Aboriginal Mental Health and Social Emotional Wellbeing Professional Trainee - Identified

Join a deadly workforce shaping the future of Aboriginal mental health - earn, learn and lead with community beside you.

Employment Type: Temporary Full Time until June 2026
Position Classification: Aboriginal Health Worker
Remuneration: $31.52 - $45.57 per hour + super
Location: Hunter area
Hours Per Week: 38
Requisition ID: REQ609719
Applications Close: Sunday, 19th October 2025


YAMHS respectfully acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the custodians of the land in which our mental health facilities are located. We pay our respects to our Elders who are the knowledge holders of our culture and who keep our traditions, rituals, song lines alive. We respect the continuing connection to the sky, land, rivers and seas of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and its interconnectedness to social, emotional, physical, spiritual and mental health and wellbeing. We acknowledge the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities within our district, the staff who work with us and the Aboriginal services and organisations who partner with us to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across our footprint. We ask all those that walk, work and live on traditional Aboriginal lands to be respectful of culture and traditions.

This is a position identified for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people on the basis of a genuine occupational qualification under section 14(d) of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977. Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander applicants must demonstrate Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander status in addition to addressing the selection criteria. Citing and corroboration of Aboriginal identity is flexible, however the statutory requirements for Aboriginality are based upon descent.  For information on Confirmation of Aboriginality requirements click here. If you require support, please make contact so this support can be offered. 

About us:
YAMHS is a youth, adult Aboriginal standalone speciality in reach and care coordination service within acute mental health services Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD). YAMHS is a multidisciplinary team who are specialised Aboriginal mental health clinicians that aim to deliver collaborative, clinical and culturally responsive holistic care and are seeking Aboriginal people who are interested in becoming trained mental health clinicians who are passionate about improving the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accessing mental health services.

The multidisciplinary team provide:

• Transitioning of Care Coordination (TOCC)- wrap around support response.
• Culturally grounded mental health assessment & care planning
• Care coordination/case management/therapeutic interventions
• Healing supports /Clinical yarning/Cultural consultation
• Collaborative partnerships with people, families & community
• Across-lifespan specialist Mental health support

YAMHS is committed to helping the local community access acute mental health services and work with community to empower mob to maintain their mental health and social emotional wellbeing. YAMHS also provides community-based supports & consultations outside of clinical pathways. YAMHS is delivered by mob, for mob in partnership with Aboriginal communities. YAMHS is known for being culturally connected and a clinical care service that is responsive, collaborative and holistic provided through clinical yarning, expertise, knowledge and healing.

About the role:
As a YAMHS Allied Health undergraduate clinician/trainee you will help our service provide flexible, holistic and culturally sensitive mental health services with on-the-job training as a mental health clinician to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, young peoples and families to achieve better mental health and social emotional wellbeing outcomes and improve access for mob under the cultural governance structure of YAMHS.

Whilst you are employed you will undertake a 3-year degree through the Djurruwang Program, Bachelor of Health Science (Mental Health) Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, where your HECS fees are paid by us your employer! This traineeship is a great opportunity to grow your skills and make a real difference by supporting your local community.  You will also join a large Aboriginal mental health workforce of 4.6% to help ensure mental health service is integrating social and emotional wellbeing practices by providing responsive and culturally safe mental health care under a supervised, culturally competent and responsive clinical training program. This position is a 3-year traineeship and the contract will be renewed at the end of each semester pending successful completion of all workplace, clinical placement and university academic traineeship requirements via the matrix and traineeship plan and clinical and non-clinical workplace records.

Our organisation is committed to the development of culturally safe partnerships with local Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and local Aboriginal lands councils. We are committed to the provision of culturally safe and respectful services and a culturally safe environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their families and their communities accessing our services and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working within our service. We are committed to the elimination of racism in all its forms and aim for all mental health services to offer equity and access and contribute to improved mental health and social emotional wellbeing status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

What your work week would look like:
The week involves working across various mental health specialities and alongside various Aboriginal staff located in YAMHS hub, emergency, inpatient, community, residential and rehabilitation settings servicing young people and adults, to gain on job training and provide cultural consultations to clinicians that enable safe clinical care for our people accessing the services of Hunter New England Mental Health services. No one week is the same and every day is a different learning experience. YAMHS currently have fourteen trainees employed so you will be buddied and supported by mob throughout your undergraduate journey as a trainee. YAMHS also have graduates of the traineeship program employed as senior clinicians in YAMHS as well as other multidisciplinary senior clinicians who provide on the job mentoring, guidance and support your growth and leadership throughout your traineeship journey. You will also receive a study day and lecture day each week of the semester where you can work from home. You will be expected to attend University intensives twice a year with the trainee cohort in Wagga Wagga (April & August) for 6 days each intensive with all expenses paid through away from base.

How you'll be supported:
You will be supported by a number of Deadly teams and managed by an Aboriginal service manager and day to day support from senior Aboriginal clinicians and non-clinical staff and of course your trainee colleagues! As an Aboriginal staff member you will have opportunities to attend Aboriginal mental health and networking forums and continue to network and work closely with local Aboriginal services and communities. YAMHS also offer Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Cultural clinical supervision framework to ensure your success in this position. Gayaa Dhuwi is one of our strategies in HNE mental health service to achieve sustainable employment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the public health sector. We know as Aboriginal people we need to work in a cultural responsiveness workplace which holds culture as central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing. The supervision framework allows ongoing reflective practice and life-long learning, it enables growth for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to become leaders, it is relationship focused and is person and community centred. It appreciates diversity between groups, families and communities and requires access to knowledge about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, peoples and cultures. YAMHS value belonging, connection, respect, connectedness and the ability to embrace and to celebrate our Deadly culture which is an important factor when you come to work every day, you want to be happy and feel safe and supported.

About you:

• You are passionate about achieving success within YAMHS model of care to improve mental health for our mob across the lifespan that is sustainable and incorporates the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people located in your local community.
• You will be dedicated to create a culturally safe and supportive environment within the team and model self-care.
• You will be expected to be able to provide cultural knowledge and advice to our non-Aboriginal colleagues and stakeholders about local cultural protocols and the importance of incorporating holistic social and emotional wellbeing care.
• You will have the strength and passion to enhance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers’ engagement with Mental Health service by listening and learning from our communities lived experience.
• You will be a voice and work alongside our Elders & Aboriginal communities and work in partnership with Aboriginal organisations to improve culturally appropriate mental health service delivery.
• You will contribute to a supportive clinical and social emotional wellbeing environment focused on improving Aboriginal mental health.
• You will integrate healing in collaboration with mob and community to improve mental health and social emotional wellbeing care for Aboriginal people and their communities.

What we can offer you:
At Hunter New England Health, enjoy a career where you're challenged by interesting work and surrounded by spectacular locations. You'll contribute to the team enriching health in millions of ways every day. On top of this we also offer:

• Sustainable Healthcare: Together towards zero
• Proximity to shopping and other services
• Monthly Allocated Days Off (for full-time employees)
• 4 weeks annual leave (pro-rata for part time employees)
• Salary packaging options - up to $11,600 plus novated leasing
• Fitness Passport for health and well-being - discounted gym options for you and your family
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for staff and family members

Additional information:

• An eligibility list will be created for future temporary full or part time vacancies.