Job summary
Do you have lived experience of mental health difficulties in adolescence, or have you cared for someone who has?
Do you want to use your understanding of mental health recovery to support people facing similar challenges?
We are looking for two enthusiastic, compassionate, highly motivated 16 - 25 Transitions Peer Support Workers to help improve the way people are supported to manage their mental health as part of our Primary Care and Community Mental Health project No Wrong Door.
The post holders will work within our 16-25 Transitions team, supporting young people with a mental illness who are moving between children's and adult's mental health services to access and navigate Primary and Secondary care and Third Sector services as appropriate. You will be a point of contact, and empower and support young people to manage their mental health.
A key element of this role will be ensuring that young people are able to access the right services at the right time, preventing people from escalating into further crisis through early intervention and appropriate transitions.
You will need to be able to work well autonomously and as part of a team, as well as having excellent written/verbal communication skills. You will be able to prioritise your own workload, and work with a wide variety of people, including in challenging circumstances.
Main duties of the job
The 16 - 25 MH Transitions Peer Support Worker will proactively work with services for young people between the age of 16 and 25 who are actively transitioning between children's and adult's mental health services across the system, to ensure appropriate care and support across health and care services. They will play a key role in ensuring individuals get to the right services at the right time, providing a point of contact and access to appropriate levels of care.
About us
Southern Health is one of the largest NHS Foundation Trusts in the UK, specialising in mental health and learning disabilities, as well as offering physical health community-based services.
With a workforce of more than 7000 and a footprint that spans more than 200 sites across Hampshire, we're committed to providing the best possible healthcare, reaching a range of diverse communities, whilst placing patients and staff at the forefront of all our endeavours.
We are currently working closely with other NHS Trusts to combine all our collective community, mental health, and learning disability services, with the plan to create a new larger, more integrated and accessible organisation.
The transformation will happen in stages; Hampshire CAMHS, part of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust joined Southern Health in February 2024, with Isle of Wight NHS Trust mental health and community services transitioning across in May 2024. The final combination of Southern Health and Solent NHS Trust services is expected in late 2024, when our new organisation, to be known as Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, will be formed.
Our new Trust will continue to cater to the unique needs of different communities, making healthcare across the county more accessible, as well as offering staff more opportunities for career development, training and partnership working.
Join us as we embark on this exciting journey to shape the future of healthcare in Hampshire.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached.
We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached.
We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- * Direct experience of using mental health services
- * Commitment to work towards formal peer support accredited training
Desirable
- * Training for lived experience practitioners
- * Evidence of further related training.
- * Health related qualification.
- * Recovery college qualification
Experience
Essential
- * Personal lived experience of mental health distress.
- * Personal experience of accessing primary or secondary mental health service.
- * Basic understanding of Peer Support
- * Ability to support others in a recovery orientated way.
- * Good motivational techniques and abilities.
- * Clear effective planning and decision-making skills.
Desirable
- * Experience of working with peers and/ or clinicians using a co- production methodology within a work setting.
- * Experience of contributing to a research project or audit
- * Experience of collaborative working alongside professionals in either a statutory or non-statutory mental health service.
- * Experience of group work interventions.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- * Understanding of how lived experience of mental health problems can be used to support others
- * Understanding of recovery focussed principles and how they can influence support for service users.
- * Understanding of the issues and concerns that service users may have in relation to their care.
- * Able to maintain the profile of the peer support service within a multidisciplinary/ multi-agency setting.
- * Demonstrates the ability to role model, empower and enable others,
- * Ability to receive highly complex and sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.
- * Computer Literacy.
Desirable
- * Knowledge of mental health policies and legislation that may contribute to support for service users
- * Understanding the impact of stigma and discrimination on service users.
- * Good organisational skills and time management.
- * Presentation and teaching skills.
- * Ability to challenge clinical practice and attitudes in a diplomatic way.
- Evidence of working within a team environment and the ability to develop and maintain constructive working relationships with colleagues.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- * Direct experience of using mental health services
- * Commitment to work towards formal peer support accredited training
Desirable
- * Training for lived experience practitioners
- * Evidence of further related training.
- * Health related qualification.
- * Recovery college qualification
Experience
Essential
- * Personal lived experience of mental health distress.
- * Personal experience of accessing primary or secondary mental health service.
- * Basic understanding of Peer Support
- * Ability to support others in a recovery orientated way.
- * Good motivational techniques and abilities.
- * Clear effective planning and decision-making skills.
Desirable
- * Experience of working with peers and/ or clinicians using a co- production methodology within a work setting.
- * Experience of contributing to a research project or audit
- * Experience of collaborative working alongside professionals in either a statutory or non-statutory mental health service.
- * Experience of group work interventions.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- * Understanding of how lived experience of mental health problems can be used to support others
- * Understanding of recovery focussed principles and how they can influence support for service users.
- * Understanding of the issues and concerns that service users may have in relation to their care.
- * Able to maintain the profile of the peer support service within a multidisciplinary/ multi-agency setting.
- * Demonstrates the ability to role model, empower and enable others,
- * Ability to receive highly complex and sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.
- * Computer Literacy.
Desirable
- * Knowledge of mental health policies and legislation that may contribute to support for service users
- * Understanding the impact of stigma and discrimination on service users.
- * Good organisational skills and time management.
- * Presentation and teaching skills.
- * Ability to challenge clinical practice and attitudes in a diplomatic way.
- Evidence of working within a team environment and the ability to develop and maintain constructive working relationships with colleagues.
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.
