Neami National in collaboration with Country SA PHN, through the Port Pirie Medicare Mental Health Centre (MMHC), is delivering cadetship pathways that strengthen both the lived experience and clinical workforce in the Mid North region of South Australia.

The Peer Cadetship and Clinical Cadetship roles provide paid, part time employment for people undertaking the Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work and tertiary clinical studies such as Social Work and Psychology. Cadet’s gain supported, paid experience that includes supervised practice, reflective learning opportunities, and mentoring designed to build confidence and capability in both peer work and clinical practice.

Within Neami services, cadets learn to integrate lived and living experience into recovery oriented support. This occurs through shadowing experienced staff and contributing to transdisciplinary practice. Working within the MMHC model, both cadetships strengthen the understanding of how lived experience roles complement clinical approaches, while building skills in collaboration, communication, and relational practice.
Neami’s organisational commitment to embedding lived experience is reflected in its workforce composition, with over 23 per cent of staff employed in designated lived experience roles. This commitment is supported by structured training, supervision, and development frameworks aligned with the National Lived Experience Workforce Development Guidelines.

Collectively, these cadetship pathways enhance workforce sustainability by providing clear, supported entry points into both peer and clinical mental health careers. Since the establishment of the Port Pirie MMHC, the lived experience workforce in the Mid North has grown from one individual to five qualified Peer Workers and supported multiple Social Workers and a Psychology Intern. Cadets play a critical role in building a diverse, skilled, and resilient mental health workforce grounded in hope, recovery orientation, and inclusive service design. By equipping emerging practitioners with experiential expertise and interdisciplinary insight, Neami’s cadetship programs contribute to a more responsive, community focused mental health system.