Peer Worker

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• Part time – 1 day per week
• Fixed term until June 2027
• Heidelberg location, close to public transport

Austin Health is the major provider of tertiary health services, health professional education and research across three campuses in the north-east of Melbourne and statewide. We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our goal to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives. 

About the Northern Centre Against Sexual Assault department

The Northern Centre Against Sexual Assault (NCSAS) is one of 19 specialist sexual assault services across Victoria, providing trauma informed care to victim survivors and their family and friends. Northern CASA sits within Allied Health at Austin. We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our goal to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives. 

NCASA provides counselling, advocacy, therapeutic groupwork and a 24-hour crisis response to acute sexual assault, as well as a range of community awareness, education, prevention, and consultation programs.

We are expanding our services to pilot the inclusion of four part time lived experience roles to trial peer led support groups for victim survivors of childhood sexual assault until June 2027. This is an exciting opportunity to join a passionate team and support fellow survivors in their healing journey.

About the role 

NCASA is committed to providing and advocating for consumer led care and services that align with the pillars of trauma informed care. In realising this goal, the department has co-designed a peer led group program to trial and evaluate over a twelve-month period.

You’ll be joining a passionate, supportive team committed to advocating for the rights of those affected by sexual assault. All staff provide an intersectional approach to support and care, placing the needs of those attending at the centre of what we do. Comprehensive training and support will be provided as part of the role.        

A regular day will see you:

• Facilitate support group discussions between victim survivors of childhood sexual assault.
• Reflect on your own healing journey to share experiences as appropriate.
• Participate in department meetings and discussions.
• Provide input into discussions around how care is provided from the perspective of a service user.
• Collaborate with counsellor advocates and victim survivors.
• Contribute to the development, facilitation and evaluation of an innovative model of care.

About you 

You’ll bring strong communication skills and a genuine commitment to walking alongside others in their healing journey. You are curious, open to learning, and motivated to continue developing your skills within the peer support group facilitator role. You have insight into your own healing and recovery, and you draw on this lived experience to support others with empathy and respect. You feel grounded and stable in your own recovery, with the ability to recognise when you need support and to seek it appropriately. Be ok with publicly declaring you are a victim survivor of sexual abuse.

To be successful in this role you’ll bring with you:

• Lived experience of childhood sexual assault and recovery.
• Strong interpersonal skills, empathy, and cultural sensitivity.
• Ability to lead and manage group dynamics in a safe and inclusive manner.
• Commitment to maintaining wellbeing and professional boundaries.
• Flexibility to work evenings as required.

Our benefits 

Working at Austin Health means enjoying a strong sense of purpose, engaging in meaningful work every day. Our people also receive a variety of rewarding benefits, including: 

• Greater take-home pay through generous salary packaging, for living expenses, meals, and holiday accommodation. 
• A suite of wellness initiatives designed to support you, including discounted fitness memberships and special offers on health insurance, and a comprehensive wellbeing program. 
• Onsite childcare at Austin Hospital, easy access via public transport and car parking options. 
• Mentoring and career development opportunities. 

Work with us! 

We are committed to cultural safety and health equity for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People. We celebrate, value, and include people of all backgrounds, genders, identities, cultures, bodies, and abilities. We welcome and support applications from talented people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, people with disability, neurodiverse people, LGBTQIA+ and people of all ages and cultures. 

If you feel this role is right for you, we encourage your early application. Even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. What matters most is your passion, your drive and your willingness to learn and contribute. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place prior to the closing date. This means we reserve the right to close a job ad prior to the advertised closing date. 

All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory National Police Check and if required, a Working with Children Check. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, you are welcome to reach out to the hiring manager: Caroline Whitehouse, Manager NCASA at Caroline.WHITEHOUSE@austin.org.au

Interested in finding out more about this opportunity? Read the position description for further details. 

Application closing date: Thursday 30 April 2026