Peer Support Worker

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

To use lived experience to inspire hope that change is possible.

To share your own lived experience safely and effectively.

To share your own and other examples of lived experience of recovery.

To work in a way that acknowledges the personal, social, cultural and spiritual strengths of the person.

To use evidence-based recovery tools to support the service user.

To support the service user to understand the role of statutory mental health services and how they can support their recovery alongside other community resources.

To support the service user to communicate with involved mental health professionals and wider support network.

To record information in a clear and accessible way.

To promote service user involvement in all aspects of their work.

To ensure confidentiality and safe keeping of client records.

To be able to signpost to community and/or online resources and access appropriate mainstream and specialist resources.

To be aware of, teach others and challenge issues in relation to stigma, low expectations and anti-discriminatory practice as appropriate.

To attend team meetings as appropriate.

With agreement of line manager, to promote the role of peer support both within SLAM and externally, through co-delivery of presentations, workshops, and information sharing. In addition, to participate in Trust-wide peer related projects and audits.

To take part in regular one-to-one supervision with senior staff.

To contribute and commit to undertaking an annual appraisal.

To complete mandatory training.

To take part in group supervision and mentoring for peer workers.

To work flexibly and travel between OASIS team bases and community venues as required.

Depending on experience, responsibilities may include:

To facilitate a peer support group for OASIS service users.

To work directly with an identified caseload of individuals via video/telephone call, text and in person face to face sessions.

To support service improvement by collecting feedback from service users and carers via PEDIC and relevant outcome measures.

To co-design and co-facilitate presentations and workshops alongside OASIS colleagues which promote the OASIS service and raise awareness of At-Risk Mental States.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to GCSE or equivalent level/or evidence of competency specifically in English and Maths
• Peer Support Training (or willing to complete)

Desirable

• Experience of Recovery College courses and relevant training
• Other evidence of relevant training

Experience

Essential

• Personal experience of mental health difficulties and recovery
• Experience of using mental health services
• Willing to positively share your own life experiences, with service users, carers, and colleagues
• Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties (paid or voluntary)

Desirable

• Personal experience of Psychosis or 'unusual experiences' (experiences such as hearing voices, visual disturbances, or paranoid thoughts)
• Experience of using an At Risk Mental State for Psychosis Service or Early Intervention in Psychosis Service
• Experience of delivering peer support services
• An interest in developing a career in mental health care

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Able to demonstrate an understanding of the Values of Peer Support
• To be able to share lived experience in way that is safe and useful
• Ability to demonstrate empathy, compassion, and patience
• Ability to problem solve and create innovative solutions to help empower service users
• Ability to demonstrate a good understanding of mental health issues
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of personal recovery and boundaries
• To respond in a professional manner to distress, disturbance, and unpredictability
• Evidence of good interpersonal skills and an ability to form relationships with service users, staff, friends, and families/carers
• Effective team player
• Excellent organisational skills
• Understanding and appreciation of issues affecting people from different backgrounds and cultures
• Good level of IT skills; Microsoft packages, videoconferencing, and email systems
• Willingness to use supervision for learning and self-reflection

Desirable

• Ability to speak other languages
• Awareness of complementary support services
• Basic knowledge of psychological and therapeutic interventions (CBT, DBT, MBT etc.)

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.

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Post based in Croydon (Queens Resource Centre) and Lewisham (59 Cordwell Road)

Croydon/Lewisham

CR0 2PR

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)