Lived Experience Project Officer

About Karakan 

Karakan is a leading provider of psychosocial support services, dedicated to helping individuals with mental health needs to live meaningful and fulfilling lives. Through recovery-focused services, we promote inclusion, connection, and resilience. Guided by our vision of an Australia where people with mental health needs are valued and supported, we stand against stigma, discrimination and marginalisation. 

Our philosophy, YOU CAN. WE CAN., reflects the strength of individuals and the power of community. We are committed to human rights, mental health and wellbeing, innovation and challenging the status quo. Karakan is a dynamic workplace that values adaptability, passion, and personal growth, fostering an environment where staff are supported and encouraged to thrive. 

The Opportunity 

This is a unique opportunity to join Karakan's Strategy and Impact team and help shape the future of lived experience practice and peer workforce development across our organisation. 

As our Lived Experience Project Officer, you will play a meaningful role in strengthening Karakan's peer workforce. This includes contributing lived experience insights to service design and improvement, liaising with peer workers about their experiences of working at Karakan, and championing a culture where lived experience expertise is genuinely valued and embedded. 

This is a designated lived experience role. To be successful, candidates must be able to demonstrate personal lived experience of distress, challenges and/or barriers to mental health needs, personal recovery and navigating systems, consistent with Karakan's Peer Workforce Framework definition of lived experience expertise. 

This role is classified at SCHADS Level 4 under the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award and is offered on a permanent part-time basis (0.5 FTE). 

If you are a passionate lived experience champion who is ready to turn your personal journey into meaningful system change and support our peer workforce development, we would love to hear from you. 

Key Responsibilities 

In this role, you will: 

• Support the implementation of priority actions within Karakan's Peer Workforce Implementation Plan 

• Connect regularly with peer workers to gather feedback on role clarity, psychological safety and role integration, and identify barriers to participation 

• Contribute lived experience insights to program design, service improvement and co-design processes 

• Support the development and delivery of peer workforce evaluation activities, including surveys, focus groups, data collection and evaluation reporting 

• Act as a lived experience representative and champion across the organisation, modelling authenticity, mutuality, shared power and dignity of risk 

• Advocate respectfully to uphold human rights, challenge stigma and tokenism, and promote inclusion across internal and external stakeholder activities 

• Promote awareness and understanding of peer work and lived experience disciplines, and build relationships with external lived experience networks and communities of practice 

• Maintain accurate records, reports and documentation in line with organisational requirements 

About You 

You are an authentic lived experience champion who brings both personal insight and professional skill to your work. You understand the power of peer work as a discipline and are committed to using your own lived experience expertise to contribute to meaningful change at Karakan as our peer workforce grows. 

You will bring: 

• Personal lived experience of distress, challenges and/or barriers to mental health needs, personal recovery and navigating systems (this is an essential requirement of the role) 

• A Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work or equivalent, or a willingness to obtain this within an agreed timeframe 

• Minimum 2 years' experience supporting people with mental health needs 

• Experience contributing to peer work, lived experience leadership, peer workforce development or system improvement initiatives 

• Strong understanding of peer work values, recovery principles, human rights frameworks and trauma-informed practice 

• Excellent communication, collaboration and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage across diverse teams and stakeholders 

• Strong capability in reflective practice, ethical storytelling and boundary management 

• Solid organisational, planning and digital literacy skills, including proficiency in Microsoft programs 

• A current Blue Card and ability to complete relevant worker screening checks, including an NDIS Worker Screening Check 

Highly desirable: 

• Knowledge of co-design and co-production processes 

• Understanding of cultural safety, intersectionality and systems that lead to discrimination 

• Experience supporting or mentoring peer workers 

• Confidence facilitating groups, forums or reflective spaces 

Why Join Karakan? 

More than just a job, Karakan offers the opportunity to build a rewarding career while making a genuine difference in people's lives. 

When you join Karakan, you'll be part of an organisation that values your wellbeing, invests in your development and celebrates the unique experiences and perspectives you bring. 

What you can expect: 

• Flexible working arrangements that support work-life balance 

• Salary packaging options that increase your take-home pay 

• A culturally safe, inclusive and respectful workplace 

• Free and confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 

• A supportive team that genuinely cares about each other 

• Learning, development and career progression opportunities 

• External peer supervision for lived experience roles 

• Meaningful, purpose-driven work that creates lasting impact in our communities 

Our Commitment 

Karakan is committed to providing a child-safe, culturally safe and inclusive environment for all people. 

We value diversity and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ communities and people living with disability. 

Employment is subject to relevant screening and probity checks, including criminal history and worker screening clearances. 

How to Apply 

Applications should include: 

• A current resume; and 

• A cover letter addressing the following Selection Criteria: 

1. Qualifications & Lived Experience — Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work (or equivalent) and/or equivalent industry experience (2 years minimum) and personal lived experience of distress, challenges and/or barriers to mental health needs, personal recovery, and navigating systems (see Karakan's Peer Workforce Framework for full definition). 

1. Peer Work — Demonstrated knowledge and experience in peer work and system improvement initiatives. 

1. Knowledge of Practice Frameworks — Strong understanding of recovery principles, human rights frameworks and trauma-informed practice. 

1. Supporting System Improvement and Evaluation Activities — Demonstrated ability to support service and cultural improvements through evaluation activities, data collection, contributing lived experience insights to feedback loops, and documenting outcomes. 

1. Communication & Collaboration — Excellent communication skills, including the ability to listen deeply, seek to understand diverse perspectives, and collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders. 

1. Professional Skills & Independence — Skilled in project work, reflective practice, ethical storytelling, boundary management, and capable of working independently with strong organisational and digital literacy skills. 

All applications must be submitted via SEEK. 

For further information, or to request the Position Description, email ************@karakan.com.au.  

Recruitment Process 

This vacancy is being managed as a priority appointment. Applications will be assessed as they are received, and suitable applicants may be contacted and invited to interview prior to the closing date. 

Karakan is committed to equitable and merit-based recruitment practices. All applications will be assessed against the requirements of the role and the Selection Criteria outlined in the Position Description. 

Karakan is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to building a diverse, inclusive and culturally safe workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with lived/living experience of mental health challenges, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ communities, people living with disability and individuals of all ages. 

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and employment lifecycle to support equitable participation. 

Karakan reserves the right to progress candidates through the selection process and make an appointment at any stage prior to the advertised closing date. Early applications are strongly encouraged.