Oxford Health NHS Trust

Peer Support Worker Apprentice - Oxford City / NE Oxon PCMHT

The closing date is 23 July 2025

Job summary

Do you have prior lived experience of mental health challenges?

This post is recruiting for a Peer Support Worker within the Oxford Health Oxfordshire Adult Mental Health Service.

Peer Support Workers (PSWs) are people who have their own lived experience of mental health challenges or have supported/cared for someone with mental health challenges. They use empathy informed by their own experiences to support service users/families who are accessing mental health services.

We're looking for people who are compassionate, can work well in a team, highly motivated and have excellent written and verbal communication skills. You will be provided with training for the role and given the opportunity to complete the national recognised care certificate.

As part of our services across Oxfordshire, we are implementing Keystone Mental Health & Wellbeing Hubs to support GP practices with Mental Health assessment and support for patients in their communities. The hubs have been developed to improve the health and wellbeing of people who experience serious and complex mental health difficulties in the community.

Peer support workers assist clients to identify their goals and aid in their recovery process by drawing on their own lived experience of recovery.

Team working hours are Mon-Fri 9-5.

Main duties of the job

The Peer Support Worker role sees the introduction of lived experience into everyday practice. PSW's offer a combination of group and one to one work and will work within the multi-disciplinary team to support a service users recovery journey. The post holder will facilitate formal and informal learning, working with staff in clinical practice and supporting clinical teams to develop recovery-based practice.

Peer Support Workers model the recovery principles together with personal responsibility, self-awareness and self-care whilst undertaking the duties of the role.

Lived experience:

Drawing on lived experience of mental health to provide emotional and practical support to an allocated group of service users to promote their recovery. This may include avoidance of admission and/or promoting recovery for inpatient's by helping them to identify and build their own support network.
To support service users to engage effectively with care being offered and access appropriate services.
To build relationships that are founded on the value of mutuality which will facilitate the provision of regular and practical support.
Where appropriate challenge discrimination and reducing the stigma of mental ill health.
To positively promote independent living of service users through role-modelling individual recovery journeys
To build rapport with service users, whilst maintaining professional boundaries.

About us

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.

Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people's homes, delivering care as close to home as possible

Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive:"Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team"

Our values are:"Caring, safe and excellent"

At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:

Excellent opportunities for career progression
Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
Competitive pension scheme
Lease car scheme
Cycle to work scheme
Employee Assistance Programme
Mental Health First Aiders
Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team

Date posted

09 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,625 to £25,674 a year per annum/pro-rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

267-OA7318722

Job locations

Keystone Kidlington Hub and Keystone Oxford

141 – 145 Cowley Road

Oxford

OX4 1HU

Job description

Job responsibilities

We are looking for Peer Support Workers at both our Kidlington Keystone Hub and our Oxford Keystone Hub. If you have a strong preference for one or other hub please specify this clearly on your application.

Oxford Health offer the Peer Support Training programme as a nationally recognised accredited Level 3 Apprenticeship (fully funded by Oxford Health).

The Peer Worker Apprenticeship is completed over a period of 15-19 months depending on whether a Peer Support Worker works part time or full time (22.5-37.5 hours).

Eligibility criteria to enrol on the Apprenticeship includes having GCSE/Level 2 Maths and English qualifications. You will be expected to provide evidence of these qualifications. If you do not have these qualifications, we would still welcome your application for consideration, but you would need to complete The Trusts functional skills courses on Maths and/or English whilst in the role before enrolling on the Apprenticeship. All new Peer Support Workers will be provided with training for the role and support from a tutor and supervisor within their working hours.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Oxford Health offer the Peer Support Training programme as a nationally recognised accredited Level 3 Apprenticeship (fully funded by Oxford Health).

The Peer Worker Apprenticeship is completed over a period of 15-19 months depending on whether a Peer Support Worker works part time or full time (22.5-37.5 hours).

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

The ability to offer specialist support using their personal experience of recovery

Desirable

To have experience of working within a supportive and enabling role

Personal qualities

Essential

Able to use own initiative when appropriate
The ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships with all members of the multidisciplinary team

Qualifications/Knowledge

Desirable

Knowledge of mental health conditions

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

The ability to offer specialist support using their personal experience of recovery

Desirable

To have experience of working within a supportive and enabling role

Personal qualities

Essential

Able to use own initiative when appropriate
The ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships with all members of the multidisciplinary team

Qualifications/Knowledge

Desirable

Knowledge of mental health conditions

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.