Peer Support Worker

Job summary

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. If it is identified that you require sponsorship to undertake this role your application may be withdrawn

This more than a job, it's a chance to make a significant difference. If you have the drive to support and uplift others, we want you on our team!

Spread the word and let's transform lives together!

Ready to step up? Reach out to us and start your journey as a Peer Support Worker today!

We have an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual with lived experience of mental health difficulties and accessing a community, primary or secondary mental health service.

The role is 30 hrs weekly and will be a highly valued team member based in the Central Shropshire Community Mental Health Team. The role will require you to work alongside a team of people working in a psychology profession to use your lived experience to come alongside people using services on a one-to-one and group basis to explore people's own goals and personalised recovery primarily in co-facilitating groups.

You will be working closely with other members of the team to co-facilitate the groups offer and ensure the service and its group offer and materials are co-produced.

Main duties of the job

-To work directly with an identified caseload of individuals and their carers through a range of methods including, video/telephone call, text and in person face to face sessions.
-To draw on own lived experience to offer understanding, support and hope to individuals accessing the service and promote independence and recovery.
-Contribute to the individuals group and or 1:1 support to reach their personalised goals alongside other team members, escalating any areas of concerns to the relevant senior staff member.
-Drawing on personal experience to help individuals to identify their strengths and triggers and supporting them to establish the things that are important to them in their life, identifying goals and the steps they wish to take to achieve them
-Champion a recovery orientated service including promoting involvement, engagement, participation and co-production opportunities.
-To co-design and co-deliver recovery orientated, therapeutic groups and activities as equal partners in the development and delivery of activities
-Challenge any stigma which may exist within the service, local communities and partner organisations.
-Actively promote and support individuals to be involved in the ongoing review and evaluation of services and encourage them to participate in co-designing and co-delivering services as part of their longer term recovery
-To participate in peer supervision
-Works to policy and protocols within own area of work

About us

By joining Team MPFT, you will be helpingyour communities and in return for this, we will support you by;

-Supporting your career development and progression
-Excellent NHS Pension scheme
-Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave
-Options for flexible working
-Up to 27 days annual leave (increasing with service up to 33 days) and the opportunity to purchase additional leave
-Extensive Health and Wellbeing support and resources
-If you work in our community teams, we pay for your time travelling between patients
-Lease car if you complete more than 500 business miles per annum, fully insured and maintained (including tyres), mileage paid at lease car rate
-Salary sacrifice car - fully insured and maintained (including tyres), your gross pay is reduced by the cost of the vehicle before tax, NI and pension deductions are calculated, mileage paid at business rates
-Salary sacrifice bikes up to £2k
-Free car parking at all trust sites
-Free flu vaccinations every year
-Citizens Advice support linked with a Hardship Fund for one off additional support up to £250 (if the criteria is met)

And more. We are proud to be a diverse and inclusive organisation and there is a choice of staff networks that help you meet like-minded people.

Please be aware that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in completing application forms will be monitored to ensure fairness and transparency. If you have used AI you must state this in your application.

Job description

Job responsibilities

AS PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR SUPPORTING STATEMENT. PLEASE NOTE ONLY THOSE WHO ANSWER THE QUESTION WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR SHORTLISTING:

Do you have direct lived experience of recovery from mental health challenges and of accessing and accessing a community, primary or secondary mental health service?

Please note that this role requires applicants to have lived experience of mental health difficulties and accessing a community, primary or secondary mental health service. Applicants who do not hold this lived experience need not apply.

Lived Experience of receiving care from secondary mental health services is essential to fulfil the person specification requirements for this role. We are aware that this role may be based in a team where you are currently being treated. Please be aware that if this is the case, your application will not be disadvantaged but upon beginning employment with us, a transfer of care to another team (or potentially organisation) will be coordinated to ensure safe working for your care and employment needs. Similarly, if you need community mental health services input whilst in role, we would arrange a transfer to another team to separate your care and your employment. This is in line with our organisational practices for all staff working at MPFT.

Please note that applicants that apply without firsthand experience as a service user accessing the services mentioned above, will not be consider for shortlisting - supporting others does not met the job specification.

This role is community based and will require a physical presence at various locations (some being open planned office environments) - remote working is negotiable but limited as attendance to the work base is essential for the role's success. Please only apply if you feel you are able to work within these types of environments and do not require a high level of remote working.

Please note, we may be required to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

Person Specification

QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING

Essential
-Own personal experience of accessing secondary or primary care mental health services
-English language literacy and numeracy skills to the standard necessary to provide clear, understandable records on computerised system and fulfil job description.
-Health Education England Peer Support Work training or equivalent experience and willingness to complete this

EXPERIENCE

Essential
-Previous experience of offering formal/informal peer support to people who are navigating recovery / experiencing mental illness from a range of different backgrounds and cultures
-Experience of working independently and as a part of a team (paid or voluntary)
-Experience of using own history to support others in similar situations.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES

Essential
-Basic knowledge of the principles of peer support
-Knowledge of recovery focused ways of working and ability to demonstrate these in practice
-Understanding of a strengths based approach to reframe challenges as opportunities for finding new solutions.
-Commitment to modelling recovery principles in own wellbeing
-Ability to positively share your own experience of mental ill health and recovery with the people you work with
-Ability to facilitate small groups.