Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen in Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust's (CNTW) North Locality. The role will be for a Senior Peer supporter for the Northumberland Recovery Partnership within the North Locality. A Senior Peer supporter will already have substantial experience working within a Peer Supporter Role and will be confident in taking on mentoring responsibilities within the Peer supporter Network in CNTW.
The Peer Supporter role is a vital part of our plan to continually improve the service that we provide. The role is aimed at people with personal lived experience and/or experience of caring for someone, who has lived with mental health issues / lived experience in addictions. The principal role of the post will be to support service users throughout their journey through our services, to establish greater control over their lives and decisions, and build resilience during their care and treatment.
This is a unique opportunity to work as part of a Clinical Team, utilising your personal experience to inspire people through their own recovery path. The role focuses on creating trusting relationships whilst supporting service users (and or carers) in their journey of recovery.
Main duties of the job
You will be expected to offer a different perspective and real understanding through:
o Sharing stories to find a mutual connection.
o Supporting individuals to identify personal recovery goals and contribute to care planning.
o Group work, as well as 1:1 work, using wellness plans and tools. You will co-develop therapeutic groups, dependant on your experience, working with a multi-disciplinary team.
o Recording progress and concerns, working in a manner which ensures confidentiality and security.
o Building service user confidence through their care pathway and towards their own aspirations of a meaningful recovery.
This will be a challenging, but rewarding role, working with people presenting with a range of mental health issues and risks. The post holder must have the ability to communicate where there are barriers to understanding, and they must be able to work as part of a team. They must be confident in working and communicating with people and demonstrate strong recovery values in, inspiring hope and empowerment in others.
About us
As an employee of CNTW, the wellbeing of all of our staff is vitally important. The post holder will have several avenues of support but should also feel confident in their own personal skills and abilities to draw upon their own resilience and strengths to sustain their own wellbeing throughout this role.
The Post will also involve contributing to the continuing development of the Peer Support Worker role and linking in with Third sector and/or recovery colleges. The Post holder will also be required to work to embed the Peer Supporter role within the team and provide ongoing training and development within the Peer supporter Network.
We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate and therefore able to meet the needs of the modern NHS both now and in the future. We want to recruit staff, invest in developing their skills and expertise, and support career development and progression.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please find attached job description for full details.
Advertising date : 4th September2024
Closing date : 18th September 2024
We welcome your application.
Person Specification
Education and Qualification
Essential
1. Good level of secondary education for maths and English at GCSE or equivalent level
2. Commitment to completing CNTWs Peer Education Programme
Desirable
3. Completion of Peer Support Specialist Training or other similar peer support training
4. Completion of Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) training
5. Completion of WRAP Educator training
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
6. Personal lived experience of recovery from addiction
7. Experience of being in a peer support role
Desirable
8. Experience of a person-centred approach
9. Experience of working in the mental health field
Skills and Competencies
Essential
10. Understanding of personal values and beliefs
11. Good interpersonal and team-working skills
12. Ability to share personal story of recovery in a professional manner
13. Ability to assist people to develop recovery plans (including determining 'problems', identifying 'goals' and setting objectives)
14. Ability to facilitate small groups to gather service users' experiences.
15. Ability to deliver aspects of a planned training event.
16. Ability and willingness to reflect on work practice and be open to constructive feedback
17. Ability to work in an enabling and creative way
18. Ability to manage stress and to plan and prioritise workload
Desirable
19. Experience of WRAP or other recovery / person-centred planning tools
20. Knowledge of how the mental health and other health and social care systems operate
21. Understanding of issues affecting mental health and well-being
Role/Team specific requirements
Essential
22. Experience of offering peer support to vulnerable service users
Desirable
23. Experience of supporting others with alcohol use and harmful and illicit substances
Personal Characteristics
Essential
24. Commitment to putting recovery values and principles into practice
25. Belief that people can and do recover
Additional Requirements
Essential
26. Ability to meet the mobility requirements of the post ie travel across sites/community visits