Join our Team

• Experience on the job training whilst you study to deliver recovery-orientated services to family &/or carers experiencing mental health challenges &/or distress
• Fixed term 10 month role | Part time 22.8 hours/week
• Bendigo Location

Mind strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, people with a lived and living experience of mental distress and recovery, and applicants from all cultures, genders, sexualities, bodies, abilities, spiritualties, ages and backgrounds.

Mind Australia is one of Australia’s largest providers of community-managed psychosocial services, supporting people experiencing mental health and wellbeing challenges to find help, hope and purpose in their lives. Operating for more than 45 years and employing more than 1,300 staff around Australia, Mind is a leading employer of people with lived experience of mental health challenges, recognising their unique ability to connect with and motivate clients and guide recovery.

About the role

The Family and Carer Led Centre (FCLC) service, in partnership with Mallee Family Care (MFC), will establish Centres in the Loddon Mallee region as a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. FCLC will provide better support to the families, carers and supporters of people experiencing mental ill health and/or substance use within warm, welcoming spaces that are easily accessible with no need for referrals.

The Peer Cadet will learn to provide peer support, trauma informed practice and a recovery-orientated approach through centred-based services, outreach, telephone and online platforms.

We are seeking a resilient, self-motivated Peer Cadet for a 10 month fixed term, part time (22.8 hours per week) opportunity to work in the Bendigo area. You will utilise lived experience of caring for someone with mental health challenges and recovery to deliver services to families, carers and supporters of people experiencing mental health challenges and/or substance use challenges.

To be eligible

To be eligible, applicants must submit a covering letter that addresses their ‘Lived/Living Experience’, as well as provide evidence of enrolment in the Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work before commencement of the cadetship period.

Applicants will also need to meet the selection criteria defined by participating organisations.

Online information sessions

Understanding more about what peer work is, and what the Peer Cadet Program involves, can help you make sure this is the right opportunity for you. Applicants should watch a pre-recorded session before applying. 

We invite potential candidates to watch one of our information sessions (online) to find out more about the program. Program leads from participating organisations will also be available to answer any questions you may have about this opportunity.

The agenda items for the information session are as follows:

• About the Peer Cadet Program
• What Is Peer Work
• What to Consider Before Applying to Become a Peer Cadet
• Peer Cadetship Expectations
• Peer Cadet Program Host Organisations
• The Application Process

Further information is available on the Lived Experience Career Compass website https://www.mindaustralia.org.au/peer-cadet-program-lived-experience-career-compass

Questions about the program can be emailed to LECC@mindaustralia.org.au

Key responsibilities

• Willingness to utilise your own lived experience of mental ill health and recovery and/or caring to inform your work and the work of the team.
• Draw on Mind’s Peer Work Framework and Model of Peer Work to guide your work.
• Learn to support staff and clients to return to a place of residence and a meaningful life supporting them through a staged approach to recovery
• Learn to aid in planning, developing and facilitating group work programs that will assist clients to build their skills, focus on their recovery and work towards transitioning back to their natural community.
• Build skills to be able to engage with clients to understand and respond to their needs

What you’ll bring

• Must be currently enrolled and/or undertaking Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work
• Intentional Peer Support (IPS) and/or Alt2Su training desirable but not mandatory
• Willingness to learn and engage with Lived and Living Experience values
• Ability to  learn and about draw on Mind’s Peer Work Framework and Model of Peer Work to guide your work
• Willingness to travel to Burnley head office and other locations for training, events and workshops

Benefits

• Salary packaging up to $15,899 p.a. allows you to allocate a portion of your pre-tax income to cover living expenses (e.g. rent, mortgage, child care, car leasing expenses etc.)
• Option to access Meal and Entertainment allowance up to $2,650 p.a. via Salary Packaging.
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), provided by Converge International, for you and your immediate family members.

Interested?

To apply visit Mind Careers - reference number 497534. Online applications must be submitted by 11pm Tuesday 27 May 2025. Please contact the person below for more information.

Tim McGregor, Lived Experience Project Lead

Timothy.McGregor@mindaustralia.org.au

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to provide a positive, barrier-free recruitment process. If you require any support or reasonable adjustments to complete your application, please contact us at hr@mindaustralia.org.au

Position Description

 PD Peer Cadet (LE) 20250513.pdf

The successful applicant is required to complete comprehensive reference and background checking prior to employment, including a Working with Children Check, NDIS Workers Screening Check and the ability to obtain vaccinations against COVID-19.