skylight Elizabeth, servicing multiple areas of the Northern Adelaide metropolitan region.

For queries about the role, please contact Chantal Yeend via email at chantal@skylight.org.au

Skylight will fill the roles as soon as possible, and will keep the recruitment open until filled.

If you are interested in applying please attach:

• Resume and

• cover letter outlining your working experience where you feel you would be suitable for this role

• Answers to the following questions (limit 75 words per question)

1. Our programs are short and time limited. Please describe your understanding of capacity building and how would you engage with someone to ensure you can meet goals within timeframes.

2. Describe your ability and experience to build connections with other support providers and community organisations.

3. Describe your knowledge of the role of lived experience in mental health, and how have you applied this in your work or practice

4. Please share how you reflect on and use your own lived experience in alignment with organisational values.