Join our Team

• Utilise your own lived experience of mental ill health, service use, alcohol and other drugs challenges and recovery to inform your work
• Permanent, Part Time position (19 hours per week)
• Located at YPARC Traralgon, La Trobe

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, spiritualities, ages and backgrounds.

Mind Australia is one of the country’s leading community-managed specialist mental health service providers with a range of residential, mobile outreach, centre based and online services. We have been supporting people living with the day-to-day impacts of mental illness, as well as their families, friends and carers for over 45 years.

We provide practical and motivational support that helps people to develop the skills they need to move on, thrive and improve the quality of their lives. It’s an approach to mental health and wellbeing that looks at the whole person in the context of their daily life. Mind is committed to diversity and social inclusion.

About the role

The Youth Prevention and Recovery Care service (YPARC) is a ten-bed residential service providing services to youth aged between 16 – 25 years. The service is designed as a ‘step up, step down’ program for people with mental illness who require individualised treatment and support entering either directly from the community or as a transition from acute inpatient care.

We are seeking a resilient, compassionate Lead Practitioner - Lived Experience for a Permanent, Part Time (19 hours per week) opportunity in the Traralgon area. You will will mediate, advocate and work collaboratively with a team to enable the best outcomes for people, families and carers. This role provides practice leadership and direction to Mind staff in the delivery of the psychosocial rehabilitation, recovery programs, support services and ensures staff are supported in their work.

Key responsibilities

• Willingness to utilise your own lived experience of mental ill health, service use, alcohol and other drugs challenges and recovery to inform your work and the work of the team.
• Work collaboratively with the team to drive the values of Lived experience and lead practice of this at site with multidisciplinary team. 
• Purposefully engage with people using intentional peer support framework and informed by the values and principles of lived experience work
• Aid in the development and implementation of the Lived Experience group programs
• Be grounded in the discipline of Lived Expertise, drawing from your own lived experience, including personal, services and systems experiences, informed by a commitment to social change, human rights, dignity and choice
• Contribute to evaluation of the effectiveness of services in consultation with people and their support networks.

What you’ll bring

• Tertiary qualifications (minimum Certificate IV) in Mental Health, Peer Work, Psychology, Social Work, Occupational Therapy or other health related field as designated by Mind.
• Proven experience in Community Services, Mental Health, Disability, Social Welfare, Housing, Healthcare or Government sectors is required.
• Experience and expertise in working directly with people with mental health issues, complex needs and with their families and carers.
• Awareness and understanding of the NDIS is desirable.

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, childcare, car leasing expenses etc.)
• Option to access Meal and Entertainment allowance up to $2,650 p.a. via Salary Packaging.
• Generous leave entitlements including 8 weeks paid parental leave, 17.5% annual leave loading.
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), provided by Converge International, for you and your immediate family members.
• Fitness Passport - Access to our corporate health and fitness program, providing you and family with access to a wide choice of fitness facilities.
• Workplace Banking Portal that provides convenient access to a range of banking and lifestyle benefits offered through Mind’s CommBank programs.
• Professional development through regular Practice Development sessions and coaching with your supervisor.

Interested?

To apply visit Mind Careers - reference number 499123. Online applications must be submitted by 11pm Tuesday 24 March 2026. We encourage you to apply promptly as the advertisement may close early should a suitable applicant be sourced. Please contact the person below for more information.

Kerrie-Ann Godfrey, Service Manager - KerrieAnn.Godfrey@mindaustralia.org.au

Position Description

 PD Lead Practitioner - Lived Experience (YPARC - La Trobe) 24022026.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.

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