Careers in mental health and addiction

A career in mental health and addiction is one that makes a difference. The mental health and addiction sector is dynamic, full of dedicated, empathetic and innovative people. What makes it so dynamic is that its roles and opportunities are practically limitless, depending on your interests and skills.

The most commonly known jobs in mental health and addiction are clinical roles: psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists and mental health nurses.

Alongside these clinical roles are many other job opportunities involving social support services, such as housing, day support and employment. For example, mental health organisations offer supported and independent housing, and community support to service users. There are employment and social enterprise business programmes. Day support projects include day hospitals, rehabilitation centres and drop-in centres. Some offer highly structured activities while others provide informal settings.

The roles involved in this kind of work include: mental health support workers, peer support workers, counsellors, addiction workers, youth workers and many others.

There are also researchers, workforce development coordinators, managers, team leaders, administrators, clinical educators, cultural advisors, quality and risk coordinators... and more!

In addition to the different types of roles within the sector there are also a number of diverse environments in which you can work, including inpatient (hospital based services), community mental health teams, crisis teams, non-government organisations (NGOs), kaupapa Maori organisations, Pasifika organisations, consumer or family support organisations, criminal justice department (court liaison and prisons), vocational and employment services to name a few, with new settings for services emerging all the time.

Visit the Skills Matter website for more information about a career in mental health and addiction or check out our Just the Job video clip which profiles diverse career opportunities in peer support work, occupational therapy, interactive drawing therapy, music therapy, research and psychiatry.

Page last updated: 10 February 2010