VCID
No. 724281
About
the Mental Health Advocacy Service (MHAS)
MHAS is an
independent service providing advocacy, support, and rights
protection for people receiving, or at risk of receiving,
involuntary treatment under the Mental Health Act 2014
(the Act), people living in psychiatric hostels and some other
people identified under the Act.
We are
currently seeking to engage Youth Mental
Health Advocates in the Perth metropolitan area. Training
for successful applicants is expected to commence in June/July
2026.
About
the Role
Youth Mental
Health Advocates work alongside children and young people who are
receiving mental health services in Western Australia. Advocates
support young people to understand their rights, express their
views, and participate meaningfully in decisions about their
treatment, care, and support.
In this role,
you will:
- Amplify
the voices of children and young people and promote their
rights under the Act.
- Advocate
within and across mental health services to support respectful,
person-centred and recovery‑oriented care.
- Build
and maintain effective working relationships with clinicians,
services, families, and other stakeholders.
- Work to
resolve issues and complaints.
- Conduct
investigations into matters relating to the delivery and
conditions of mental health services.
- Work
with professionalism, persistence, and sensitivity in complex
and sometimes challenging situations.
Youth Mental
Health Advocates deliver services in hospitals, community mental
health settings and, in some cases, psychiatric hostels. Service
delivery hours can be flexible and are not limited to standard “9
to 5” work patterns. At times, you may need to be available at
short notice during weekdays to respond to advocacy
needs.
This is a
contract for service role with a preferred minimum availability of
0.6–0.8 FTE (approximately 23–30 hours per week).
Applicants
assessed as suitable but not appointed may be placed in a pool for
future opportunities.
Suitable
applicants will be placed in a pool from which appointments may be
made when similar vacancies occur. Appointments may be made from
this pool until 26/07/2027
For further
information about the role, please contact Fiona Tolley‑Risch on
(08) 6234 6300.
About
You
We would love
to hear from you if you:
- Are
passionate about social justice, human rights, and dignity for
all people.
- Have a
genuine interest in advocating for children and youth
experiencing mental health issues.
- Enjoy
working in a range of dynamic and fast paced
environments.
- Bring
professionalism, resilience, initiative, and a practical,
solutions-focused approach to your work.
What
You Will Need
You will be
able to demonstrate:
- Knowledge of, and/or
experience dealing with mental health issues and contemporary
concepts and a strong commitment to human rights.
- Qualifications, training
and/or experience relevant to children and young people and
mental health
- High
level communication and interpersonal skills, including the
ability to engage with people from all walks of
life.
- High
level advocacy, negotiation, and investigative skills in a
range of situations.
- Good
letter and report writing skills.
- Good
organisational and time management skills to work effectively,
both independently and as part of a team.
- Good
computer skills.
- Strong
commitment to ethical practice, integrity and
professionalism.
Successful
applicants will also be required to obtain:
- A
National Police Clearance; and
- A
Working with Children Check.
What
We Offer
- Flexible
working arrangements, including opportunities to work from
home.
- Comprehensive training
on commencement and ongoing practice development.
- Access
to an Employee Assistance Program.
- Contracts of Engagement
of up to three years, with the possibility of
extension.
- Supportive,
values‑driven teams committed to rights protection and
respectful practice.
- The
opportunity to make meaningful individual and systemic change
within the mental health sector
How
to Apply
To be
considered for interview, applicants must submit all of the
following:
- Curriculum Vitae
outlining relevant skills and experience.
- Cover
letter addressing all service‑related requirements outlined in
the Service Delivery Specification document (maximum four
pages).
- Completed Application
Form.
All documents
must be prepared and attached as part of the online application
process. Please allow sufficient time to complete your
application.
If you
experience technical difficulties, please contact Health Support
Services – IT (Option 1) on 13 44 77 during business
hours.
Applications close
at 5.00 pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026, with
interviews planned for late April/early May 2026.
Late or
emailed applications will not be accepted.
Applications that do
not include the three required documents will not be
considered.
MHAS is
committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We
encourage applications from people with lived experience or
disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, LGBTQIA+
people, and people from all cultural and linguistic
backgrounds.
Further
information is available in the:
- Applicant Information
Package
- Service
Delivery Specification
- Terms
and Conditions of Engagement of Mental Health
Advocates
- Application
Form
