Job summary
Peer
Support Worker
Hours: 25 hours per week
Salary: £18,995 per annum, pro rata
Based:Kent and Medway Safe Haven @ Canterbury, Age UK, The Centre, Castle Row,
Canterbury, CT1 2QY
Mental Health Matters (MHM) is a national charity with over 35 years of experience in delivering high-quality mental health and social care services. We have a positive impact on the lives of people living with mental health needs in our local communities. We provide services across England, from Northumberland to Plymouth, led by a highly motivated and enthusiastic workforce who are committed to delivering the best quality services to those in need of support.
This is an exciting opportunity for individuals
who are dedicated to the principles of social inclusion, to work with people
with mental health needs. Working across the different crisis cafes, the post
holder will support our Crisis Recovery Workers in helping people in distress
and in need of immediate support. The service is open 6pm till 11pm and we're open 7 days a week, 365
days per year.
Main duties of the job
As a Peer Support Worker, you will work alongside our Crisis Recovery Workers and other staff, drawing directly from your own experience of mental health difficulties or caring for someone who experiences mental health difficulties.
You will work with the wider team to provide practical and emotional support, allowing you to connect with people and enabling them to build self-confidence, a sense of personal wellbeing, build their own networks and engage with their family, friends and communities. Your work will include supporting people to achieve their own recovery goals in a personalised non-judgement way.
About you
Experience or knowledge of mental health services is essential whether through lived experience or work. You will have experience of communicating with people with mental health needs in a supportive and beneficial way and be able to demonstrate a proactive and positive attitude.
You will be able to demonstrate careful listening and a non-judgemental attitude working with people to understand their needs and aspirations.
You will be able to support peoples self-management (that is, the actions people can do to take care of themselves and gain control over their own lives) and be able to place the person at the heart of their own support, working alongside them to achieve their goals.
About us
What we offer
Everything
about MHM is people focused, our people are central to delivering the highest
quality of service and care to our clients and service users.
You will go through our comprehensive training
program in your first weeks of employment which will give you the tools you
need to succeed in the role.
MHM offers 25 days annual leave per annum, plus
statutory holidays and a 5% contributory pension scheme.
At MHM not only can you expect a competitive salary, generous
annual leave and pension entitlement, you can also expect to be supported in
your ongoing personal and professional development. In addition, you will work with people who
are passionate about supporting individuals in their day to day lives.
Please note that due to the sensitive nature of the
duties, an enhanced DBS will be sought in event of a successful application.
All disabled applicants who meet the minimum
essential short-listing criteria are guaranteed an interview.
MHM is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job
Title: Peer
Support Worker
Reporting
to: Team Manager
Main Purpose:
Peer
Support Workers have lived experience, and the knowledge gained from that
experience, is the foundation of peer support, helping build connections
between peer support workers and the people they work with. (PSW Competency
Framework, 2020).
Peer
Support Workers in MHM work alongside Recovery Workers and other staff, their
role requires that they draw directly from their own experience of mental
health difficulties or caring for someone who experiences mental health
difficulties.
Key responsibilities:
Peer
Support Workers work alongside Recovery Workers to offer practical and
emotional support underpinned by their own experiences. This allows them to
connect with people and:
- give
them a sense of hope and wellbeing and support them to gain a sense of control
over their lives,
- help
them engage with, and build connections and a sense of belonging to their local
communities,
- help
them gain satisfaction in different parts of their lives and;
- live
the values of Peer Support as described in the PSW Competency Framework 2020.
Peer
Support Workers will be able:
- To
draw on their own personal experience to offer insight and understanding.
- To
behave in a supportive, respectful, and non-judgemental way and promote
diversity within services.
- Challenge
stigma in communities, in service and with stakeholder organisations.
- To
support clients and Recovery Workers to create collaborative plans which
identify the clients goals and steps
they wish to take to achieve them.
- To
work alongside the client through their journey to achieve their personal goals
- To
work with people in a face to face, virtual and telephone-based way to offer
responsive support, including in a time of crisis (Haven).
- To
support clients to access statutory support including psychological
interventions.
- Support
clients to access and make use of digital technologies.
- To develop and maintain a good working knowledge of community resources
and partner organisations to signpost clients and to promote social inclusion.
- To encourage clients to engage positively in the wider community and to
signpost to partner agencies as required.
- To co-facilitate some groups and activities.
- To deliver training/information sessions, where
appropriate, on topics relevant and identified by clients.
- To
continuously assess risk and safety management issues for clients and staff and
to escalate concerns as appropriate and in line with organisational procedures.
- To
promote the rights of people being supported and support people to advocate on their
own behalf.
- To
actively promote client involvement within MHM and facilitate client
representation within the service including client forums and service
co-production where appropriate.
- To participate constructively in team meetings and to engage positively
in regular support and supervision.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job
Title: Peer
Support Worker
Reporting
to: Team Manager
Main Purpose:
Peer
Support Workers have lived experience, and the knowledge gained from that
experience, is the foundation of peer support, helping build connections
between peer support workers and the people they work with. (PSW Competency
Framework, 2020).
Peer
Support Workers in MHM work alongside Recovery Workers and other staff, their
role requires that they draw directly from their own experience of mental
health difficulties or caring for someone who experiences mental health
difficulties.
Key responsibilities:
Peer
Support Workers work alongside Recovery Workers to offer practical and
emotional support underpinned by their own experiences. This allows them to
connect with people and:
- give
them a sense of hope and wellbeing and support them to gain a sense of control
over their lives,
- help
them engage with, and build connections and a sense of belonging to their local
communities,
- help
them gain satisfaction in different parts of their lives and;
- live
the values of Peer Support as described in the PSW Competency Framework 2020.
Peer
Support Workers will be able:
- To
draw on their own personal experience to offer insight and understanding.
- To
behave in a supportive, respectful, and non-judgemental way and promote
diversity within services.
- Challenge
stigma in communities, in service and with stakeholder organisations.
- To
support clients and Recovery Workers to create collaborative plans which
identify the clients goals and steps
they wish to take to achieve them.
- To
work alongside the client through their journey to achieve their personal goals
- To
work with people in a face to face, virtual and telephone-based way to offer
responsive support, including in a time of crisis (Haven).
- To
support clients to access statutory support including psychological
interventions.
- Support
clients to access and make use of digital technologies.
- To develop and maintain a good working knowledge of community resources
and partner organisations to signpost clients and to promote social inclusion.
- To encourage clients to engage positively in the wider community and to
signpost to partner agencies as required.
- To co-facilitate some groups and activities.
- To deliver training/information sessions, where
appropriate, on topics relevant and identified by clients.
- To
continuously assess risk and safety management issues for clients and staff and
to escalate concerns as appropriate and in line with organisational procedures.
- To
promote the rights of people being supported and support people to advocate on their
own behalf.
- To
actively promote client involvement within MHM and facilitate client
representation within the service including client forums and service
co-production where appropriate.
- To participate constructively in team meetings and to engage positively
in regular support and supervision.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Good standard of written English
- Completion of Peer Support Worker Training or willingness to undertake such training in the first 12 months of employment, dependant on course availability.
Desirable
- Educated to GCSE standard or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Able to demonstrate a lived experience of mental health difficulties and supporting someone with a mental health difficulty.
Desirable
- Experience of working in a recovery setting or in a coaching role
- Experience of training, teaching, coaching /mentoring others
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Able to demonstrate careful listening and empathy and a non-judgemental attitude.
- Able to support peoples self-management (that is, the actions people can do to take care of themselves and gain control over their own lives).
- Understanding of recovery-focused and person-centred approaches.
- Ability to communicate effectively within a Team and externally with voluntary and statutory agencies.
- Good interpersonal and listening skills
- Able to plan and prioritise workload and meet competing demands
- Able to demonstrate a commitment to self-development, training and CPD
- Able to motivate, support clients, volunteers
- Able to work effectively unsupervised and as part of a team
- Able to keep good and accurate records
Desirable
- Good IT skills including Microsoft Office packages
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Flexible Approach
- Resilient
- Approachable and able to build rapport with a range of stakeholders
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Good standard of written English
- Completion of Peer Support Worker Training or willingness to undertake such training in the first 12 months of employment, dependant on course availability.
Desirable
- Educated to GCSE standard or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Able to demonstrate a lived experience of mental health difficulties and supporting someone with a mental health difficulty.
Desirable
- Experience of working in a recovery setting or in a coaching role
- Experience of training, teaching, coaching /mentoring others
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Able to demonstrate careful listening and empathy and a non-judgemental attitude.
- Able to support peoples self-management (that is, the actions people can do to take care of themselves and gain control over their own lives).
- Understanding of recovery-focused and person-centred approaches.
- Ability to communicate effectively within a Team and externally with voluntary and statutory agencies.
- Good interpersonal and listening skills
- Able to plan and prioritise workload and meet competing demands
- Able to demonstrate a commitment to self-development, training and CPD
- Able to motivate, support clients, volunteers
- Able to work effectively unsupervised and as part of a team
- Able to keep good and accurate records
Desirable
- Good IT skills including Microsoft Office packages
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Flexible Approach
- Resilient
- Approachable and able to build rapport with a range of stakeholders
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
