Lived Experience Professional Supervision Services for Open Arms Veterans & Families Counselling

Overview The Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) is seeking a Contractor to provide Lived Experience Professional (LEP) Supervision Services for the Open Arms Veterans & Families Counselling (OA) LEP workforce, in accordance with the Statement of Requirements (SoR). About The SoR describes the Services and service delivery requirements to be delivered by the Contractor for the provision of Open Arms Lived Experience Professional Supervision services within the Department. The OA LEP Workforce are individuals who are employed based on their lived experience. Purpose The aim of this procurement is to establish a nationally consistent contracting approach for LEP Services for the OA LEP workforce, engaging lived-experience-aware and appropriately trained service providers who bring expertise in mental health recovery within the veteran community. Adopting a national approach will enable Contractors to deliver lived experience professional supervision services that are recovery-oriented, trauma-informed and culturally responsive to the unique experiences of veterans and families of veterans, consistently across all OA regions. This approach supports scalable delivery Australia-wide and allows for the use of video conferencing where appropriate, ensuring supervision services remain accessible, responsive to demand and free from geographic constraints. Scope The scope includes: Provision of Lived Experience Professional supervision services to personnel nominated by the Department in a Service Referral, in accordance with the Service Referral, the SoR and the terms of the Contract for Services Delivery of supervision services to the OA LEP workforce across OA regional locations throughout Australia Delivery of supervision sessions face to face and/or by video conferencing via the approved platform, Microsoft TEAMS Provision of monthly (pro-rata) access to external supervision, depending on staff working arrangements (full-time or part-time), as assessed by the LE supervisee's line manager (or equivalent) according to case load, case type and level of professional experience with OA Provision of additional external supervision sessions up to a maximum of one session per fortnight, where approved by the Director (or delegate) Working with the OA LEP supervisee and their Departmental line manager to develop a Supervision Agreement at the beginning of each twelve (12) month supervision cycle, or as otherwise negotiated Delivery of standard supervision sessions of one hour duration Contractor Requirements The Contractor must ensure that any Personnel delivering the Services can meet the following essential requirements: Have practice experience of providing lived experience peer support for a period of greater than two years (supported by a statutory declaration) Have practical experience providing peer support in a service delivery environment relevant to OA, including but not limited to mental health, alcohol and other drug and rehabilitation services Have successfully completed the Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work and/or Advanced Intentional Peer Support Demonstrated experience in lived experience supervision, including mental health recovery journeys and/or as a carer for someone with a mental health recovery journey (understanding of, or experience with, the veteran community is not required but is beneficial) Demonstrated supervisory skills and experience or training, together with a range of skills and experience relevant to the Open Arms client population Be able to recognise and work with the stage of the supervisee's professional development and be familiar with the mental health service delivery models used by the mental health worker Be suitably experienced to meet the developmental needs of the supervisee and build rapport Be able to provide the Services in a minimum of one OA Region Be Australian citizens or, if not Australian citizens, have full legal work rights in Australia and appropriate qualifications to work in Australia within their profession Hold a current Working with Children Check/Vulnerable People (WWCC/VP) registration as per local State/Territory requirements Not be employees, or contractors (i.e. labour hire staff) of the Department Contract Terms and Conditions The initial contract period will be for three (3) years, with an option for DVA to extend it for a further two (2) x 1 year periods (total five (5) years)