• Utilise your lived/living experience of mental health and/or alcohol and drug challenges to support people in achieving their recovery goals and independent living
• Permanent, Part-time (30.4 hours/week), 7 day rotating roster
• Base Salary from $73,803 (pro-rata) + Super 11.5% & Benefits
• Cairns Location

Mind strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, people with a lived experience of mental ill health 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 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 service

The Cairns Medicare Mental Health Centre, delivered in partnership with Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Services, provides a welcoming, low stigma, and soft entry point for engagement, assessment, and treatment for people experiencing distress or crisis, offering an alternative to the emergency department. Operating seven days a week with extended hours, it offers immediate, short and medium-term clinical and non-clinical support, including telehealth services and ongoing support in areas such as alcohol and drug support, housing, and social services.

About the role

We are seeking self-motivated, empathetic Peer Practitioners for permanent, part-time (30.4 hours/week) opportunities to join our new service in Cairns As part of a multidisciplinary team, you will utilise the learnings from your lived/living experience of mental health and/or alcohol and drug challenges to walk alongside service users, empowering them to identify their goals and take steps toward recovery.

As a Peer Practitioner, you will champion the voice of lived experience, advocate for human rights and provide an alternative to traditional mental health responses through the practice of mutuality. The role requires flexibility to work within a 7- day roster including evenings and weekends.

Key responsibilities

• Draw on the broader Lived Experience knowledge base to inform your practice.
• Support people to return to their community, live independently and pursue a meaningful life using the Intentional Peer Support approach.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team offering specialised psychosocial support.
• Welcome people when they access the service and walk alongside them through the intake and assessment process
• Collaborate with a range of services and the community to ensure a coordinated, integrated response to people’s recovery goals.

What you’ll bring

• Completion of Intentional Peer Support Core and/ or Advanced Training, or Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work, is desirable but not required.
• Tertiary qualifications (minimum Certificate IV) are required in Mental Health, Peer Work, Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) or other health related field as designated by Mind.
• Previous experience using lived experience in a dedicated Peer role, with a focus on working directly with people with mental health issues and their families/carers.
• Experience, expertise and/or desire in working directly with people with mental health issues, alcohol and/or other drugs challenges, and their families and carers.

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.).
• 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.
• Ongoing training and professional development opportunities.

Interested?

To apply visit Mind Careers - reference number 497356. Online applications must be submitted by 11pm Wednesday 25 June 2025. For more information contact:

Leonie Heness, Service Manager, National Complex Care

[email protected]

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 [email protected]

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.

PD Peer Practitioner (CMMHC) - 20250328.pdf