Employment Type - Permanent Part Time; Permanent Full Time
Hours per fortnight - Various positions
Job Category - Allied Health Professional (generic)
Req Id - 8777
- Join a new team and help create an exceptional YPARC service
- Multiple positions available
- Facilitate peer groups that build hope, wellbeing and independence
About the role
We are seeking an experienced and passionate Senior Peer Worker to join our Youth Prevention and Recovery Care (YPARC) team. Drawing on your own lived experience of accessing tertiary mental health and/or alcohol and other drug services, you will use your professional lived expertise to inspire hope, promote recovery and support young people to achieve their personal goals. Working alongside a multidisciplinary team and under the guidance of the Nurse Unit Manager and Lived Experience Director, you will provide individual peer support, facilitate and co-facilitate therapeutic and peer groups, and champion recovery principles including hope, choice, self-determination and connectedness.
YPARC delivers recovery-oriented, trauma-informed youth mental health care within a 24/7 supported, home-like environment focused on functional recovery, independence, wellbeing and meaningful community connection. Bringing together clinical, psychosocial rehabilitation and lived experience approaches, the service supports young people to build confidence, strengthen everyday living skills and develop the capabilities needed to live meaningful lives within their communities. As a Senior Peer Worker, you will also provide leadership to Peer Workers, contribute to service innovation, and promote the value of lived experience across Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Services (MHDAS).
Key Responsibilities
- Provide individual peer support and facilitate recovery-focused group programs that promote hope, empowerment and personal recovery for young people accessing YPARC.
- Mentor, guide and support Peer Workers while contributing lived experience expertise to multidisciplinary care planning, service development and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Advocate for and embed lived experience perspectives across programs, education, policy and service delivery to strengthen recovery-oriented practice.
What We Are Looking For
You are an experienced Peer Worker with recognised lived experience and a genuine commitment to supporting young people in their recovery journey. You thrive working independently while building strong collaborative relationships across multidisciplinary teams and are passionate about strengthening the role of lived experience within mental health services.
You will also bring:
- Demonstrated experience using lived experience intentionally and professionally to support recovery and wellbeing.
- Strong communication, facilitation and mentoring skills, with the ability to build trusting relationships with consumers, families and colleagues.
- A commitment to recovery-oriented, trauma-informed and person-centred practice, with an understanding of the value of lived experience leadership.
Position Description
Please note Barwon Health will only contact you via our official email and never use unconventional means, such as text messaging or other services.
Barwon Health staff benefits
- Excellent working conditions and a strong sense of job satisfaction
- A vibrant staff wellbeing program and access to our 24/7 Employee Assistance Program
- Extensive professional development opportunities
- Attractive salary packaging benefits
- Living expenses capped at $9,010
- Meals and entertainment capped at $2,650
For more information about working at Barwon Health, please click Here
Diversity and Inclusion
Barwon Health is an inclusive and welcoming employer, committed to reflecting the diverse communities we serve. We value and celebrate people of all genders, sexual orientations, cultural backgrounds, faiths, abilities, family structures, and identities, and encourage applications from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and members of the LGBTIQA+ community.
Child Safety
We are strongly committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. Click here for further information on the Victorian Government’s Child Safe Standards: About Child Safe Standards | Victorian Government (www.vic.gov.au)
Additional information
If you need adjustments to participate in the recruitment process, please contact us at
[email protected]All appointments are subject to:
- Satisfactory Police Record Check
- Immunisation Status Clearance
- Working with Children Check (if applicable)
To apply, you will need a resume and a tailored cover letter outlining your skills, experience, and suitability for the position in line with the requirements of the position description. Please note: We do not accept resumes via email.
Barwon Health does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies. Candidates must apply directly through the official recruitment portal.
Contact person: Lily Rodriguez, Nurse Unit Manager, YPARC
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0401 560 860
Application closing date: Friday 31, July 2026
Internal applicants:
If you are currently employed at Barwon Health, please ensure you sign in via the Employee Login on the external Careers Page or access the Careers Page through the intranet before applying.
Shortlisting may commence prior to the closing date - early applications are encouraged.
