HIV Elder Advocate

Living Positive Victoria is delighted to have received funding from the Gilead Together Grant Program to employ an HIV Elder Advocate to work with people living with HIV who are 50 years and over.

Living Positive Victoria CEO, Richard Keane, says that “upon applying for this grant in 2019, we could not have foreseen how crucial this opportunity would be for older people living with HIV in the context of, what for many, is the second life threatening pandemic we have experienced across our lifetimes.

At the time of announcing the grant, Amy Flood, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Gilead Sciences said, “we believe that strong community partnerships can have a significant impact in the communities affected by serious diseases. The Gilead Together Grant is a testament to this belief and is a unique programme that supports projects that place people at the centre of care. We look forward to partnering with organisations to create an environment supportive of people living with HIV to enable them to reach their fullest potential each day and live a fulfilling life.”

This unique position will be aligned to our Peer Navigation program and provide one-to-one support for older and Pre-HAART people living with HIV, promote the health and wellbeing of people 50 and over to build capacity to self-manage their health, navigate community support and aged care services, build their resilience, extend a sense of agency and enjoy optimal health and wellbeing. A key part of this important pilot program will be to ensure that those most isolated remain connected to care and community, working to address the significant psycho-social issues that have arisen for older and pre-HAART members of our HIV community. The comprehensive required training and support attached to the role will ensure strong integration into the Peer Navigation Program with our clinical partners and the provision of professional debriefing and reflective practice as part of our peer navigation team.

We’re interested in candidates with extensive knowledge and experience of the HIV sector and the passion and drive to bring new ideas to the organisation that will support clients who are 50 and over to achieve optimal health and emotional wellbeing. Working in a small team of dedicated, dynamic staff and volunteers committed to social change and action, you will have excellent program coordination, time management and communication skills, and strong attention to detail. You will be client focused, an excellent communicator and exhibit strong empathy, compassion and cultural awareness. This SCHCADS Award level 5.1 position is offered part time (0.4 EFT). Generous salary packaging is available.

To apply for this position you must fulfil the requirements of the Position Description and provide a written response to the Key Selection Criteria. Submit your application by 5pm Monday 17 August 2020.

This position will operate remotely during this period and is a wonderful opportunity to join the diverse team at Living Positive Victoria in supporting our community during this time of change.

Living Positive Victoria is an Equal Opportunity Employer. People living with HIV and people who identify as culturally, sexually or gender diverse are particularly encouraged to apply. Living Positive Victoria takes the safeguarding of the health of our staff very seriously and have put work from home practices in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).