Consumer Peer Worker

Monash Health is a great place to work

Monash Health is Victoria’s largest and most comprehensive health service. For more than 170 years, Monash Health and its predecessors have provided safe, high-quality healthcare and service for people at every life stage. With 25,500 employees, we provide care across south-eastern metropolitan Melbourne and rural Victoria from over 40 locations; via telehealth, within local communities and in people’s homes.

To see first-hand what our colleagues think about working here, take a look at the following short videos: monashhealth.org/careers.

About Our Lived & Living Experience Workforce at Monash Health 
Monash Health is one of the largest Lived and Living Experience Workforce employers in Victoria, encompassing both Consultants and Peer Workers. Our Peer Workforce, which includes both Consumer and Family/Carer Peer Workers, is integral to several of our inpatient units, community teams, emergency departments, and drug and alcohol services. We are dedicated to fostering a safe and supportive workplace, reinforced by strong professional leadership, reflective supervision, and opportunities for connection through co-reflection, employee forums, and ongoing professional development.  

About the Mental Health Program 

Monash Mental Health Services provide a range of community, bed-based and specialist services covering the Casey, Cardinia, Greater Dandenong, Kingston, and Monash LGA’s – a population of nearly one million. It has an operational budget of $130 million and employs approximately 280 EFT, representing over 1000 staff. The Program has a number of clinical units including three adult units (Casey, Dandenong and Clayton), an Early in Life Mental Health Service (comprising Perinatal & infant, child and adolescent services), Young Person’s Mental Health Service, Psychology and Specialist Services (PsySS), Drug & Alcohol service and Gender Dysphoria Clinic. Southern Synergy support the Mental Health Programs with specialist research innovations. The program has five PARCS (Prevention & Recovery Care Services) which includes a specialist Women’s only PARCA, an Extended Care PARCS and Youth PARCS, as well as two Community Care Units providing community mental health recovery and psychosocial rehabilitation for young persons. The clinical service is supported by and aligned operational structure to enable the provision of high-quality service through the creation of clinical-operational partnerships 2 to support staff, patients, carers and their families, and a strong professional structure that supports the governance of the health professional workforce. 

  
About the Role - Consumer Peer Worker (Level 2), Mental Health (0.6EFT) 

Join our team as a Consumer Peer Worker Level 2 on an ongoing 0.6EFT part-time basis to work in our 28-day Expanding Post Discharge Support program based in an acute mental health inpatient setting at Monash Medical Centre – Clayton. 

As an integral and highly valued member of the multidisciplinary team, the Consumer Peer Work position has been developed specifically for people who have lived and/or living experience of serious mental health issues and have used mental health services. The successful candidate will provide non-clinical support to consumers accessing the service. Within a relationship of mutuality, Consumer Peer Workers use their own lived experience of mental health issues to provide emotional support, focus on consumer wellbeing, and promote choice, self-determination and greater opportunities for consumers to be heard. Consumer Peer Workers work as part of a multidisciplinary team and establish strong, effective working relationships with clinical, allied health, and Family/Carer Peer Work staff. Consumer Peer Workers act as recovery champions within the mental health program and may be involved in other activities including training and education, improving experience of care and service evaluation. Consumer Peer Workers follow up consumers by phone and face-to-face within the, inpatient unit, in the community, or the consumer’s own environment in an assertive outreach manner. 

  
About You    
Working in a designated consumer lived experience role, you will have a declared personal experience of living with mental illness, and experience of the mental health system.  

You possess a deep understanding of mental health challenges through your own lived experience as a consumer, and are passionate about supporting others. You have a genuine commitment to enhancing the lives of individuals with mental health difficulties and their carers. With a strong focus on inclusion, diversity, and person-centred care, you bring excellent communication and interpersonal skills to your work. Your enthusiasm, compassion, and ability to collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary team set you apart. You are driven to pursue a meaningful and purposeful career, with a desire to grow as a lived experience health professional.   
What You Need

To ensure your success in this role you will demonstrate the following key skills, experience and knowledge (see attached Position Description for a complete list of requirements):  

• Declared personal experience of living with mental illness, including experience as a mental health service user.  

• Ability to use your own lived experience to inspire hope in belief and recovery.  

• Knowledge of peer work principles and the ability to support others from a mutual perspective.  

• Completion of Intentional Peer Support (IPS) training, or willingness to complete.   

  
What the Lived & Living Experience Workforce at Monash Health offers:  

• Comprehensive orientation and induction program.  

• Up to 2 hours reflective supervision per month, plus group co-reflection spaces.  

• Support and mentoring from Peer Work Leads.   

• Higher Education Recognition Allowance.  

• Funded Lived & Living Experience professional development and training opportunities.  

• Quarterly Lived & Living Experience Workforce forums.   
    

Monash Health employees enjoy a range of benefits including:    

• Salary packaging options that increase your take-home pay.  

• Comprehensive Health and Wellbeing program.  

• Free flu vaccinations.  

• Private health insurance at discounted rates.  

• Health imaging services.  

• +more 

For a confidential discussion and to explore the opportunity further, please call Mick Physick - Inpatient Consumer Peer Work Team Leader on 0448 869 654.

Position Description can be found here

We recognise the value of equal employment opportunity. We are committed to patient safety, promoting fairness, equity and diversity in the workplace and to Child Safe Standards. At Monash Health we are relentless in our pursuit of excellence and work to our six guiding principles and our five ICare values.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted via the Monash Health online EHub system. For information including how to apply and probity check requirements, please click here for the ‘Application Guide’

Applications will be screened upon receipt and selection activity may commence prior to the closing date. 

Applications close: 12th May 2025