QLife Peer Supporter

• Reports to: QLife Team Leader
• Remuneration: SACS WA Level 5.1
• Hours of work: Part Time (2-3 days per week)
• Position term: Fixed term to 30 June 2025 with potential extension dependent on funding.

ORGANISATION

Living Proud was founded more than 50 years ago by a group of courageous community members who established the first gay and lesbian rights movement in Australia, called the Campaign Against Moral Persecution WA (CAMP WA). While lobbying to decriminalise homosexuality, CAMP WA established a telephone support line, called ‘Phone a Friend’. That initial phone service has grown into the organisation now known as Living Proud.

Living Proud is the WA partner and founding member of the QLife national LGBTIQ+ telephone and web chat peer support and referral service. QLife provides anonymous, LGBTIQ+ peer support and referral for people in Australia wanting to talk about a range of issues including sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings, or relationships. QLife operates as a partnership between LGBTIQ+ Health Australia (LHA) and the four partner organisations that deliver the services: Living Proud (WA), Diverse Voices (Qld), Switchboard (Vic) and Twenty10 (NSW), and has been operational since mid-2013.

Living Proud also runs health and wellbeing initiatives, community capacity building programs, advocacy and awareness campaigns, delivers fee-for-service training programs and high-profile community projects such as Queer and Accessible. We strive to improve the health, wellbeing and inclusion of lesbian, gay, bi+, transgender, intersex, queer and other diverse people.

More information can be found on our website: livingproud.org.au.

POSITION

This role is responsible for providing anonymous, confidential, LGBTIQA+SB peer-based frontline support, information and referral services as part of the national QLife program, delivered through telephone and webchat modalities. The role may include providing mentoring, debriefing and support to volunteer peer supporters on shift when needed.

Professional supervision is provided by an external supervisor, and you will have direct onsite support from a Team Leader.

The successful candidate will demonstrate the following core skills and aptitudes for this position:

Values Driven: The ability to demonstrate kindness, respect, inclusivity, courage and partnership.

Flexibility: The capacity to work and act flexibly in order to meet peer and organisational goals.

Collaborative: A demonstrated commitment to working collaboratively and constructively with others including service users, staff, volunteers, QLife partners and sector partners.

Creative and inquisitive: Capacity to contribute to developing and evaluating innovative approaches with new and fresh ideas and a positive approach.

Organised and Structured: Demonstrated ability of solid time-management, organisation and prioritisation skills.

Leadership and initiative: A demonstrated ability to proactively take carriage of specific tasks and projects and to exercise sound judgement in seeking feedback and direction.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide anonymous, peer-based support, information, and referrals relevant to LGBTIQA+ experiences, through telephone and webchat.
• Recognise and respond appropriately to QLife contacts and frequent contacts in line with the Organisation’s and QLife National guidelines.
• Safeguard vulnerable persons including children through identifying and reporting any allegations or suspicions that a child or vulnerable person is being abused or neglected.
• Engage with appropriate clinical supervision and debrief processes provided within the QLife program team and Living Proud.
• Ensure accurate and timely data entry of statistical information and de-identified contact logs.
• Actively participate in the Organisation and WA QLife teams by attending Operations and other meetings, training, and individual and group supervision.
• Participate in feedback and program development processes when requested, to help inform local and national planning, program reviews, policy and practice.
• Participate in Quality Assurance processes, including reporting discrepancies in referrals and print materials.
• Support other Peer Supporters by engaging with debrief opportunities and other practice supports as sought out by other Peer Supporters.
• Provide support, coaching and peer feedback to trainee volunteer peer supporters on training shifts.
• Ensure that complete confidentiality, security and sensitivity is applied to the handling of information and communication of issues.
• Remain up to date on relevant information, standards, updates, practice frameworks and policies
• Follow, utilise and promote the Organisation’s vision, quality standards, guiding principles, Compliance Framework, Policies and Procedures, Core Values and Work Health and Safety (WHS) requirements.
• Perform any other duty as directed by the Service Manager and the Organisation.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential

• Lived experiences as a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and asexual, Sistergirls and Brotherboys (LGBTIQA+SB) community. Note:It is a genuine occupational qualification of this position to be LGBTIQ+ in accordance with section 35(ZD) of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984.)
• Tertiary or vocational qualifications in social sciences, humanities, community development or related field, and/or relevant professional experience.
• A nuanced understanding of the complex and intersectional issues faced by members of the LGBTIQA+SB community, including current health, human rights, mental health, and suicide prevention. This includes an awareness of the specific needs of First Nations people and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) people.
• Demonstrated ability to work with members of the community in ways that foster hope and empowerment.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal) with a strong team orientation and service user focus.
• Skills in coordination, planning and time management skills relevant to project implementation, including meeting deadlines and managing competing priorities.
• Ability to work autonomously, use initiative and work flexibly as part of a team to accomplish shared goals.
• Strong reflective, trauma-informed practice and self-care skills, with a commitment to maintaining currency of skills and knowledge.
• Sound working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, and Excel), internet applications and databases (iCarol or similar) and ability to follow basic troubleshooting procedures to resolve or escalate system errors.
• Ability to work a range of shifts across a fortnightly, rotating roster between the hours of 1:00pm and 12:00am AWST, 7 days per week.

Desirable

• Experience in working with people across a diversity of backgrounds.
• Experience in not-for-profit sector.
• Experience in working with people with lived experience of mental health issues.

HOURS OF WORK

• This is a part-time position
• Rotating roster of up to 46hrs per fortnight, equivalent to a 4-to-6-day fortnight. The role will require weekend and public holiday coverage where applicable
• Work pattern includes afternoons, evenings and weekends.
• Service delivery is via telephone and webchat
• Based in West Perth

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• You must be eligible to work in Australia.
• You will be required to complete a National Police Check.
• You must hold a current WA Employee Working with Children’s Check (WWCC).

Please click Apply Now to submit your application.

NOTE: Applications and interviews are assessed against the selection criteria and appropriate referee checks. Applications that do not address the Essential and Desirable Selection Criteria will not be considered.

For further job-related information please contact Michelle Hunter at [email protected] using the subject line: QLife Peer Supporter enquiry via EthicalJobs (Please include the word “Confidential” in the header).

A position description is attached.