Senior Peer Worker (Forensic Mental Health) - Sydney Metro, Justice Health - PPT (20hpw)

If you are passionate about delivering healthcare with the greatest impact, then come and join us at the Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (JHFMHN). We are Just the Place to grow your career and be part of a valued team delivering care where it's needed most!

Be part of a supportive environment, where you can apply your skills to address complex healthcare needs while broadening your treatment capabilities to maximise patient outcomes. 

We are a challenging yet rewarding place to take your career even further. With industry-leading safety standards, you can focus on doing your best work alongside skilled colleagues while gaining job training to progress your career.

The Role

Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (Justice Health NSW) is committed to embedding people with lived and living experience across all levels of service delivery to ensure lived and living experience is heard, respected and genuinely influences our services to meet our patient’s needs. The Lived and Living (Peer) Experience Workforce is seen as vital in the support and guidance they positively offer to patients and the forensic mental health service, through the significant gains made in their own recovery. 

The Senior Peer Worker (Forensic Mental Health) sits in the System Reform section of the Forensic Mental Health directorate. The role’s key function is to transfer personal and collective lived and living experience knowledge and values into peer work service delivery and professional practice. The Senior Peer Worker has a centralised Forensic Mental Health directorate remit of the development and implementation of peer work care delivery frameworks, workforce capability, professional governance, systems advocacy and representation.

Essential Requirements:

• Personal lived experience of mental health challenges, mental health services use and recovery, with a strategic ability to use lived experience to lead and inform practice. Additional lived experience of contact with the criminal justice or forensic mental health systems will be considered highly desirable.
• Relevant qualifications in Mental Health Peer Work (for example, Certificate IV Mental Health Peer Work, Intentional Peer Support); or equivalent work and study experience. Note, successful applicants without formal Mental Health Peer Work qualification are expected to attain within 18 months of commencement.
• Minimum three years’ experience in designated lived and living experience (peer) worker roles working directly with mental health consumers, including providing professional supervision to peer workers.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, people with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, veterans, younger and older workers, and people with diverse genders, sexes and sexualities to apply

Our Location, Team, and Service

The Forensic Hospital is a high-secure forensic mental health facility in New South Wales, operated by Justice Health NSW. This facility provides specialist, therapeutic inpatient care for adults and adolescent forensic, correctional, and high-risk civil patients. 

A multidisciplinary team of medical, nursing, and allied health professionals provide care across the clinical spectrum, from high dependency and acute care, to long stay and rehabilitation care. 

While working at the Forensic Hospital, you will develop strong professional connections with colleagues and making a positive contribution to vulnerable people. This dynamic work environment is interesting, stimulating, challenging, rewarding and one where you can have a positive impact on the lives of patients and their families.

A comprehensive two-week full-time orientation is provided for all new staff commencing at Forensic Hospital, with the next intake dates being 13 October  and 24 November 2025.

To learn more about careers in our network, please click the links below:

Welcome — Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (nsw.gov.au)

Our Locations — Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (nsw.gov.au)

Our Health Services — Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (nsw.gov.au)

Salary & Benefits

Your salary per hour plus superannuation is just the beginning. You will have access to a number of benefits:

·              Additional allowances that may apply

·              Eligibility for Fitness Passport and Salary Packaging benefits.

·              Free on-site parking to minimise your commute time.

·              Support from a passionate & enthusiastic management team.

·              Genuine career progression & professional development opportunities.

·              Fantastic training & education opportunities available.

Diversity & Inclusivity

We are an equal-opportunity employer. We employ all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, refugees, and people with disability.

*This is also a Targeted Aboriginal Position. Preference will be given to applicants of Aboriginal descent. Exemption is claimed under Section 21 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977