Address
SalaryCOLEBROOK (SOUTH WEST) LTD
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: Head Space Peer Support Worker
SALARY: £11.00 P/H
PROBATION PERIOD: 6 months
CONTRACT PERIOD: Permanent
BASE: Colebrook SW Ltd, R/O Engage Building, St Levans Road, Plymouth PL2 3BG
REPORTS TO: Head Space Coordinator
RESPONSIBLE FOR: Supporting the volunteer Peer Support team
NOTICE PERIOD: Minimum of one calendar month
HOURS: 37
JOB SUMMARY:
Plymouth has an out-of-hours service called Head Space for people who consider that they are approaching a mental health crisis. The service aims to provide a non-
clinical setting with a safe, calm and structured environment, where individuals can go to access Peer Support.
The Peer Support Worker of this new service will support the coordinator to ensure successful delivery of the service and will work directly with users of the service,
offering individual or group support as required.
The role of Peer Support Worker has been developed specifically for people who have lived experience of Mental Health services. Through sharing wisdom from their own
experiences, Peer Support Workers will inspire hope and belief that recovery is possible in others. The role will provide formal Peer Support to Head Space service users
to support them to deal with their Mental Health crisis and promote recovery. The Peer Support Worker will act as an ambassador of recovery, will help to support the
volunteer Peer Support team and will be involved in the on-going development of Peer Support roles in the organisation.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- To establish supportive and respectful relationships with people using Head Space.
- To listen to service users and support them to manage their crisis and focus on their recovery.
- To provide Peer Support whilst maintaining professional boundaries.
- To share ideas about ways of achieving Recovery goals, drawing on personal experiences and a range of coping, self-help and self-management techniques.
- To model personal responsibility, self-awareness, self-belief, self-advocacy and hopefulness.
To ensure the service offers a safe, relaxed but structured environment for people to receive 1:1 and group support in times of crisis
- To offer triage, face to face support as a one to one as part of the Head Space team.
- To offer telephone service support during shift times.
- To ensure that people using the service are supported to develop self-management strategies and to make the best use of the local resources around them,
- To encourage Head Space clients to make their own decisions relating to services.
- To support positive working relationships with partner services and other stakeholders.
- To support promotion and consistent communication about the service.
- To monitor and maintain own mental health, seeking support and working with the team to deal with anything that arises in practice.
- To support people within limits of your competences and authority and to seek advice and guidance when required.
- To deliver with the team a programme of activities that are engaging and of interest to people using the service.
- To facilitate a strong user and career led approach, through your contact with people using the service.
- To support the volunteer Peer Supporters on shift to deal with things that may arise.
- Undertake appropriate administrative duties to assist the team e.g. data inputting, filing, computer work and photocopying.
- To keep records of contact with Head Space clients maintaining Head Space records and support monitoring
- To contribute to the continued development of the Peer Support Worker training programme and in the ongoing evaluation of the Peer Support Worker role.
- To actively participate in Team Meetings and report regularly to the Head Space Coordinator to ensure effective communication.
- To actively share learning and experiences to inform service developments and improvements.
GENERAL:
- To undertake other duties that may reasonably be required by the Chief Executive, MT and Board of Directors.
- To comply with all aspects of the policies and procedures of Colebrook in accordance with legislation and good practice, complying with data protection act
- To remain active and involved in personal development opportunities, training and participate in supervision and performance appraisals as required.
- To promote open and honest communication and to work as part of the team to deliver organisational objectives.
COVID 19 service adaptions
During the pandemic our service had to change the way in which support was delivered. At that time, we were providing telephone support only. Since restrictions
have lifted, we have returned to venues which are located in different parts of the city. We still provide a telephone service which runs alongside the face-to-face
support that we are now able to offer. The principles and ethos of the service remain the same.
Please Note: All job descriptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. There is an expectation that all the above duties / tasks can be performed by an employee to meet
the changing needs of services and / or clients.
COLEBROOK (SOUTH WEST) LTD
PLEASE NOTE: Each application will be assessed against the criteria that are essential for this post and it is on this basis that applicants will be short listed for interview. It is
therefore vital that these criteria are clearly demonstrated both on your application and at an interview.
Qualifications & Training
Essential
- Be prepared to undertake training as appropriate
- General education to GCSE/O level standard or equivalent, including Maths and English
Desirable
- Had some experience of training others or group work
Experience & Knowledge
Essential
- To have lived experience of mental health problems
- Experience of supporting and working with vulnerable people
- To have experience of recovering a meaningful life
- Ability to deal with conflict or challenging situations
- To have experience of being in a supportive and enabling role
- Experience of supporting a user led approach
- To be computer literate in Microsoft Office
- Basic IT skills
- Ability to share personal story of recovery in a professional manner
- Ability to assist people to develop recovery plans
- Ability and willingness to reflect on work practice and be open to constructive feedback
- Monitor and manage own stress levels and access appropriate support as needed
- Ability to work in an enabling and creative way
- Able to organise, prioritise and initiate own work and work to deadlines
- Ability to manage stress and to plan and prioritise workload
- Understanding of the challenges for people with mental health needs
- Understanding of the issues and concerns of mental health service and users
- Knowledge and commitment to service users rights
- Understanding of the impact of stigma and discrimination
- To communicate effectively with a range of service users, carers, professionals and agencies
- Receiving highly complex and sensitive information. Persuasive and reassurance skills required
- To be aware of professional roles within the therapeutic relationship
- Able to manage conflict and to help others to do so
- The ability to form and maintain therapeutic relationships with patients, staff and other members of the health team
- An excellent insight into your own condition and approaches to management of wellness
Desirable
- Experience of work at a strategy level
- Knowledge about Mental Health services in Plymouth, both statutory and voluntary/community
- Previous application of, knowledge and skills in this area
Individual Qualities
Essential
- Positive outlook
- Professional in appearance and behaviour
- Honesty and integrity
- Good team working skills
- Caring and compassionate nature without prejudice
- Empowering approach promoting active support
- Willingness to work flexibly and adaptably to respond to organisational need
- Ability to work in an out of hours service
- Demonstrate a commitment to improving mental health and services
Desirable
- Good self-awareness and commitment to own personal and professional development showing willingness to respond openly and positively to challenges
Full
