Eating Disorder Lived Experience Worker – Cairns

• Title: Eating Disorder Lived Experience Worker
• Hours: 22.5 hours per week
• Award: Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (SCHADS)
• Classification: Level 4.1
• Location: Cairns – Greater North QLD service delivery (onsite, Telehealth, occasional travel required)

The Eating Disorder Lived Experience Worker provides recovery-based peer support services to people with a range of eating disorders. They work alongside other therapies to offer a safe, compassionate space to connect with a peer who understands the struggle of overcoming an eating disorder.

This position operates within a collaborative team environment that is responsive to the needs of service users and is committed to continuous improvement and best practice principles. The Eating Disorder Lived Experience Worker is also required to work within the Vision and Mission of Eating Disorders Queensland (EDQ) and contribute to organisational objectives.

People of diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and/or those with lived experiences of an eating disorder are encouraged to apply for this role.

Eating Disorders Queensland (EDQ)

EDQ is a state-wide, community-based not-for-profit organisation. We support both individuals who are living with an eating disorder, their carers, loved ones, and key support people.

Support options include therapeutic and psychosocial support for individuals, coaching, and community connection for carers. EDQ also provides early intervention opportunities with community education events focused on creating healthy relationships with food and our bodies. We are passionate about eradicating weight stigma and diet culture.

Our Values: Nurture, Empowerment, Integrity, Innovation, and Collaboration.

Our Vision: is a world free from eating disorders.

Our Mission is to facilitate hope and recovery for all people affected by eating disorders.

Working Principles

• Valuing relationships, self-care, care and connection through engagement and capacity building.
• Strong collaborative shared decision-making environment.
• Respectful and recovery-orientated empowerment and strengths-based processes promote empowerment, self-determination, inclusion, and choice.
• Promoting individual and social change as well as prevention.
• Valuing each person and lived experience.
• Recognising the interactive impact of individual factors, family factors (including genetics), socio-cultural factors, and gender on developing, maintaining, and preventing eating issues.
• We value the vital role that medical and psychiatric services can have in recovery from an eating issue and offer our services as a partner as well as an alternative to the medical model, depending on the client’s need.
• Workplace health and safety (WHS) responsibilities: All employees must take reasonable care for their health and safety and that of other personnel affected by their conduct.

Key Responsibilities

• Work in line with EDQ’s policies and procedures.
• Work in line with EDQ’s Lived Experience Practice Framework.
• Understanding and practical knowledge of Motivational interviewing.
• Be able to conduct a peer support session, structuring sessions in line with client needs and recommendations from the client’s treatment team.
• Deliver recovery-oriented intentional peer support to people with eating disorders.
• Modelling adequate/varied eating when required (e.g., during meal support and in groups) according to RAVES principles.
• Maintain appropriate boundaries around intentional peer support, appropriate self-disclosure, and not moving into a therapeutic or friendship role.
• Work collaboratively with Eating Disorder Practitioners to assist clients with recovery goals.
• Foster a collaborative culture committed to reflective practice, individual/team supervision, professional development, and professional ethics.
• Provide telephone support, information and referral services to clients, families, carers, professionals, and the broader community.
• Provide education to clients on the eating disorder sector, available treatment options, and concepts such as Phases of Recovery.
• Provide a lived experience role in groups, community engagement events and peer mentoring programs.
• Proactively communicate as a team member, contributing to shared work functions and team processes.
• Maintain a client management system, including session notes, measurement tools and report generation.

Reporting Relationships

This position reports to the Lived Experience Coordinator, and liaises closely with Eating Disorder Practitioners and Care Navigator.

Funding:

All positions offered by EDQ are conditional on recurrent funding from the Qld Government. Therefore, EDQ offers fixed-term contracts in line with funding timelines.

Key Selection Criteria:

• Have a lived experience of an eating disorder and be in stable recovery for at least two years, with the absence of eating disorder behaviours.
• Holding a qualification in Peer/Lived Experience Work or Allied Health/Public Health/Human Services (or similar) is highly valued but not essential.
• Training and experience in the eating disorders field are highly valued but not essential.
• Has completed the EDQ Peer Mentor and Lived Experience Speaker training (can be completed once employed).
• Has completed EDQ’s online meal support training – The Shared Table (can be completed once employed).
• Be familiar with and align with state and national peer workforce guidelines.
• The ability to communicate the idea of recovery to those still experiencing eating disorders.
• A high level of awareness around personal self-care, boundaries and a range of practical strategies used to maintain wellness.
• A focus on intentional peer support, motivational interviewing techniques and a strengths-based approach.
• Familiarity with the eating disorder sector, including different treatment options available.
• Deliver peer support sessions within an intentional peer worker framework.
• Work in collaboration with an extended treatment team driven by client recovery goals and needs.
• Demonstrated abilities in interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and engagement strategies, especially in engaging people with eating disorders.
• Support state-wide service delivery, with some travel required at times.

Perks & Benefits

• Supportive and collaborative work culture and public health events and advocacy
• Ongoing training and supervision throughout the role
• A workplace that values the voice of lived experience.
• Safe culture for those with a lived experience of eating disorders (if applicable)
• Salary packaging offered and leave loading

Applicant must possess or obtain the following:

• Valid and current driver’s license
• Queensland Working with Children Check (Blue Card)
• Queensland ‘Yellow Card’ and criminal history screening

Applications are invited from Australian citizens or persons with full Australian residency status with relevant experience. People of diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply for this role.

To apply and be considered for this position, you need to submit the following:

• • Cover Letter (1 page)
• • Current resume (maximum three pages)
• • Response to Key Selection Criteria (maximum two pages)
• • Contact details for three referees