Mental Health Peer Support Worker - £ 18,165.42 - 30hrs per week

PLEASE CLICK ON THE “APPLY LINK” AND THE ERA TEAM WILL SEND YOU AN APPLICATION FORM ONCE WE HAVE RECEIVED YOUR DETAILS

Centre4 is a vibrant community hub that provides an array of activities and services to support people living in North East Lincolnshire (NEL).   The Community Health and Wellbeing Team is committed to providing advice and help to improve overall health, wellbeing and independence. 

We will continue to work hard with our community to not only provide dynamic, innovative services, but to also break down the stigma that is sometimes associated with mental health illnesses.

ROLE SUMMARY:  

The role of Mental Health Peer Link Worker has been developed specifically for people who are an expert through their own lived experience of mental health issues and recovery. Through sharing wisdom from their own experiences, Peer Link Workers will engage with service users daily to promote well-being and support. Specific to the role will be supporting mental health service users with continuation of care and support to address the broader social factors of health and wellbeing.

As part of the exciting community mental health transformation programme, Centre4 is working in partnership with NAViGO, the provider of adult Mental Health services in North East Lincolnshire to introduce the Mental Health Peer Link worker roles. Mental Health Peer Link Workers will join our current team of Primary Care Link workers, but with a mental health specialism within our Community Health and Wellbeing Team, working alongside NAViGO’s Community Mental Health teams.  Based in the Primary Care Network setting the successful applicant will work with people within the community, as guided by colleagues in the community mental health team, who require additional help to manage their mental illness and support to ensure they get the right care from the right place at the right time to meet their identified needs.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:

This post requires personal experience of mental health services either for yourself or as a carer. We are looking for a positive and enthusiastic team player who will provide support for people experiencing a wide range of mental health and social issues. 

The key element to being a Peer Link Worker is having relevant lived experience, wanting to support others going through similar experiences and being willing to receive training on how to work with people to do this.

The successful person should be able to quickly build positive, supportive and motivational relationships with patients; have a strong commitment to team working with a proven ability of working flexibly in a team environment; have excellent written and verbal communication skills as well as a working knowledge of IT packages such as MS Outlook, Excel and Word. 

What is very important is that you’re in a good position to be able to use your lived experience and share this as appropriate in a positive way. You will also need good communication skills - both written and verbal to enable you to undertake this role and to connect and build a relationship with the people you support. 

This is a North East Lincolnshire (NEL) wide post and you will be required to undertake some home visiting and working in a range of locations across NEL, therefore a full driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential. A DBS check will also be required, the cost of which will be met by Centre4. 

MAIN DUTIES OF THE ROLE:

Peer Link Workers will support service users to access the right services, ensuring they get the right care from the right place at the right time to meet their identified needs. 

You will be an integral and valued member of the Community Health and Wellbeing Team and a key member of NAViGO’s integrated community mental health teams. Using your experience of managing your mental health and recovery, you will be providing hope, empathy and a different practical perspective through support and dialogue to ensure seamless care and assessment.

As a Peer Link Worker you will be expected to:

• Provide formalised peer support and practical assistance to service users identified by the community mental health team as having a severe and enduring mental illness (SMI) requiring additional help to cope with their mental health needs supporting them to regain control over their lives. 
• Advocate on behalf of the service user where necessary and ensure that services are always in the best interests of the service user and are recovery based.
• Show empathy, be willing to share your own experiences, inspire hope and promote recovery, with the aim of assisting/supporting service users on a 1:1 basis, to gain and maintain maximum levels of independence in the community
• Act as a role model to peers, carers, staff and others from a 'lived experience' perspective.
• Work as part of the Community mental health team based in the Primary Care Network, offering support and advice to ensure the best possible outcomes for our service users. 
• Manage a caseload as guided and overseen by the community mental health team
• Agree to undertake relevant training appropriate to your role 
• Be sensitive to cultural norms and preferences.
• Assist in ensuring the service experienced is positive and service user confidentiality is always maintained. 
• Treat all contacts i.e., service users, families/carers, colleagues and all visitors with respect, dignity and courtesy
• Work in collaboration with other key stakeholders e.g., housing, employment, education, and primary care, and third sector voluntary agencies.

• The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining up to date knowledge on Centre4 Community Health and Wellbeing Team policies, process and procedures and always working within these.

The post-holder will undertake relevant duties required from time to time as requested by Management which correspond to the general character of the post and is commensurate with the level of responsibility

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

COMMUNITY WELFARE TEAM

Post:      Peer Link Worker - £18,165.42 Actual Salary

Hours:   30 with flexible working to possibly include evening/weekend work              A=Application Form; I=Interview

EDUCATION/ QUALIFICATIONS

• Full Driving Licence 
• Good IT skills.
• A willingness to undertake training

• Experience of working in a team..

EXPERIENCE AND ATTAINMENTS

• Experience of recovery from mental health issues as a service user or as a carer.
• To have experience of self-management (with or without support) for any on-going mental health issues.
• A passion for helping people with mental health issues.

• An understanding of peer support 
• Ability to deal with stressful situations and clients.
• Experience of working with people with mental health needs.
• Experience of supporting needs and/or risk assessments 

SKILLS/ABILITIES

• Ability to engage and support people who are experiencing challenges to their mental health.
• Good communication skills; articulate, legible and meaningful & able to adjust communication style and content to the audience.
• Active and effective team member, co-operating to work together and in conjunction with others and willing to help and assist wherever possible and appropriate.
• Adaptable and flexible in approach to working practice.
• Ability to use own initiative.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to recognise and to deal with personal stress.
• Commitment to self-development including willingness/flexibility to attend training.
• Self-motivation.
• Willingness to contribute to team working performance.
• Understand the values of diversity and the importance of equality.
• Commitment to service user participation and involvement.
• Access to appropriate motorised vehicular transport.

• Knowledge of mental health services.
• Knowledge of hospital administration systems.
• Ability to manage challenging situations.
• Ability to prioritise and plan work.
• Ability to promote service user involvement.
• A basic knowledge/understanding of the Mental Health Act.
• Use of SystmOne

KNOWLEDGE/ UNDERSTANDING

• Understands the need for confidentiality.
• Understands the need for liaison with service users and their families sensitively, warmly and with empathy.

• Knowledge of safeguarding policies and procedures relating to adults and children and young people.
• Knowledge of peer work theory and practice.

A & I