Peer Support Worker

As a Peer Support Worker, you will work directly alongside an agreed number of service users on a 1:1 and/or group basis. This will primarily be on the unit/ward but sometimes you may also work with service users out in the community when they are utilising Section 17 leave.
As a Peer Support Worker, you will be acting as a role model by sharing your own lived experience of recovering from mental health difficulties, inspiring hope, and optimism, to demonstrate that a positive and meaningful life is possible. You will empower service users to take greater control and responsibility over their own care and to successfully achieve their personal goals.
Part time and flexible working will all be considered for this role. Full details of the job role and responsibilities can be found in the job description., · The post holder will demonstrate an attitude which respects and values service users' and their carers and have a clear understanding of professional boundaries.
· To act as a positive role model, showing professional and caring attitudes and behaviour towards service users, their families and carers and colleagues, always demonstrating the Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust values.
· To use active listening skills to help service users develop self - understanding and identify their personal recovery goals.
· Ensure your peer's goals are integrated and are reviewed on a regular basis, liaising with the multi - disciplinary team as necessary.
· To communicate effectively with individuals and their carers.
· Model personal responsibility, self - awareness, self - belief, self - advocacy and hopefulness via the telling of own recovery journey to inspire and install confidence in peers., · To raise awareness of a strengths - based approach and associated language modelling positive strengths based, non - discriminatory, non - jargon, trauma informed language in all areas of work.
· Participating as a co - facilitator on more structured and formal group - based interventions.
· Through their interaction with service users advise staff of changes in risk, mental health and/or behaviour.
· Prioritise, manage and monitor own workload and handle the day-to-day organisation of workload with the support of the Team Manager.
· To accompany service users to appointments/meetings of their choice and perform a range of practical tasks, aligned to recovery goals and promote choice at all times.
· To facilitate access to community groups and networks that enable service users to participate in community activities, in order to maximise opportunities for taking on socially valued roles and positive identify.
· To be available for 1:1 sessions with service users when not engaged in structured/planned activities.
· To support individual service users to collaboratively write up their care plans with qualified practitioners and identify their needs, goals and hopes for the future.
· To support individual service users to work on identified needs in their personal care plans, utilising and celebrating their strengths and reviewing their progress.
· To offer support to attend clinical review meetings and empower service users to feedback progress on their recovery goals. To offer support to empower individuals to work towards leading on their own clinical review meetings.
· Share/ teach coping, self - help and self-management techniques within the peer relationship.
· Use own initiative, personal experience and job-related training in deciding on the approach and interventions required when working with a service user in delivering peer support, with supervision from the multi - disciplinary team.
· Support other members of the multi - disciplinary team in promoting a recovery orientated environment and in identifying recovery focused activities facilitating the sharing of information/education as required.
A hints and tips document is attached below for guidance on completing your application form.
Sponsorship - We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on the government website.
What happens after your application has been received?
You will be informed about the progress of your application following shortlisting via email. Only applicants who clearly demonstrate the criteria listed in the person specification will be shortlisted for interview. Interview invites will be sent out via email.
What happens if I am offered the position after interview?
The hiring manager will make contact with you to verbally offer you the position. The hiring manager will then inform Recruitment of the decision and provide relevant paperwork. You will be sent a formal conditional offer via email.
What pre-employment checks will I need to complete?
By conducting pre-employment checks, the recruitment team will verify that you meet the pre-conditions of the role you have been offered. Pre-employment checks will be carried out according to NHS Employment Check Standards. The checks are:
+ Identity verification
+ Right to work check
+ Disclosure and barring service (DBS)/Criminal record check (dependent on role)
+ Professional registration and/or qualification check
+ Occupational health assessment
+ Employment history and reference validation
All applicants external to NHS will be required to provide HMRC employment history to cover the most recent three years. This information will used to validate employment history and references as part of pre-employment checks.
If you are offer a position with is and you require sponsorship to support your right to work, we will review your eligibility in line with government guidance. If the role you have been offer is not eligible for sponsorship, and you are not able to evidence your right to work, your conditional offer could be withdrawn.
What happens when pre-employment checks are complete?
Recruitment will liaise with you and the hiring manager to arrange a start date for your new position. You will then be booked on to a Trust Welcome Session and be sent your Pennine Care NHS Terms and Conditions.
Other important information
+ We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and recognise the importance of ensuring our diverse service user population is reflected within our workforce. Unfortunately, we know that, at present, there is underrepresentation of our communities in our workforce. We welcome applications from people from diverse communities to help us grow, learn, be better and consider brilliant innovation diverse people bring.
+ If you would like to be considered under the disability confident scheme, you will be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria on the person specification for the post.
+ If you require reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process please phone us on at the earliest opportunity. We will support you to complete your application.
+ Unfortunately we are not able to guarantee the transfer of lease cars, or cover the costs of early termination charges.
+ We have a strict policy on unsolicited contact from recruitment agencies. Please do not contact our hiring managers directly.
We reserve the right to close a vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date if a sufficient number of applications have been received. To ensure you application is considered, please submit at the earliest opportunity.

If you are Kind, Fair, Ingenious and Determined then we want you to come and join our #PennineCarePeople, Do you have lived experience of mental health?
Would you like to use this experience to help and support others?
We are delighted to be advertising this new opportunity for a Band 3 Peer Support Worker who is motivated and enthusiastic with lived experience of mental health to join our male low secure unit, Prospect Place.
The Peer Support Worker role has been developed specifically for people with lived experience of mental health difficulties. If you have lived experience of recovery from mental health difficulties, including experience of inpatient/ward based mental health services and drug and alcohol difficulties, then this role could be for you.

Our vision is for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in our communities and our staff work hard to deliver the very best care for the people who use our services. We're really proud of our #PennineCarePeople and do everything we can to make sure we're a great place to work.

All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership are encouraged to apply for this post. We would also encourage applications from individuals with a lived experience of mental illness, either individually or as a carer.
If you come and work for us we will offer a range of benefits and opportunities, including:
+ Generous annual leave entitlement for Agenda for Change and Medical and Dental staff.
+ Flexible working opportunities to support your work/life balance
+ Access to Continued Professional Development
+ Involvement in improvement and research activities
+ Health and Wellbeing activities and access to an excellent staff wellbeing service
+ Access to staff discounts across retail, leisure and travel