Advocate, Independent Mental Health Advocacy

Title: Advocate, Independent Mental Health Advocacy

Location:Melbourne

Work Type: Ongoing - Part-time

Salary: $89,029 - $104,924

Grade: WVR 3.2

Occupation: Community services

Location: Melbourne - Western suburbs

Reference: VG/VLA/LPCJLH/1944811

Join the IMHA team in a role where you will educate and empower people to participate in decisions about their treatment and care.

• Part time (0.8 FTE) ongoing position
• Salary range: $89,029 - $104,924 plus super
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging, flexible hybrid work arrangement

About the role
You will provide services to people at risk of or on compulsory treatment orders, assist people to understand and exercise their rights and to enable them to participate in decisions about their treatment, care, and recovery including coaching for self-advocacy and referrals. 

Your will be responsible for:

• Responding to enquiries from consumers of the program, mental health organisations and services including hospitals, peer support workers, social workers, lawyers, caseworkers and other advocates.  
• Providing services in person to inpatient units, community settings and via phone and email, with regular travel to designated mental health services across Melbourne. 

This role is based at our Sunshine office on Wurundjeri Country.

About you
As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Strong communication and negotiation skills, with an ability to quickly build trust and rapport with a diverse range of consumers and internal and external stakeholders.  
• A deep understanding of the challenges impacting Victorians when accessing mental health support services, and an ability to ‘stand up' on behalf of consumers.  
• A flexible, patient and supportive approach while remaining transparent. You will be a creative problem solver.  
• Candidates should have experience in one or more areas including community development, consumer advocacy, mental health advocacy, community sector advocacy, social work, mental health service provision or other similar fields.   

Don't meet every requirement? At VLA, we understand that your work and life experiences can be just as valuable. If your CV doesn't align perfectly with our job description, we strongly encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate.

About VLA
We offer legal representation, family dispute resolution and non-legal advocacy to those who need it most. With over 1400 staff employed in 16 offices across Victoria, we help people with their legal problems by providing information, advice and education with a focus on the prevention and early resolution of legal problems.

Our clients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds and foster a work culture that's inclusive as well as diverse. Your unique ideas and perspectives are valued so that we best represent the people we serve.

Employee benefits

• A focus on work-life balance, including flexible working arrangements
• Hybrid work from home & office model 
• Generous leave benefits, including:
  • Three days paid seasonal leave
  • Paid gender affirmation leave
  • Five days both paid reproductive and fertility leave per calendar year
• Annual 3% salary increase each December plus performance-related salary incentives
• Attractive salary packaging options including General Expenses up to $15,900, Meals & Entertainment up to $2,650 PLUS Novated Leasing
• Discounted annual Myki public transport passes
• Individual learning and professional development opportunities, tailored to your role and career goals
• Free annual flu vaccinations
• Access to gym and end-of-trip facilities at our CBD office
• Access to our Employee Assista nce Program, including confidential counselling and access to a range of mental health and wellbeing resources.

How to apply
To be considered for this role, please submit your current resume and a cover letter addressing the following key selection criteria:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and demonstrated ability to liaise and communicate effectively with consumers from diverse backgrounds, various stakeholders and organisations.  
• Sound knowledge of and experience in supported decision making and representational advocacy. 
• Sound knowledge of the issues affecting consumers and the ability to ‘stand up' and champion on behalf of consumers. 

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process or need an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team.

For further information, please review the attached position description or contact Matthew Hope, Senior Advocate on (03) 9093 3777 or recruitment@vla.vic.gov.au.

No agency applications will be accepted. 

Other relevant information
It is a requirement that staff attend for office-based days at their primary work location. In line with this requirement, interstate applications will be considered only where the candidate is able and willing to relocate to Victoria, unless part of a border community.

VLA is committed to putting the safety and wellbeing of children first.