Peer Support Worker

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board; Rawtenstall; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board seeks Mental Health Peer Support Workers to provide support, companionship and encouragement to people experiencing mental health difficulties. MH PSWs draw on their own lived experiences to help service users direct their recovery with teams and, where possible, carers.

You will help individuals identify strengths and goals, access activities, maintain relationships, and receive community-based support with continuity of contact when inpatient.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 3/Diploma in Health & Social Care. Knowledge of working with individuals with complex mental health issues including co-morbidities such as substance use.
• Understanding of how community networks and peer support can benefit recovery
• Understanding safeguarding for children and adults
• Experience of working with a wide range of diverse client base and professionals from other services

Responsibilities

• Support service users to direct their own recovery process through encouraging collaboration with teams and carers where possible.
• Help service users identify strengths, personal interests and goals, and access activities meeting these while respecting beliefs and identity.
• Support service users to maintain and develop positive relationships and learn how to improve or exit unhealthy ones.
• Provide support to service users in the community and maintain continuity of contact if they are inpatient, as appropriate.

Skills

Lived experience

Empathy & communication

Safeguarding knowledge

Community networks awareness

Education

NVQ Level 3/Diploma in Health & Social Care

Job description

Mental Health Peer Support Workers (MH PSWs) give support, companionship andencouragement to people experiencing mental health difficulties. A quality that makesthem stand out from other staff is that MH PSWs draw directly on their own lived experiences of mental health difficulties or caring for someone else who is experiencing such difficulties. MH PSW roles are based on direct lived experience of mental health difficulties, or experience as a carer for someone with mental health difficulties, o To support service users to direct their own recovery process through encouraging them to work collaboratively with teams, and where possible, carers, to identify their own goals and needs.o To assist service users to identify their strengths, personal interests and goals, and support them to access and participate in activities which meet these, whilst demonstrating acceptance of and respect towards service users' personal beliefs, uniqueness and identity.o To support service users to maintain and/or develop positive relationships with others and learn how to improve or eliminate unhealthy relationships.o To provide support to service users in the community and maintain continuity of contact if they are an inpatient, as appropriate to the roleo To model / mentor a recovery process and demonstrate coping skills, using own experience.

• NVQ Level 3/Diploma in Health & Social Care, Knowledge of working with individuals with complex mental health issues including co - mobilities such as substance use.
• Understanding of how community networks and peer support can benefit recovery
• Understanding of safeguarding both children and adults.
• Understanding and knowledge of recovery assets in the community., Experience of working with a wide ranging and diverse client base, along with various professionals from other services
  LSCFT values diversity and inclusion, recognising that talent from varied backgrounds creates a flexible, creative, and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from all, regardless of age, disability (including those with experience of accessing or caring for someone who has accessed mental health or learning disability services), ethnicity, gender, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.

Our aim is to reflect the communities we serve, so we particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups. If you'd like to discuss your application, please ask. We also welcome individuals with lived experience relevant to the role or service area, as your insight brings authenticity to our services. LSCFT support flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as term time, part time, compressed hours and flexi-time. The wellbeing of our people is at the heart of everything we do. We offer a wide range of resources, tools and support to help you thrive both in and out of work. Explore our full wellbeing offer here: Keeping our workforce well