Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join our Home Treatment Service in Taunton as a Peer Support Worker.
Peer Support Workers (PSWs) give support and encouragement to people experiencing mental health difficulties. The unique quality that PSWs bring to the team is the ability to draw directly on their own lived experiences of mental health difficulties requiring a skilled approach to interpersonal boundaries. They do not replace other roles in mental health services; rather, their skill in using their own experience to work collaboratively with someone facing similar mental health difficulties, is a unique one.
Within a Home Treatment team PSW's would be directly working with people who had reached a crisis point in their mental health. We would like to hear from individuals who may have received treatment within a similar service to share their knowledge across the team and with people using the service.
You will become a valued member of a team and support the holistic and personalised approach to supporting people when acutely unwell or at risk of a hospital admission.
Main duties of the job
- Understand the Values of peer support and the principles that underpin it
- Work with people to:
- Support people in their personal recovery
- Help people engage in activities that are meaningful to them
- Help people develop coping and problem-solving skills
- Collaboratively discuss care and support options
- Contribute to the co-production of individual care and recovery plans
- Facilitate access to care and sources of support
- Support transitions in care
- Stand back and be non-directive
- Apply a knowledge of:
- A wide range mental health difficulties
- The impact of mental health difficulties on functioning
- The associations between mental and physical health
- Interventions for mental health difficulties including trauma informed care
- Local services and sources of mental health care
- Professional, legal and ethical frameworks
- Issues of safeguarding, confidentiality, consent and information sharing
- Self-harm and suicide prevention as well procedures for maintaining safety.
- Develop strongrelationship skills
- Work as part of a team promoting people's rights, including working alongside other organizations and offering a personalized recovery perspective.
About us
As an organisation, the NHS offers a wide range of benefits including flexible working, pension contributions, market leading annual leave allowance, career progression, and regular conversations, not to mention our Blue Light Card and NHS exclusive discounts.
The benefits of working in Somerset include the idyllic countryside, with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines. You will get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.
There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable. You will experience the best of both in Somerset, the countryside and the cosmopolitan - there is truly something for everyone!
Job description
Job responsibilities
PSWs can offer emotional and practical support to people going through similar kinds of experiences. It is different from organisational help which uses medical or psychological models as it recognises the value of self-reflection and validation.
A peer can understand peoples stories and help it to be useful to personal recovery. By not giving advice or direction, but listening, exploring and suggesting alternative interpretations and explanations to help people to find their own solutions that work for them as individuals.
They can use their own lived experience to:
- Help people to connect; having good relationships and being connected to other people in positive ways.
- Engender hope; having hope for a life worth living, optimism that recovery is possible and developing relationships that support this.
- Help people reclaim their Identity; regaining a positive sense of self, of who they are beyond mental health difficulties and to overcome stigma.
- Enable people to find meaning; living a meaningful and purposeful life, as defined by the person.
- Help people to develop personal empowerment; regaining control over their life, focusing on strengths and taking personal responsibility for their recovery.
Please see Job Description for full outline of main responsiblities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
PSWs can offer emotional and practical support to people going through similar kinds of experiences. It is different from organisational help which uses medical or psychological models as it recognises the value of self-reflection and validation.
A peer can understand peoples stories and help it to be useful to personal recovery. By not giving advice or direction, but listening, exploring and suggesting alternative interpretations and explanations to help people to find their own solutions that work for them as individuals.
They can use their own lived experience to:
- Help people to connect; having good relationships and being connected to other people in positive ways.
- Engender hope; having hope for a life worth living, optimism that recovery is possible and developing relationships that support this.
- Help people reclaim their Identity; regaining a positive sense of self, of who they are beyond mental health difficulties and to overcome stigma.
- Enable people to find meaning; living a meaningful and purposeful life, as defined by the person.
- Help people to develop personal empowerment; regaining control over their life, focusing on strengths and taking personal responsibility for their recovery.
Please see Job Description for full outline of main responsiblities.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- At least 12 months proven experience of providing Peer Support or Peer Mentoring.
- A good standard of English and Maths
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Lived experience of mental health difficulties
- Experience of drawing directly on own lived experiences of mental health difficulties
- Experience of using mental health services such as being a hospital inpatient, housing and community services.
- Experience of using a range of self-management or recovery tools and techniques to support health and well-being
- Experience of collaboration and/or working in a person-centred way to help people develop coping and problem-solving skills
- Experience of working as part of a team
- Knowledge of local services and sources of mental health care and support
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent listening and interpersonal skills: empathy, kindness and patience.
- Experience of communicating in a respectful and non-judgemental way and supporting people in a way that is tactful and sensitive
- Ability to work collaboratively with other staff, volunteers and teams
- Ability to follow policies and procedures.
- IT literacy including email, internet, and Microsoft Teams or Zoom
- Full driving licence
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Ability to be supportive but not 'do' for others
- Ability to undertake reflection as part of learning and personal development
- Ability to set clear boundaries.
- Ability to accompany peers to meetings and appointments
- A willingness to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service and the people who use it.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- At least 12 months proven experience of providing Peer Support or Peer Mentoring.
- A good standard of English and Maths
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Lived experience of mental health difficulties
- Experience of drawing directly on own lived experiences of mental health difficulties
- Experience of using mental health services such as being a hospital inpatient, housing and community services.
- Experience of using a range of self-management or recovery tools and techniques to support health and well-being
- Experience of collaboration and/or working in a person-centred way to help people develop coping and problem-solving skills
- Experience of working as part of a team
- Knowledge of local services and sources of mental health care and support
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent listening and interpersonal skills: empathy, kindness and patience.
- Experience of communicating in a respectful and non-judgemental way and supporting people in a way that is tactful and sensitive
- Ability to work collaboratively with other staff, volunteers and teams
- Ability to follow policies and procedures.
- IT literacy including email, internet, and Microsoft Teams or Zoom
- Full driving licence
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Ability to be supportive but not 'do' for others
- Ability to undertake reflection as part of learning and personal development
- Ability to set clear boundaries.
- Ability to accompany peers to meetings and appointments
- A willingness to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service and the people who use it.
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
