Community Ambassador Program - Youth

The CAHS Consumer Engagement Team is currently looking for Youth Community Advocates to express their interest in joining us in the new CAHS Community Ambassador Program.

What is the Program?

The Community Ambassador Program aims to create formal connections with trusted advocates already established in their respective communities who can support and facilitate safe and inclusive two-way information sharing between CAHS and the wider community.

We would like to hear directly from our community members who have either used or supported others to use CAHS services, including:

• Perth Children’s Hospital
• Neonatology
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
• Child and Adolescent Community Health (this includes child health nurses, community health nurses working in schools and child development services).

We would like to better understand how unique social factors influence how young people interact and engage with us, the barriers they may face and what they may find helpful in navigating our health service.

Responsibilities of the Community Ambassador

• Supporting the development of the program and advising on resources required based on your community’s unique needs and preferences.
• Delivering information to young people on behalf of CAHS.
• Coordinating young people to attend consultations and take the lead in facilitating these discussions, in partnership with CAHS staff members.
• Recording attendance and conduct evaluation surveys with young people who have attended, sharing this information with CAHS.
• Taking part in the co-design of relevant resources to support young people’s understanding and strengthen access to CAHS services.
• Sharing and promoting CAHS service resources and information.

How we will support you

You will be offered $75 per hour for your time to cover out of pocket expenses while you are completing your duties with us. This is based on the Advisor Role in the Participant Tier of the CAHS Consumer Representative Recruitment and Management Policy 2023.

We will run training to help develop your understanding of being a community ambassador and to learn all about our health service to assist you in completing your role.

You will have a staff member allocated who will be your support person.

If you have specific needs or require assistance to support you to work with us, please let us know so we can work with you to accommodate them.

Who should apply?

We would like to recruit up to 4 committed Youth Community Advocates for the whole duration of the pilot which will run December 2024 - November 2025, with the potential to continue.

We are looking for individuals who:

• are aged 16 to 23 years
• are an advocate within their respective community in WA
• can provide valuable information to and from their own communities and networks
• will support the delivery of consultation in community venues
• are available for the induction training scheduled on the Thursday 5 December from 10am – 12pm.
• may have lived experience of:
  • youth justice system
  • out of home care
  • social or economic disadvantage
• and/or identify as:
  •  Aboriginal
  • LGBTIQA+SB
  • Culturally and/or linguistically diverse. 

You must have

• A current Working with Children Card (if not, we can support you to apply for one).
• Parent or carer permission to apply if under the age of 18.
• Strong connections within your community, with identified channels of communication.
• High motivation to make a difference to health services for children and young people in WA.
• An interest in supporting CAHS to use the perspectives of youth communities to guide service improvement.

How to apply

The recruitment for the pilot program will close 22 November through the CAHS Consumer Representative form and ensure to click ‘Community Ambassador Program’ under “What position are you applying for”.

If you would like to include a video submission as an alternative, please email CAHS.Consumers@health.wa.gov.au or text 0481 453 265.

If you are shortlisted, an informal interview may be required, after which you will be advised if your application was successful.

We are looking forward to working together.

For more information on the CAHS Community Ambassador Program, please contact the CAHS Consumer Engagement Team via CAHS.Consumers@health.wa.gov.au or 0481 453 265.