Karratha Step Up/Step Down Service – a new approach to recruiting the best talent

Home/News & Media / Karratha Step Up/Step Down Service – a new approach to recruiting the best talent

Jan 14, 2026

3 mins

As a leading mental health service provider in WA, we recognise the importance of adapting our services to the individuals and communities we support. This extends to the way we recruit and what we look for in potential team members.

At Richmind WA, we put people first, focus on recovery, foster inclusivity, and are committed to learning and improving every day.

We’re on the countdown to opening our new Karratha Step Up/Step Down Service in the coming months. As we gear up for its launch, we have rolled out a new talent acquisition initiative, with a series of Assessment and Selection Centre sessions held in November, with more to come in February.

Karratha Opportunities

Richmind WA is recruiting skilled Recovery Support Workers, Mental Health Recovery Practitioners and management roles for the new Karratha service.

Like many regional communities, Karratha faces unique workforce challenges. A smaller and more transient population means there are fewer people locally with the specific mix of skills and qualifications we need. Many potential candidates are looking for a balance between work and family, meaning flexibility around hours and rosters.

Rather than this being a barrier, we see it as an opportunity to invest in people and the community. We can support employees to build new skills, gain qualifications and explore alternative pathways that work for them. By creating flexible entry points, on-the-job learning and clear development pathways, we can grow a sustainable local workforce while opening meaningful employment opportunities for people in the community.

“We encourage people with the right skills and qualifications, and we welcome those who are trauma-informed and people with lived-experience to apply to join our Karratha team. You’ll help build the new service from the ground up and make a positive difference in your own community.” Richmind WA Talent Lead, Alice Alsop said.

Stepping up to the challenge and doing things differently

In November last year, we held two epic recruitment roadshow sessions in Karratha, with 16 prospective employees joining us for the three-hour interactive sessions. It was a great opportunity for us to showcase the various roles available and have a yarn at the ‘meet and greet’ sessions to get to know candidates at a more personal level. The sessions involved group activities, role-playing, and case studies that mirrored day-to-day life, and provided a true overview of the roles that candidates were interested in stepping into. We recognise that some people don’t enjoy formal interviews, so this was a chance for people to put their best foot forward and showcase their practical abilities and skills.

“The great thing about these sessions is that you have a chance to speak to a range of people across the organisation, from the recruitment team and Residential Managers to various staff from our other sites, where you can learn about their experiences working with Richmind WA.” Alice said.

The recruitment days have been successful so far, with our team learning a great deal from the attendees and role appointments being made ready for the launch.

One candidate said, “I really enjoyed the layout of the interview, learning about the company and still getting to have your sit-down interviews. We went through what tasks you would complete in a shift and just had a conversation to learn about each other. This was really well executed and for someone who really hates interviews, I would participate in these many times over!”

Join our Karratha team

Richmind WA is looking for more talented and passionate Recovery Support Workers and Mental Health Recovery Practitioners to join our team, as well as a Service Manager, Assistant Service Manager, and a Community Engagement Lead.

We strongly encourage Aboriginal candidates to apply as this is a crucial link to the community we serve.

It takes courage to step into someone else’s shoes.

The next Assessment and Selection Centre sessions for various roles will take place in February, but in the meantime, visit our recruitment page to see our current opportunities and apply. Richmind WA Talent Lead, Alice, will be happy to chat with you to find out more, or you can email recruitment@rw.org.au.