Peer Worker – Suicide Prevention

What’s ACON’s Regional Services you say? Our regional teams engage with LGBTQ+ people, community members and people living with HIV (PLHIV) in providing care coordination, peer support, counselling services, delivering health promotion campaigns, undertaking community development and peer education initiatives, supporting community groups and events, providing training and support to mainstream services, and providing access to the needle and syringe program. Ok, so what’s the role? The Peer Worker (Suicide Prevention) is essentially utilising your lived experience of suicide and mental health challenges to support LGBTQ+ community members experiencing suicidal distress or following a recent attempt. This role is a part of a multidisciplinary team consisting of lived experience and non-lived experience roles responding to the needs of LGBTQ+ community members, however peer support may be delivered as a standalone support service depending on the support preferences of individual community members. You will:

• Provide strengths based, recovery orientated and trauma informed peer support, advocacy and mentoring to LGBTQ+ community members.
• Support and empower clients to strength their self-management skills.
• Work collaboratively with ACON staff, in particular Client Services and Regional Services staff to ensure adequate support is provided to clients in a timely manner.
• Regularly attend and actively participate in required team meetings to ensure consistent quality service delivery.
• Support the promotion of the service.
• Administer, support, train and evaluate volunteer workers, while ensuring they are properly onboarded and documented in accordance with relevant ACON policy & procedures.

Who are we looking for?

• Someone with significant lived experience of suicide, mental health distress and recovery who is eager to use this experience to support LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV.
• A person who is compassionate and passionate about human rights and social justice.
• Someone who understands the broad range of social factors that impact experiences of suicidality for LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV.
• A person with solid written and verbal communication skills including empathy, conflict resolution, productive feedback, active listening and case notes.
• Someone with a strong commitment and understanding of ACON’s communities, particularly people with HIV.
• A person with the ability to meaningfully connect with people from diverse backgrounds and possess the skills and commitment to provide a culturally open space.
• Someone with a balance of initiative and collaboration, who can work independently and as a part of a cohesive and supportive team.

What else can we tell you? ACON provides a colourful, nurturing, and fun workplace. Our employees and volunteers are the foundation for our ongoing effectiveness and for our capacity to deliver innovative community engagement and health promotion programs and initiatives for our communities. To support the successful candidate in their new role at ACON we offer:

• Flexible working arrangements.
• Generous learning and development opportunities.
• Potential for tailored mentoring opportunities.
• Supportive working environment with a knowledgeable and friendly team.

What’s the remuneration and working details? Salary: $72,891 to $82,519 FTE (Gross per annum, PLUS Superannuation and Leave Loading) – commensurate with skills, qualifications, and experience ($43,734 to $49,512 for 3 days / week). Location: ACON’s Bundjalung/Northern Rivers office (Lismore) with some flexible working options a possibility (WAFTO). Hours: Part-Time (42 hours per fortnight) on a fixed term contract, with the possibility of extension. We offer flexible working arrangements and a generous array of entitlements often above the National Employment Standards (NES) including:

• Salary Packaging up to $35,000 gross up value (i.e., currently up to $15,900 Expenses + $2,650 Meals, tax free).
• Generous pro-rata leave entitlements – including up to an extra week of paid leave for full time employees to be taken during our end of year holiday shutdown period.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to a comprehensive counselling service free to employees.

Details

Download Position Description

Essential Criteria

Essential:

1. Significant lived experience of diverse genders and sexualities, and recovery from mental health or suicidal crisis.
2. At least 1-year of experience working or volunteering in the community in a mental health setting.
3. Ability to reflect intentionally and thoughtfully upon one’s personal lived experience of mental ill-health, and an understanding of which elements are individual or structural, and which may be common to many people of diverse sexuality and gender.
4. A strong commitment to, and good understanding of, trauma-informed recovery-based practice.
5. Work independently and collaboratively as part of a team, reporting back regularly so progress can be supported.
6. Well-developed verbal and written communication skills and demonstrated experience using Microsoft Office.
7. Evidence of up-to-date recommended vaccinations to meet Department of Health requirements for the role.

Desirable Criteria

Desirable: 1. Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work/equivalent qualification. 2. An understanding of the Australian LGBTQ+ mental health evidence-base. 3. Experience working collaboratively with allied health professionals. 4. Knowledge of mental health services and other community services in NSW. 5. Prior experience in a peer work role. 6. Current Australian driver’s license.

Other Information

Bundjalung/Lismore Part Time (3 days a week) Want to leap into a career that empowers you to use your lived and living experiences to support and promote the health and wellbeing of the regional LGBTQ+ community? If so – keep reading! You can play a vital role in the delivery of our Statewide Suicide Prevention and Aftercare Service that supports LGBTQ+ community following a suicidal crisis, an attempt or those experiencing suicide risk.

How to Apply

How can I find out more details and apply? If this sounds like you, we invite you to apply to join our team and help us make a meaningful impact on the lives of those we serve. By joining us, you will be part of a mission to create a healthier and more inclusive community. We’d love someone who has experience already in this area but people at all levels of experience are absolutely welcome to apply. We highly encourage Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disabilities, and people of all genders to apply. For more information on the role, please contact Chloe Wilson (she/her) Team Leader of Peer Work Services, via email at cwilson@acon.org.au or (02) 4962 7700. If this sounds like the position and organisation you’ve been looking for, find out how to apply at www.acon.org.au/jobs. All applications must include:

1. Your completed ACON Employment Application Form – with all the details filled in where requested;
2. Your Cover Letter outlining how you meet the Selection Criteria (max. 4 pages); and
3. Your Resume (max. 4 pages).

ACON Health Limited

ACON is Australia’s largest health promotion organisation specialising in community health, inclusion, and HIV responses for people of diverse sexualities and genders. Established in 1985, ACON works to create opportunities for people in our communities to live their healthiest lives. We are grounded in the belief that diversity is our strength, our differentiator, and at the core of who we are and what we do. As part of our commitment to inclusion, we encourage applications from people living with HIV, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and LGBTQ people from culturally, linguistically and ethnically diverse, migrant and refugee backgrounds, and LGBTQ people of colour. www.acon.org.au