Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen in Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust's (CNTW). The role will be for a Peer Supporter for the Complex Neurodevelopmental Disorders Service (CNDS) based at Walkergate Park. CNDS is a specialist second opinion autism spectrum disorder (ASD) service for children and young people. They provide diagnostic assessments where there is uncertainty around diagnosis. In addition, they also provide consultation and management advice to local services concerning children and young people who already have an existing ASD diagnosis.
The Peer Supporter role is a valuable part of the multi-disciplinary support that CNDS provides to children, young people and their families. The role is aimed at people with a diagnosis and personal lived experience of being assessed and receiving a diagnosis of Autism. The main intent of this post is to provide support to children and young people going through a diagnostic autism assessment with CNDS. This might involve supporting children and young people with neurodiversity to engage in the assessment, consideration of reasonable adjustments to support children and young people during the assessment and provide post diagnostic support and advice to children and young people and families.
Main duties of the job
This is a unique opportunity to work as part of a specialist clinical team, utilising your personal experience to:
- Support and engage children and young people
- Consider with children and young people what reasonable adjustments may be required during the assessment process.
- Empower children, young people and families and carers by providing child and family friendly resources
- Involving children and young people (where possible) families and carers in the assessment by amplifying the voices of families via engagement with the team
- Provide post-diagnostic support to families and young people
This will be a challenging, but rewarding role, working with children and young people and their families and carers. The post holder must have the ability to communicate where there are barriers to understanding, and they must be able to work as part of a team. They must be confident in working and communicating with people.
About us
We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.
As an employee of CNTW, the wellbeing of all our staff is vitally important. The post holder will have several avenues of support but should also feel confident in their own personal skills and abilities to draw upon their own resilience and strengths to sustain their own wellbeing throughout this role.
The post will also involve contributing to the continuing development of the Peer Supporter role and linking in with Third sector and/or recovery colleges.
For anyone who is interested in applying, we will hold an open day at CNDS. You are welcome to come along to meet with CNDS staff and involvement team staff. This will take place on 5th September. There will be a morning session between 9.30-12 noon, and an afternoon session between 1-3.30pm. If you are attending the session and driving, then please be aware there are parking charges onsite.
The location of the service is:
CNDS
Walkergate Park
Benfield Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE6 4QD.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please find attached job description for full details.
Advertising date : 19th August 2025
Closing date : 2nd September 2025
We welcome your application.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please find attached job description for full details.
Advertising date : 19th August 2025
Closing date : 2nd September 2025
We welcome your application.
Person Specification
Education and Qualification
Essential
- Good level of secondary education
- Commitment to complete the CNTW Peer Supporter Educational Programme
Desirable
- Completion of Peer Support Specialist Training or other similar peer support training
- Completion of Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) training
- Completion of WRAP Educator training
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Personal lived experience of secondary mental health services and own recovery journey and / or personal lived experience of supporting someone with mental health / neurodiversity / learning disability
- Experience of being in a supportive and enabling role
Desirable
- Experience of a person-centred approach
- Experience of working in the mental health field
- Knowledge of trauma informed practice
- Knowledge of strength's based and person-led practice
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- Understanding of personal values and beliefs
- Good interpersonal and team-working skills
- Ability to share personal story of recovery in a professional manner
- Confidence in own skills and ability to draw upon own resilience and strengths to sustain own wellbeing Ability to assist people to develop recovery and wellness plans
- Ability to facilitate groups
- Ability to deliver aspects of a planned training event.
- Ability and willingness to reflect on work practice and be open to constructive feedback
- Ability to work in an enabling and creative way
- Ability draw on own resilience while working with challenging situations
- Ability to plan and prioritise workload
- Ability to undertakebreakaway skills
Desirable
- Experience of WRAP or other recovery / person-centred planning tools
- Knowledge of how the mental health and other health and social care systems operate
- Understanding of issues affecting mental health and well-being
Role/Team specific requirements
Essential
- Commitment to putting recovery values and principles into practice
- Belief that people can and do recover and that people can live a meaningful life in the present or absence of difficulties
- Ability to seek support when needed
Desirable
- The ability to effectively challenge practice and language use
- Ability to work as a bridge between service users / carers and clinical team
Personal Characteristics
Essential
- Enthusiasm towards and understanding of the specialist nature of the Peer Support role
- Motivation towards the promotion and development of the role
- Reliable and professional
- Non-judgemental, tolerant, compassionate and respectful
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Ability to meet the mobility requirements of the post
Person Specification
Education and Qualification
Essential
- Good level of secondary education
- Commitment to complete the CNTW Peer Supporter Educational Programme
Desirable
- Completion of Peer Support Specialist Training or other similar peer support training
- Completion of Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) training
- Completion of WRAP Educator training
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Personal lived experience of secondary mental health services and own recovery journey and / or personal lived experience of supporting someone with mental health / neurodiversity / learning disability
- Experience of being in a supportive and enabling role
Desirable
- Experience of a person-centred approach
- Experience of working in the mental health field
- Knowledge of trauma informed practice
- Knowledge of strength's based and person-led practice
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- Understanding of personal values and beliefs
- Good interpersonal and team-working skills
- Ability to share personal story of recovery in a professional manner
- Confidence in own skills and ability to draw upon own resilience and strengths to sustain own wellbeing Ability to assist people to develop recovery and wellness plans
- Ability to facilitate groups
- Ability to deliver aspects of a planned training event.
- Ability and willingness to reflect on work practice and be open to constructive feedback
- Ability to work in an enabling and creative way
- Ability draw on own resilience while working with challenging situations
- Ability to plan and prioritise workload
- Ability to undertakebreakaway skills
Desirable
- Experience of WRAP or other recovery / person-centred planning tools
- Knowledge of how the mental health and other health and social care systems operate
- Understanding of issues affecting mental health and well-being
Role/Team specific requirements
Essential
- Commitment to putting recovery values and principles into practice
- Belief that people can and do recover and that people can live a meaningful life in the present or absence of difficulties
- Ability to seek support when needed
Desirable
- The ability to effectively challenge practice and language use
- Ability to work as a bridge between service users / carers and clinical team
Personal Characteristics
Essential
- Enthusiasm towards and understanding of the specialist nature of the Peer Support role
- Motivation towards the promotion and development of the role
- Reliable and professional
- Non-judgemental, tolerant, compassionate and respectful
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Ability to meet the mobility requirements of the post
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.
