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SalaryJob Advert
Purpose of the role:
We are looking for a Peer Support Worker, who has their own lived experience of mental health issues to act as a role model to service users to inspire hope by sharing life experiences and lessons learnt as a person in recovery.
You will join the wider Peer Support In-Reach Service, alongside 11 other peers in various Rehab wards across South London but primarily work in a well-supported in-patient ward at Burntwood Villas Ward at the Springfield Hospital, in Tooting.
Using your lived experience, you will provide insights of your own lived experience to support service users to build their skills, ideas on coping mechanisms, staying well, mentoring, coaching, practical, emotional support, facilitating access to community activities, helping them to build skills to manage their independence and maintain their wellbeing, using lessons learnt and practical knowledge from your own recovery.
Main responsibilities and key tasks:
- Support patients whilst they are on the unit, working towards setting goals to combat social isolation, identifying their interests they may have and helping facilitate their engagement with community activities.
- Further to their discharge from hospital, you will support them for up to 6 weeks in the community which will include facilitating access to community activities around their interests, building skills to manage their independence, maintain their wellbeing as they settle back into the community and living independently after an Inpatient stay, also providing practical, emotional support as needed.
- Identify with them how to access various supports in times of distress and various support networks within their area.
- You will need to be a warm and welcoming “people person”, be patient, resilient and open about your own experiences, have good communication skills and be good at keeping accurate records using a database. You will have an opportunity, to make a difference in people’s lives, to contribute to the evaluation of the effectiveness of this service and to be part of the local Mind team supporting people with their mental health in South London.
- Promote understanding of the principles and practice of Peer Support and service user run services amongst staff and service users within the service.
- You will be line managed by the Senior Peer Support Worker who you will work alongside and they will provide guidance, support, and regular supervisions. In their absence, you will be supported by the In-Reach Service Manager.
- In addition to the tasks and duties outlined in this job description, you may be required to undertake such duties as may be identified and which are generally compatible with the functions of the post
Your application will need to demonstrate that you have the relevant lived experience and skills in the personal specification.
This role is based in the Burntwood Villas Ward, a 15-bed Inpatient Community Rehabilitation Step-Down Unit, caring for male and female service users, either informal or who have been detained under the Mental Health Act, and require further care and treatment prior to moving into the community, for people who live in the London Borough of Wandsworth.
You will be expected to be able to travel to work in the hospital and around the local area to assist your patients on visits in the community.
Person Specification
A skilled, knowledgeable, and empathetic person with lived experience, who enjoys working with clients and thrives in a team.
The following person specification is a guide to the Essential and Desirable attributes that Mind in Brent, Wandsworth and Westminster wishes to find in the successful candidate for the post.
Essential
Desirable
Qualifications
A good level of general education to GCSE/NVQ level 2 or equivalent, including English and Maths
E
Experience
Lived experience of mental health issues
E
Working, communicating and interacting with a wide variety of people in a similar environment or as part of a community-based services
E
Responding to and dealing effectively with complaints and managing safeguarding issues in situ as they arise
D
Knowledge, Skills and Capabilities
Understanding of Peer Support, the benefits it can play and to be able to demonstrate knowledge of recovery
E
Be able to demonstrable a good understanding of mental health related issues and difficulties through your own experiences
E
Good written and verbal communication skills and ability to present information clearly alongside good organisational/administrative and IT skills
E
Evidence of good interpersonal skills and an ability to form peer relationships, an understanding of how to be non-Judgemental and have effective listening skills with service users.
E
Able to demonstrate empathy, patience, compassion, and sensitivity when supporting people in mental health distress and be able to communicate effectively across all cultural boundaries
E
Ability to liaise effectively with other services and professionals at all levels
D
Ability to research the supports available in the community and build community links
E
Ability to create innovative solutions to help empower service users to work to a person-centred approach
E
An awareness of issues relating to lone working and effective management of personal and professional boundaries
E
Ability to work independently, take initiative, prioritise, and work flexibly to changing requirements
D
Understanding of, and commitment to, equity, diversity and inclusion respecting the diversity of each person’s experience, and their particular background or cultural context
E
Some knowledge of the health and social care services
D
Able to understand when there is a risk factor, to report in a timely manner and when confidentiality needs to be broken
E
Personal Attributes and Approach
Values people and sees their potential, worth and strengths
E
Ability to see solutions rather than problems
E
Develops effective and trusting relationships, characterised by respect – being non-judgemental and not making assumptions about the person’s experiences, beliefs, or delusions.
E
Highly motivated and able to learn quickly, willing to seek advice appropriately and accept supervision and training as required
E
Shares responsibility for their own personal development and be able to reflect and share their own personal journey of recovery
E
To be a team player with the wider In-Reach team as well as LMA and the Unit staff
E
Special Conditions
To have lived experience of mental health issues, alongside the knowledge of difficulties/challenges that come with this
E
To understand what recovery can look like and be able to demonstrate this through your own experience.
E
The successful candidate will be expected to undergo an Enhanced DBS check
E
Ability to travel around the borough to a variety of venues
E
Only full applications will be accepted, cover letters and CV alone will not solely be accepted.
