About Us People with passion, connected by hope for a more compassionate, just and inclusive society is our story – what’s yours? Everyone has a story. And here at Wesley Mission Queensland, we feel privileged to stand alongside the families, children, couples and seniors that we support each year. We’re an innovative and responsive not-for-profit community service provider, helping people across Queensland build stronger and more inclusive communities since 1907. About the Role The Senior Inclusion and Lived Experience Lead provides strategic, operational, and practice leadership to embed lived experience and inclusive practice across Wesley Mission Queensland’s mental health services. This role is central to advancing recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive care, with a strong focus on supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, culturally and linguistically diverse populations, LGBTQIA communities, people with disability, children and young people, and those impacted by suicide and mental health issues. You will guide and support the frontline workforce. Facilitate reflective practice and work alongside multidisciplinary teams to ensure lived experience perspectives are meaningfully integrated into service design, strategy, delivery, and evaluation. You will provide guidance and contingency support for peer-led individual and group-based psychosocial programs. Drawing on their own lived experience of recovery, the role models intentional, ethical, and professional peer practice to build trust, connection, and hope with individuals and stakeholders. Key Role Accountabilities: Lead the development and implementation of WMQ’s lived experience strategy, with a strong emphasis on the inclusion of First Nations voices, particularly in child, youth, suicide prevention programs and community experiencing severe mental health challenges. Embed culturally grounded, trauma-aware, and recovery-led practices across service design and delivery. Collaborate with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and cultural advisors to ensure programs and roles are culturally respectful, safe, and community guided. Partner with service managers and team leads to embed peer roles across mental health programs, Headspace centres, schools, early intervention services, and community-based supports. Ensure lived experience perspectives are integrated into care planning, safety planning, and referral pathways. Support the co-design and evaluation of culturally appropriate responses for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people, and families affected by suicide or mental distress. Co-lead grant applications and research initiatives that centre lived experience, particularly in suicide prevention, youth engagement, and aftercare. Build and maintain partnerships with community-controlled organisations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alliances, Elders, youth networks, and CALD community representatives. About You Certificate IV Peer Work and/or Tertiary level qualifications in psychology, social work, counselling, mental health nursing and/or other relevant discipline. Lived experience of mental health challenges and recovery with a well-developed personal and professional framework of peer work. Demonstrated experience in working in mental health, including safety planning, and/or in-depth understanding of mental health issues including best treatment options and relevant support services from a Lived Experience Framework, Recovery and Family Inclusive Model of Recovery based practice. Demonstrated knowledge and/or linkages to priority communities namely Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, LGBTIQ, and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities. Demonstrated experience in successfully building relationships and working with people at risk of or living with mental illness and their carers. An ability to deliver mental health supports practicing intentionally from a Lived Experience perspective, including coaching, brief psychosocial interventions, evidence-based group programs and an understanding of this role in holistic care. Knowledge of group process and the ability to co-facilitate projects and activities with clients. Relevant leadership and team building experience at a senior level. Demonstrated knowledge of navigating organisational operations. Highly effective interpersonal, oral and written communication skills to effectively engage with internal and external stakeholders including clients, families/carers and other service providers. Experience as a practice supervisor in developing supervision processes to support and develop colleagues. What makes a difference for us: NDIS Worker Screening Clearance held before commencing. NDIS Worker Orientation Module ‘Quality, Safety and You’ completed before commencing. Blue Card Clearance held before commencing. Proof of Vaccination Status as required by Legislation, Health Directives or WMQ Limited Policy throughout employment and prior to commencement. Relevant probity checks required by legislation and WMQ Limited policy. Current Driver’s Licence and willingness to drive in the course of work. Why WMQ? We value diversity, strive for inclusion, and come together to walk alongside those in need to provide hope and compassion. We are committed to working collaboratively to help you grow, support your wellbeing, and enable you to be your true self each day aligned to our mission and values. Along the journey, we will encourage you to find your story. We offer our team members: Support from our Employee Wellbeing Program – we are recognised as an Advanced Mental Health First Aid Skilled Workplace! Access to salary packaging benefits that enable you to increase your take-home pay Discounted allied health services such as nutrition, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and remedial massage Access to discounts on private health insurance, gym memberships and travel WMQ's vision for reconciliation is for all people to stand unified in an equal and inclusive future. We commit to enhancing opportunities for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander People and celebrating diversity. As part of our commitment to Reconciliation we encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
