Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for Peer Support Workers (PSW) within the Lambeth Early Onset (LEO) Community Mental Health Team at SLaM. This new 2-year funded service will launch a dual diagnosis pathway, supporting people aged 18-65 experiencing First Episode Psychosis and methamphetamine misuse.
Peer Workers use their lived experience of mental health challenges and recovery to inspire hope and support change. The role involves offering emotional support, promoting social inclusion, sharing coping strategies, and helping service users navigate mental health services.
We are seeking enthusiastic, compassionate, and self-motivated individuals with lived experience of mental health problems and recovery, ideally with dual diagnosis experience. Candidates should have completed accredited Peer Worker training or be willing to undertake it.
You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team and receive regular 1:1 supervision, monthly peer mentoring, group supervision, and access to training opportunities for professional development.
Main duties of the job
Key Responsibilities:
To work alongside our dual diagnosis practitioner to support clients experiencing FEP and using methamphetamines
To use lived experience to inspire hope that change is possible.
To promote peer support groups for clients experiencing FEP and using methamphetamines
To share 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 a number of agreed recovery tools e.g. SMART goals in a flexible way 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 in particular drug and alcohol services
To support the service user to communicate this too 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 clients records.
To be able to signpost to community and/or online resources and access appropriate mainstream and specialist resources regarding FEP and methamphetamine use
To be aware of, teach others and challenge issues in relation to stigma, low expectations and anti-discriminatory practice as appropriate.
About us
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organizations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.
SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; as well as substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.
By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities, and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
To work alongside our dual diagnosis practitioner to support clients experiencing FEP and using methamphetamines
To use lived experience to inspire hope that change is possible.
To promote peer support groups for clients experiencing FEP and using methamphetamines
To share 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 a number of agreed recovery tools e.g. SMART goals in a flexible way 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 in particular drug and alcohol services
To support the service user to communicate this too 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 clients records.
To be able to signpost to community and/or online resources and access appropriate mainstream and specialist resources regarding FEP and methamphetamine use
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.
To promote the role of peer support both within SLAM and externally, through co-delivery of presentations, workshops, and participation in Trust -wide peer related projects and audits: and information sharing as required and as agreed with the line manager.
To take part in regular one to one supervision with senior staff.
To take part in group supervision for peer workers.
To contribute and commit to undertaking an annual appraisal.
To complete mandatory training.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
To work alongside our dual diagnosis practitioner to support clients experiencing FEP and using methamphetamines
To use lived experience to inspire hope that change is possible.
To promote peer support groups for clients experiencing FEP and using methamphetamines
To share 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 a number of agreed recovery tools e.g. SMART goals in a flexible way 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 in particular drug and alcohol services
To support the service user to communicate this too 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 clients records.
To be able to signpost to community and/or online resources and access appropriate mainstream and specialist resources regarding FEP and methamphetamine use
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.
To promote the role of peer support both within SLAM and externally, through co-delivery of presentations, workshops, and participation in Trust -wide peer related projects and audits: and information sharing as required and as agreed with the line manager.
To take part in regular one to one supervision with senior staff.
To take part in group supervision for peer workers.
To contribute and commit to undertaking an annual appraisal.
To complete mandatory training.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- o NVQ 3 Plus short courses to Diploma Level or Equivalent experience or NVQ Level 4 in appropriate field
- oPeer Support training (or willing to complete
Desirable
- oCompleted Recovery College courses
- oOther evidence of relevant training
Experience
Essential
- oPersonal experience of mental health difficulties and recovery
- oExperience of using mental health services (for example dual diagnosis service, community mental health team / promoting recovery team, home treatment team, inpatient stay, emergency department, etc)
- oWilling to positively share your own life experiences, with service users and carers and colleagues
- oExperience of working with people with mental health difficulties (paid or voluntary)
Desirable
- oExperience of delivering peer support services
- oAn interest in developing a career in mental health care
- oExperience of using dual diagnosis services
Knowledge / Skills
Essential
- oAble to demonstrate an understanding of the Values of Peer Support
- oKnowledge of the impact of methamphetamines on mental health
- oTo be able to share lived experience in way that is safe and useful
- oAbility to demonstrate empathy, compassion and patience
- oAbility to problem solve and create innovative solutions to help empower service users
- oAbility to demonstrate a good understanding of mental health issues
- oAbility to demonstrate knowledge of personal recovery and boundaries
Desirable
- oAbility to speak other languages
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- o NVQ 3 Plus short courses to Diploma Level or Equivalent experience or NVQ Level 4 in appropriate field
- oPeer Support training (or willing to complete
Desirable
- oCompleted Recovery College courses
- oOther evidence of relevant training
Experience
Essential
- oPersonal experience of mental health difficulties and recovery
- oExperience of using mental health services (for example dual diagnosis service, community mental health team / promoting recovery team, home treatment team, inpatient stay, emergency department, etc)
- oWilling to positively share your own life experiences, with service users and carers and colleagues
- oExperience of working with people with mental health difficulties (paid or voluntary)
Desirable
- oExperience of delivering peer support services
- oAn interest in developing a career in mental health care
- oExperience of using dual diagnosis services
Knowledge / Skills
Essential
- oAble to demonstrate an understanding of the Values of Peer Support
- oKnowledge of the impact of methamphetamines on mental health
- oTo be able to share lived experience in way that is safe and useful
- oAbility to demonstrate empathy, compassion and patience
- oAbility to problem solve and create innovative solutions to help empower service users
- oAbility to demonstrate a good understanding of mental health issues
- oAbility to demonstrate knowledge of personal recovery and boundaries
Desirable
- oAbility to speak other languages
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.
