Criminal Justice Peer Support Worker

Turning Point; Bristol; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A community support organization in Bristol is seeking a Criminal Justice Peer Support Worker to join their team. The role focuses on helping individuals navigate their recovery journey by leveraging lived experiences. Responsibilities include delivering therapeutic interventions, guiding recovery goals, and fostering supportive relationships. Ideal candidates should have an understanding of substance use challenges and be flexible in their approach. A detailed benefits package and salary progression are included.

Benefits

Starting salary of £23,808, rising to £25,550

25 days' paid holiday plus Bank Holidays

Comprehensive benefits package

Qualifications

• Understanding of challenges for individuals on a recovery journey.
• Ability to work dynamically with individuals and groups.
• Knowledge of relapse barriers will be useful.

Responsibilities

• Deliver therapeutic interventions and build supportive relationships.
• Guide individuals in identifying and acknowledging their recovery goals.
• Support individuals to overcome fears with empathy and trust.

Skills

Understanding of substance and alcohol use

Excellent communication skills

Flexibility and ability to work in various settings

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Criminal Justice Peer Support Worker to join Horizons, a vibrant new partnership delivering substance use treatment and recovery services in Bristol. Horizons is delivered in partnership between Turning Point, Bristol Drugs Project, and seven other local and national partners.

The role of a Peer Support Worker will be based in our central Bristol hub and has been developed specifically for people who have lived experience of the criminal justice system and substance use. Through sharing examples of their own experiences, Peer Support Workers will inspire hope and belief in individuals to encourage them to engage with Bristol Horizons drug and alcohol service.

Responsibilities:

• To deliver therapeutic interventions and have supportive and respectful relationships with people using our services.
• To support and guide people who use our services to identify and acknowledge their own recovery goals
• To support people who use our services to overcome their fears within a relationship of empathy and Trust
• 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 sign-post people who use our services to various resources, opportunities and activities within communities and promote choice and informed decision making
• To raise awareness of recovery language amongst Bristol Horizons staff by modelling positive, strengths based, non-discriminatory, non-jargon, non-medicalised language in all areas of work
• To support the team in promoting a recovery orientated environment by identifying recovery focused activities and disseminating information and educating people who use our services as and when required.
• Be actively involved in the continued development of the PSW training programme and in the on-going evaluation of the PSW role
• To act as an ambassador for Bristol Horizons with external agencies and partner organisations
• To undertake any other duties which may reasonably be regarded as within the nature of the duties and responsibilities/grade of the post as defined, subject to the proviso that normally any changes of a permanent nature shall be incorporated into the job description in specific terms.
• To continuously review own performance and development needs to assist growth and development

Requirements:

You'll have an understanding of substance and alcohol use and the challenges and opportunities for individuals on a recovery journey. However, we also recognise that many people have transferrable skills from other backgrounds such as mental health, housing or other health and social care provision. The roles are varied, so flexibility, an ability to work dynamically on a one to one and group basis and knowledge of relapse and other barriers to recovery will be useful but we can help to shape these skills where needed. We also look for candidates with excellent communication skills and who share our values as an organisation.

What We Offer:

• Starting salary of £23,808 rising each year in line with our pay progression salary bands, rising to £25,550 per year.
• 25 days' paid holiday a year + Bank Holidays, increasing with each year of service up to 27 days + Bank Holidays. Plus the option to buy additional holidays and spread the cost.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including opportunities to boost your career.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closing date.