Woden Community Service (WCS) is a for-purpose organisation that has been providing community-based services for over 50 years. Our vision of ‘A caring community where everyone belongs’ is achieved through our values of Inclusion, Compassion, Hope, Responsiveness, Integrity and Social Justice.

We deliver services across the ACT covering children, families, young people and seniors including housing and mental health services.Ideally working across the five weekdays each week to attend scheduled group activities. This includes a 7:30pm finish fortnightly on Thursdays.

We are seeking a passionate and values-driven Mental Health Peer Worker to join our Community Mental Health Programs team

Drawing on your lived or living experience of mental health challenges and recovery, you will use Intentional Peer Support (IPS) principles to foster hope, connection, self-determination and wellbeing. Through authentic peer relationships, group programs, community participation activities and informal individual peer support, you will support people to explore new possibilities, build meaningful connections and strengthen their sense of belonging.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the growth of peer work within WCS and be part of a recovery-oriented, trauma-informed and participant-centred service.

Job Description

About the Role:

Reporting to the Team Leader, Recovery, Housing and Community Access, you will:

- Use your lived or living experience intentionally and safely to support participants through peer relationships and shared learning.
- Apply Intentional Peer Support (IPS) principles in participant interactions, activities, and groups.
- Co-facilitate peer-led groups, workshops, and community participation activities.
- Support participants to build confidence, social connection, community inclusion,



and wellbeing.
- Provide informal individual peer support within the scope of the role.
- Foster protected, welcoming, and respectful environments where participants feel heard, valued, and connected.
- Recognise participant concerns, distress, or emerging risks and respond appropriately through consultation, referral, and escalation processes.
- Contribute lived experience perspectives to service improvement, recovery-oriented practice, and the development of peer-informed services.
- Maintain accurate participant records and activity documentation.
- Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team and actively contribute to a positive peer workforce culture.

About You:

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

- Lived or living experience of mental health challenges, distress, and recovery, and the ability to intentionally use this experience to support others.
- A minimum Certificate III in Peer Work, Mental Health, Community Services, or a related discipline.
- Understanding of peer work values and recovery-oriented, strengths-based, and trauma-informed practice.
- Experience supporting people experiencing mental health challenges, suicidal distress, psychosocial disability, or other complex support needs.
- Experience facilitating or supporting groups, community activities, or peer-led initiatives.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build authentic and respectful relationships.
- Ability to recognise and respond appropriately to participant distress, emerging risk, or support needs.
- Demonstrated organisational and administrative skills, including maintaining accurate records.
- Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Confidence using client management systems and Microsoft Office applications.

📌 MH Peer Recovery Worker (Canberra)
🏢 Woden Community Service
📍 Canberra