Victoria’s Lived Experience Peer Cadet Program is a great start to a rewarding career in the community mental health sector.
The program offers people with lived and living experience part-time employment with a participating community mental health organisation while studying a Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work.
The program responds to recommendations by the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System to increase the number of entry points into the lived and living experience workforce.
Program overview
The program will start in August-September 2024. Participants will undertake two days of paid work placement and one day of paid study leave per week over a 10-month cadetship period.
Peer cadets will develop knowledge, skills, and confidence in lived experience peer work in a structured and supported environment. They will receive consumer or carer lived experience supervision, training, and reflective practice opportunities.
Cadets do not undertake individual client sessions but will take on a secondary or observer role.
Fees
There are no fees to apply or undertake this program. General course costs related to the Certificate IV – Mental Health Peer Work may apply, including any background checks.
Time commitment
The program consists of two days per week of paid placement and one day per week of paid study time. It is important to make sure that you have enough time in your week to continue your studies alongside the placement.
Participating organisations
There are nine participating organisations across metro and regional Victoria:
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must:
- be currently undertaking the Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work or enrolled to begin the course at the start of the cadetship period
- meet the selection criteria defined by participating organisations.
Eating Disorders Victoria – additional eligibility criteria
Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV) recognises that individuals experience recovery differently, and this is not linear, however given the nature of the work, EDV requires peer cadets to align within the following milestones:
Recovered: a person who identifies as having engaged in a recovery journey from an eating disorder and can manage their own wellbeing in alignment with the below indicators:
- Can reflect and learn from their experience and has achieved emotional distance from their experience.
- Is open to, and able to consider a wide range of different eating disorder experiences.
- Can manage their own mental health and can recognise and seek help when at risk.
Who is not eligible
You are not eligible to apply for the Lived Experience Peer Cadet Program if:
- You are enrolled in the Certificate IV – Mental Health – unfortunately you need to be undertaking the Certificate IV – Mental Health Peer Work to be eligible for this program. If your registered training organisation (RTO) of choice provides the Certificate IV – Mental Health Peer Work, you can transfer to that certificate (if your RTO has availability to do this).
- You have completed the Certificate IV – Mental Health Peer Work – this program is designed to complement the study being undertaken with your RTO.
- You are currently studying another course in another discipline (e.g. psychology, social work) – students currently studying in other courses or disciplines are not eligible for this program.
- You already have a qualification in another discipline – individuals with prior qualifications who are genuinely interested in a career change into peer work are eligible to apply. Applications will be considered on an individual basis by the participating organisations. Intentional unlearning may be required for individuals with prior experience in other mental health-related disciplines.
Register for an information session
Applicants must attend an information session or watch a pre-recorded session before applying. Program leads from participating organisations will be available at the online information sessions to answer questions.
- To receive a link to a recorded session – Register
How to apply
Step 1. Visit the following links to complete an application form with your preferred organisation(s). Submit your application form directly to your preferred organisation(s) along with any additional requirements they may have. Applications are still open for the following organisations. Please refer to each link for the closing dates.
You will need to apply to each organisation separately.
Step 2. Peer cadets will be selected by the participating organisations. If your application is successful, your start dates will be arranged between you and your host organisation.
Prepare for your application
If you are not already undertaking study in the Certificate IV – Mental Health Peer Work, you can:
- research RTOs that offer the course and start the enrolment process
- ensure you have funds available to pay for any safety checks and clearances needed (organisation dependent – e.g. if a Working with Children Check is required, the cost is $128)
- research the participating organisations and learn about their work in the Lived Experience space.
These steps will allow a more efficient start to the program if your application is successful.
If you wait to see if you are selected and then try to get into a Certificate IV – Mental Health Peer Work course, you may not be eligible for consideration.
More information
Additional information about the cadetship:
- Mentoring, supervision and support will be offered to you as part of your learning environment created by the participating organisations.
- Cadets do not undertake individual client sessions. Cadets will undertake a secondary or observer role to best learn and understand the work. You can act as ‘sponges’ during your cadetship to take in all the information around a peer worker role. There is no need to rush into the work.
- You will also need to understand that this is a professional environment. You will need to adhere to all the rules and regulations of your organisation even though you are in a cadetship. You will be supported to understand your host organisation’s requirements and ways of working.
- You will need to commit to the times and days assigned to you to undertake the work and have professional respect for start and finish times which are within usual business hours.
Please note it is not a requirement for the organisations to continue employing the cadets at the end of the program.
For further enquiries, please contact the Lived Experience Workforce team at the Department of Health at livedexperienceworkforce@health.vic.gov.au
Reviewed 27 June 2024