Join our Team

Mind strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, people with a lived experience of mental health challenges and recovery, and applicants from all cultures, genders, sexualities, bodies, abilities, spiritualities, 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 almost 50 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 service

The Youth Prevention and Recover Care service (YPARC) is a residential service providing services to youth aged between 16 – 25 years. The service works within a recovery focused and clinical treatment framework, using the partnership expertise of both Mind Australia and the Health Service.

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.

About the role

The Peer Practitioner utilises the learning from their lived/living experience of mental health challenges and/or alcohol and drug challenges to walk alongside service users.  You will act as champions of co-design and lead co-production practices, in practical ways always placing the relationship and service user at the centre of their journey. You will be working with clients to understand and identify their story, identify how they would like to move towards what is possible in their lives by focusing on relational care.

We are seeking Peer Practitioners for permanent part‑time and causal positions based in the Shepparton area. You will utilise your learnings from lived/living experience of mental health challenges, languages of pain and other intersectional identities to hold space and opportunity for healing for those accessing the YPARC. This position requires availability for afternoon, evening, and weekend shifts.

Key responsibilities

• Demonstrate knowledge and abilities gained from both an individuals lived/living experiences, collective impacts and Lived Expertise, and be able to support the development of these approaches across the reach of Mind’s work
• Support participants to return to a place of residence and a meaningful life.
• Assist the person with system navigation and linkages to community agencies or support systems that will assist them to address life impacts and barriers to full social, educational and employment participation.
• Proactively support Mind’s vision of supporting people facing mental health challenges to live well and be socially included, in accordance with the Mind values.

What you’ll bring

• Completion of Intentional Peer Support Core and/ or Advanced Training and/or Social and Emotional Wellbeing Framework expertise and practice experience
• Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work, is desirable but not required
• Completion of other relevant Consumer Discipline trainings are desired but not required eg: Consumer Perspective Supervision, Alt2Su, Hearing Voices etc.
• Has a lived/living experience of mental distress and recovery and understanding of, and ability and willingness to, contribute this Lived Expertise in working towards greater social impact.
• Ability to share learnings from your personal story in an appropriate and purposeful manner to support, empower, speak about the times of hopelessness and the importance of hope, and support the recovery of clients.

What we offer as an organisation working to provide culturally responsive and competent working environment:

• Willingness to be with and listen to feedback from the workforce and communities with the intention of taking accountability
• Undertaking relationship building across Shepperton region with culturally relevant organisations and Elders with the intention of providing culturally safe and responsive services.
• Cultural leave
• Flexibility to adapt to challenges related to when cultural obligations intersect with the obligations of the service and role (gender, sexuality, religious/spiritual beliefs, language spoken, cultural and family contexts)
• Ongoing development of mentorship programs to support the development of culturally relevant practice
• Working towards developing an organisation wide intersectionality lens

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.
• Fitness Passport - Access to our corporate health and fitness program, providing you and family with access to a wide choice of fitness facilities.

Interested?

To apply visit Mind Careers - reference number 499900. Online applications must be submitted by Tuesday 7 July 2026 11:55pm. Please contact the person below for more information.

Kristy Draper – Acting Service Manager - YPARC Shepperton
Kristy.Draper@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 Practitioner (YPARC Shepparton) 20260622.docx

The successful applicant is required to complete comprehensive reference and background checking prior to employment, including a Working with Children Check and NDIS Workers Screening Check.