Job summary
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.
Main duties of the job
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 client's 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.
About us
Mental Health Matters are a national charity who provide innovative and life changing mental health support for both individuals and communities. We offer a diverse range of services, and each and every person who works with us directly contributes to making positive changes, improving mental health and breaking down barriers.
Everything about MHM is people focused, both for our workforce and the people we support. Our people are the driving force of our organisation, and we are committed to having a talented workforce who will make a positive impact on our communities
Job description
Job 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 client's 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
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 client's 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
- * Completion of Peer Support Worker Training or willingness to undertake such training in the first 12 months of employment, dependant on course availability.
- * Educated to GCSE standard or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- * Good standard of written English
- * Able to demonstrate a lived experience of mental health difficulties and supporting someone with a mental health difficulty.
- * Able to demonstrate careful listening and empathy and a non-judgemental attitude.
- * Able to support people's 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
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- * Completion of Peer Support Worker Training or willingness to undertake such training in the first 12 months of employment, dependant on course availability.
- * Educated to GCSE standard or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- * Good standard of written English
- * Able to demonstrate a lived experience of mental health difficulties and supporting someone with a mental health difficulty.
- * Able to demonstrate careful listening and empathy and a non-judgemental attitude.
- * Able to support people's 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
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.
