Senior Peer Support Worker (Senior Health Education Officer - Graduate or Non-Graduate) - Safe Haven

Under the Towards Zero Suicides investment, NSW Ministry of Health provided dedicated funding to establish Alternatives to Emergency Department (Safe Haven) initiatives across all NSW Local health districts. The Sydney Local health district (SLHD) alternative to ED (Safe haven) provides those in suicidal crisis or experiencing emotional distress with an alternative means of accessing timely and appropriate support. The Peer Support Worker uses their lived experience of mental health and distress in a purposeful way that provides hope for consumers, and practical strategies that support recovery. This role will support consumers across four main areas: 

• Developing good physical and mental health.
• Access to housing, employment and education.
• Re-discovering a sense of purpose and personal identity.
• Forming active connections to the community of the consumers' choice.

Peer Support Workers work with individuals and groups, are always person-centred, and provide support contingent on peer choice. Peer Support Workers will work within the model of care for the team they work in. The Senior Peer Support Worker carries an additional remit of workforce development, systems advocacy and representation. This position will:

• Facilitate the development of foundational Peer Support skills in the lived experience workforce.
• Ensure supervision for the lived experience workforce.
• Develop and implement the structures required for the lived experience workforce to function and develop effectively.
• Ensure that the lived experience workforce is practicing best practice peer support.
• Represent the lived experience workforce in systems advocacy at all levels of the organisation.
• Represent the lived experience workforce at fora external to the organisation.
• Develop and foster relationships with external providers that create opportunities to improve consumer outcomes and increase community mental health literacy.
• Amplify the lived experience voice at all levels of the organisation.
    

The role will be Monday to Friday but extended hours during the week to be available  when other services are not opened.

For more information, please view the Position Description.

Ideal Candidate

• Personal experience of mental distress, and demonstrated experience using recovery principles. A degree in a relevant field is required for payment at Graduate rate. 
• Experience as a Peer Support Worker and demonstrated experience in providing and evaluating group and individual peer led interventions. 
• Systems level understanding of and co-production principles and advocacy. 

• Effective negotiation, time management, written and verbal communication skills and ability to work effectively across community and inpatient settings.