Aboriginal Mental Health and Social Emotional Wellbeing Worker - Identified
- 💼
- Hunter New England Local Health District
- 📅
- REQ556292 Requisition #
Acknowledgement of Country
Hunter New England Mental Health Services 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 sky, land, rivers, seas and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and its interconnectedness to social, emotional, physical, spiritual 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 mental 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.
Remuneration: $62,512 - $90,357 per annum + super + salary packaging
Employment Type: Temporary Full Time until June 2026
Position Classification: Aboriginal Health Worker
Hours Per Week: 38
Location: Awabakal and Worimi lands
Requisition ID: REQ556292
Applications Close: Sunday, 6th April 2025
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.
About us:
YAMHS Wiyilliin Ta is a standalone clinical in reach and care coordination speciality service with a multidisciplinary team that provides transitioning of care coordination, clinical yarning, cultural consultation and healing across the lifespan for HNE specialist mental health services within the Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD). YAMHS is delivered by mob for mob in partnership with Aboriginal communities across HNE footprint. Wiyiliin ta is a child and adolescent counselling service which is part of the YAMHS service. The YAMHS Wiyiliin Ta team consists of Aboriginal team leaders and Aboriginal mental health clinicians, Aboriginal mental health professional trainees/undergraduates, project officers, admins who work with children/young people and their parents/carers/family and their communities to provide high quality culturally appropriate mental health assessment, care planning, implementation and evaluation services using best practice principles associated with collaborative partnerships with consumers, families, the multidisciplinary team and other key stakeholders.
You will work in the YAMHS Wiyiliin Ta team yarning with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their families, whilst working with staff to support the development of a cultural healing model of care service across the lifespan for a culturally safe emergency care pathway that is designed in a wraparound support response specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The initiative is fully led and staffed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clinicians and social emotional wellbeing workers.
You will spend your time in the emergency departments, inpatient and community mental health settings and you will yarn with mob, who have a lived experience of mental illness to enable guidance and development of cultural programs that promote healing and connection to culture, self and the broader Aboriginal community.
Most of all you won’t be alone and will be part of Deadly team who have the same commitment to improving outcomes for our mob to increase early help seeking, reduce prevalence of crises and improve pathways and supports across the lifespan in partnership with Aboriginal people, their communities and Aboriginal community organisations.
About the role:
YAMHS Wiyiliin Ta has 35 Aboriginal multidisciplinary staff who work in an acute mental health service. Your role will be located at the YAMHS hub at Newcastle. Not one day is the same you may be yarning in the emergency departments with mob one day and the next you could be in the inpatient units of adult or child, adolescence or you may be in community being part of care coordination of programs or networking and engaging with mob to establish a healing model of care approach for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the lifespan. YAMHS is breaking down the barriers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accessing acute emergency care by creating a culturally safe and welcoming environment from the moment our mob arrive in mental health services and ensuring that culture and community are central to clinical care. YAMHS Wiyiliin Ta works in partnership with the Calvary Mater emergency department, HNE mental health services and Awabakal Wiyala medical services to help improve access to care and health outcomes and achieve health equity, to deliver culturally safe care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the lifespan in a wraparound support response.
About you:
Our successful candidate will be passionate about improving mental health and sustaining the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people located in your local community. Additionally, you will enjoy working across many different mental health specialities being emergency, inpatient, community, child & adolescent, rehabilitation settings to provide culturally appropriate yarning, healing support, advocacy and consultation for our people accessing the services of Hunter New England Mental Health services.
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 dedicated to creating a culturally safe and supportive environment within the team and model self-care.
Your support:
You will be supported by Mob and be managed by an Aboriginal manager. You will be encouraged and supported with self-directed learning and provided a study day for completion of cert 4 in mental health if not already obtained. You will also be offered the Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) cultural clinical supervision framework to ensure your success in this position, this framework 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. As an employee you will be able to take 4 hrs a month to reconnect back to culture and maintain your spiritual wellbeing and be paid for it. You will also work alongside an Aboriginal clinical team in both child, adolescent and adult and participate in daily Aboriginal workforce safety clinical intake huddles and attend Aboriginal advisory leadership committees/forums and be supported by an Aboriginal mental health workforce.
Requirements:
YAMHS Wiyilliin Ta is a standalone clinical in reach and care coordination speciality service with a multidisciplinary team that provides transitioning of care coordination, clinical yarning, cultural consultation and healing across the lifespan for HNE specialist mental health services within the Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD). YAMHS is delivered by mob for mob in partnership with Aboriginal communities across HNE footprint. Wiyiliin ta is a child and adolescent counselling service which is part of the YAMHS service. The YAMHS Wiyiliin Ta team consists of Aboriginal team leaders and Aboriginal mental health clinicians, Aboriginal mental health professional trainees/undergraduates, project officers, admins who work with children/young people and their parents/carers/family and their communities to provide high quality culturally appropriate mental health assessment, care planning, implementation and evaluation services using best practice principles associated with collaborative partnerships with consumers, families, the multidisciplinary team and other key stakeholders.
You will work in the YAMHS Wiyiliin Ta team yarning with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their families, whilst working with staff to support the development of a cultural healing model of care service across the lifespan for a culturally safe emergency care pathway that is designed in a wraparound support response specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The initiative is fully led and staffed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clinicians and social emotional wellbeing workers.
You will spend your time in the emergency departments, inpatient and community mental health settings and you will yarn with mob, who have a lived experience of mental illness to enable guidance and development of cultural programs that promote healing and connection to culture, self and the broader Aboriginal community.
Most of all you won’t be alone and will be part of Deadly team who have the same commitment to improving outcomes for our mob to increase early help seeking, reduce prevalence of crises and improve pathways and supports across the lifespan in partnership with Aboriginal people, their communities and Aboriginal community organisations.
About the role:
YAMHS Wiyiliin Ta has 35 Aboriginal multidisciplinary staff who work in an acute mental health service. Your role will be located at the YAMHS hub at Newcastle. Not one day is the same you may be yarning in the emergency departments with mob one day and the next you could be in the inpatient units of adult or child, adolescence or you may be in community being part of care coordination of programs or networking and engaging with mob to establish a healing model of care approach for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the lifespan. YAMHS is breaking down the barriers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accessing acute emergency care by creating a culturally safe and welcoming environment from the moment our mob arrive in mental health services and ensuring that culture and community are central to clinical care. YAMHS Wiyiliin Ta works in partnership with the Calvary Mater emergency department, HNE mental health services and Awabakal Wiyala medical services to help improve access to care and health outcomes and achieve health equity, to deliver culturally safe care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the lifespan in a wraparound support response.
About you:
Our successful candidate will be passionate about improving mental health and sustaining the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people located in your local community. Additionally, you will enjoy working across many different mental health specialities being emergency, inpatient, community, child & adolescent, rehabilitation settings to provide culturally appropriate yarning, healing support, advocacy and consultation for our people accessing the services of Hunter New England Mental Health services.
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 dedicated to creating a culturally safe and supportive environment within the team and model self-care.
Your support:
You will be supported by Mob and be managed by an Aboriginal manager. You will be encouraged and supported with self-directed learning and provided a study day for completion of cert 4 in mental health if not already obtained. You will also be offered the Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) cultural clinical supervision framework to ensure your success in this position, this framework 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. As an employee you will be able to take 4 hrs a month to reconnect back to culture and maintain your spiritual wellbeing and be paid for it. You will also work alongside an Aboriginal clinical team in both child, adolescent and adult and participate in daily Aboriginal workforce safety clinical intake huddles and attend Aboriginal advisory leadership committees/forums and be supported by an Aboriginal mental health workforce.
Requirements:
- Holds or aspires to hold a Certificate IV in Mental Health, or acceptance or undertaking a three year degree in Bachelor in Health Science (Mental Health) Djirruwang Program OR willingness to undertake same. The successful applicant will be remunerated commensurate with qualifications and experience.
- Eligibility to drive in NSW and the ability to travel as required.
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)
- Paid parental leave (for eligible employees) - giving you the opportunity for true Worklife balance
- 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
- Opportunity to work and collaborate with a range of non-clinical and clinical professionals
Additional information:
- An eligibility list will be created for future temporary full or part time vacancies.
Need more information?
1) Click here for the Position Description
2) Find out more about applying for this position
For role related queries or questions contact Bron Rose on bron.rose@health.nsw.gov.au
Information for Applicants:
Applicants will be assessed against the essential requirements and selection criteria contained within the position description (link below). For assistance addressing selection criteria visit: https://bit.ly/3vL5fq2
Stepping Up Website is a resource designed to help indigenous job applicants apply for positions in NSW Health. For more information, please visit: https://bit.ly/HNEHealthSteppingUp
This is a Category A position. Recommended applicants will be reviewed for compliance with NSW Health policy directive PD2024_015: Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination against Specified Infectious Diseases for Category A positions prior to offer. All new employees must agree to comply with the requirements outlined in the policy.
#AboriginalEmployment
