Lived and Living Experience Careers
Our lived and living experience workforce brings expertise gained through personal experience of mental health challenges, substance use and recovery, and of caring for and supporting someone through these experiences. These roles help ensure our services are person-led, family-inclusive and responsive to community needs.
At GV Health, lived and living experience workers are valued members of our mental health and wellbeing teams across inpatient, community and whole-of-service settings. The workforce has two distinct disciplines:
- Consumer roles draw on a person’s own experience of mental health challenges or substance use.
- Carer roles draw on the experience of supporting a family member, partner, friend or loved one.
Both use their experience with purpose to build connection, hope and mutual understanding. They also help shape how services are designed, delivered and improved.
Victoria’s mental health reforms put lived and living experience at the heart of the system. This is a growing workforce, with pathways from peer support through to consultant, senior and leadership roles. These are designated lived experience roles: your experience is an essential part of the job, alongside your skills and training. You choose what you share and when, and we support you to use your experience safely and with purpose.
Roles in lived and living experience
Senior Consumer Consultants lead and develop the consumer discipline. They supervise, mentor and support consumer workers, and lead co-design and service improvement projects. They also bring the consumer perspective to senior leadership, governance and reform, so that consumers’ rights, voices and choices shape decisions across the service.
Senior Carer Consultants lead and develop the carer discipline. They supervise, mentor and support carer workers, and champion family-inclusive practice across the service. They also bring the perspectives of families, carers and supporters to senior leadership, governance and reform.
The Lived Experience Professional Development Coordinator supports the learning, development and capability of the lived and living experience workforce. They coordinate professional development, education and training opportunities, strengthen discipline-specific practice and career pathways, and work with staff and leaders to build a skilled, supported and sustainable lived experience workforce.
Consumer Consultants work at a systems level. They bring the collective consumer perspective to service planning, policy, quality improvement, training and co-design. They help make sure services are recovery-oriented, trauma-informed and respectful of people’s rights, and that consumers have real opportunities to shape the services they use.
Carer Consultants work at a systems level to make sure families, carers and supporters are recognised, included and supported. They contribute to service planning, policy, quality improvement, staff training and co-design. They also push for practice that values carers as partners in care.
Consumer Peer Support Workers work one-to-one and in groups with people using our services, drawing on their own experience of mental health challenges and recovery. They build trust, offer hope, and support people to have their voice heard in their care. Peer support is grounded in mutuality: walking alongside people rather than doing things for them.
Family and Carer Peer Support Workers draw on their own experience of caring to support families, carers and supporters. They offer emotional support and help people understand how services work. They support families to be included in care and encourage carers to look after their own wellbeing.
Youth Peer Support Workers are young people with lived experience who support other young people and their families. They bring a relatable, youth-friendly perspective, helping young people feel heard, connected and involved in decisions about their care and recovery.
Alcohol and Other Drug Peer Workers draw on their own experience of substance use and recovery. They support people using our alcohol and other drug and dual diagnosis services. They help reduce stigma, build connection and support people to work towards goals that matter to them, at their own pace.
Supporting you in your role
- Lived experience supervision specific to your discipline, separate from line management
- Training and professional development
- A connected team of consumer and carer colleagues across the service
- Clear pathways from peer support into consultant, senior and leadership roles
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, LGBTIQA+ people and people with disability.
- Mental Health Education Training and Research
Grow your skills and build your career with GV Health’s Mental Health and Wellbeing team. We support ongoing learning through education, training and collaboration across professions. Contribute to a culture of research and continuous improvement, with lived experience and evidence informing better care for consumers, families and carers.
- Expression of Interest
If you are interested in working at GV Health, but there are no current positions available in your preferred role, you are welcome to submit an expression of interest, and we will contact you to discuss.
- Benefits of Working at GV Health
While working at our busy, regional health service, you’ll be exposed to challenging and stimulating work.