Where excellence meets opportunity - make a difference with cohealth

• Part time, fixed term role
• Join a multi-award-winning community health organisation
• Generous salary packaging to reduce your taxable income

So why cohealth?

cohealth is a leading not-for-profit community health organisation delivering services across Melbourne's CBD, northern and western suburbs, and the East Coast of Tasmania. We partner with communities to improve health, wellbeing, and social equity.

Recognised as Premier's Health Service of the Year (Primary) and Supporting LGBTIQ+ Health Service at the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards, our inclusive, Rainbow Tick-accredited workplace values diversity, human rights, and belonging. Over 20% of our staff are from the LGBTQIA+ community.

About the role

The Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) / Community Development Worker delivers onsite and outreach harm reduction services to People Who Use Drugs (PWUD). You'll engage with community members to provide education, brief interventions, advocacy, and referrals to health and treatment services - always in a safe, non-judgemental, and person-centred way.

This role works across drop-in spaces, clinics, and community settings, aiming to improve health, wellbeing, and inclusion while reducing stigma and promoting community safety.

Your duties include:

• Operate NSP outreach (day and night), providing equipment, information, and harm reduction education
• Support drop-in spaces, including community meals, health promotion, and group activities
• Deliver harm reduction resources and safer sex products, and provide education on BBV, STIs, and overdose prevention
• Build relationships with service users, carers, clinicians, and community agencies
• Support service users to navigate health and community services, including referrals and linkages

What cohealth offers:

• Salary packaging to suit you - tax free amount of up to $15,900 p.a (mortgage, rent, or credit cards) and a further $2,650 p.a (meal, entertainment expenses and holiday accommodation) alongside generous reward programs from our salary packaging providers. Find out more on salary packaging here: https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Jobs-and-employment-types/Working-as-an-employee/Salary-sacrificing-for-employees/
• Novated leasing available
• Counselling services for you and your immediate family through our EAP-Access provider, and mindfulness, resilience, and wellbeing programs
• We offer inclusion, equality, and opportunity in a workplace where making a difference counts (based on our guiding principles and values)

Our ideal candidate:

• Qualification in AOD, Community Development, Social Work, or relevant field (Cert IV+ with 2 years' experience) - lived experience highly regarded
• Knowledge of health and social issues for PWUD, including harm reduction principles
• Experience engaging respectfully with people from diverse and complex backgrounds
• Strong teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Computer literacy and ability to work independently in a busy, client-focused setting
• WWCC, NCCHC, Victorian Driver's Licence, and Immunisation Category A compliance

All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC), a Working with Children Check (WWCC), complete a Pre-Employment Declaration Form, evidence of legal rights to work in Australia, and evidence of vaccination.

Successful applicants will be required to provide evidence of immunisation assessment including Influenza within 12 weeks of commencement [B]. This is in accordance with the Victorian Minister of Health Mandatory Vaccination Orders and legislated requirement for influenza vaccination.

Application Process

Click on apply now to be directed to our careers page. You will be asked to upload your CV/ resume and Cover Letter as well as address the key selection criteria. We will be conducting interviews for this role as applications are received. This campaign will close on the mentioned date at 10.00 PM. If you have any questions regarding this role, please contact Kit Regan (they/them) via email Kit.Regan@cohealth.org.au