To Alan Wood

My name is Joseph Zizys and I am writing to apply for the position of Peer Support Worker at
NEAMI Kew.

For the past 18 months I have been working as a Community Mental Health Practitioner at the
Frankston Youth Prevention and Recovery Centre, a short term, ten bed residential facility for
young people aged 16 - 25 experiencing mental ill-health. In that role I have led groups in
mindfulness meditation, facilitated communal meal programs and been deeply involved in working
with young people in group situations to facilitate positive outcomes and achieve goals. My role at
YPARC also involves one on one work based around rstly the recovery model and secondarily
DBT based strategies. One on one work is strength and recovery based, encompassing
counselling, collaboration and facilitation of the young persons own priorities and plans.

I also have a lived experience of mental illness, suffering a rst episode psychosis in my late teens.
My breakdown was precipitated by marijuana use coupled with a family history. I made a full
recovery and deeply believe that with support and encouragement many people can make lasting
gains in their mental health, even those with psychotic symptoms. In addition to my own
experience my father and two of my brothers have grappled with schizophrenia for most of their
lives, and so my lived experience is also as a carer.

At the YPARC I have worked mostly with young women with emerging borderline traits and I have
found that exploring the similarities and differences between my own experience and the
experience of young people with personality disorders has been rewarding and fruitful for myself
and the young people at YPARC.

In my current role I am not employed as a peer, so discussion of my own experience with clients
has mostly been ad-hoc, and I am excited at the prospect of being able to more fully integrate my
lived experience into my professional practice, especially in a structured program like Flourish.

I have heard very positive things about NEAMI and would be happy to work for your well regarded
organisation. I live in the northern suburbs so being based in Kew also has appeal after commuting
to Frankston!

My team leader Bill Buckley, Frankston YPARC, Mind Australia can be contacted on 92388600 to
provide a reference.

Kate OSullivan, Settlement Team Leader at Whittlesea Community Connections (currently on
maternity leave), who I worked with at the Centre for Multicultural Youth would be happy to provide
a reference also and can be contacted on 0434 819 350

Melinda Wagner, SHASP Coordinator at HomeGround Services should also be able to provide a
reference and is contactable at melindaw@homeground.org.au or on 9288 9600

If you have any difculties making contact with my referees, please dont hesitate to contact me
and I will chase them up for you!

Please consider me for an interview so that we might explore my suitability for the role and the
roles suitability for me!

Yours sincerely,

Joseph Zizys
joseph.zizys@gmail.com
0403424484