Peer Support Worker

BERKSHIRE HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST; Reading; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 30,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

27 days' annual leave + buy/sell

Generous NHS pension scheme

Excellent learning and career dev

Cycle to Work scheme

Free parking

Job summary

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting for a Liaison and Diversion peer-support role, offering a development programme over 18 months. The post supports service users through the Criminal Justice System and across Berkshire.

The role can be part-time (minimum 22.5 hrs/week) or full-time (up to 37.5 hrs/week), with flexible working to meet service needs. The successful candidate will use lived experience to inspire and assist service users in navigating health and social care

Qualifications

• Must have lived experience of the Criminal Justice System.
• Must be stable in recovery from addiction or mental health challenges.
• Must be eligible to work in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-to-one practical and emotional support to clients.
• Act as a positive role model to empower service users in their recovery.
• Encourage engagement with services to improve health and wellbeing.
• Work flexibly to meet service needs.

Skills

Lived experience of CJS

Listening skills

Effective communication

Empathy & support

Job description

Have you ever been arrested, appeared in court on a criminal charge and/or been to prison? Have you ever struggled with your mental health and/or have overcome difficulties with substance or alcohol use? Could you use your experiences to support others? Could you show the people we support in court, custody, and prison that change is possible? If so, this is an exciting opportunity to join our award-winning Liaison and Diversion team and further develop your skills, experience and career. Our tailored 18-month development programme will grow your skills and confidence and give you access to a range of accredited training to support your future career in healthcare. Many of our former peer support workers are now permanent members of our team and we have supported others into employment or further training. We operate across the Thames Valley, but this post is predominately based in Berkshire, working for Berkshire Healthcare NHS Trust. You will be expected to provide one-to-one practical and emotional support to our clients and encourage them to access services which improve their health and wellbeing. If you are stable in your recovery journey and can show us how you achieved this this could be an opportunity to start a new career in care. The role can be part-time or full-time, part-time will be a minimum of 22.5 hrs/3days per week, and up to full time 37.5hrs per week. The post holder will be required to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service.

• By using your own experience of going through the Criminal Justice System, treatment and recovery you will be supporting service users with vulnerabilities going through the Criminal Justice System
• You will be a positive role model helping to understand, inspire, motivate, guide and support our service users to engage with services and work on their recovery. You will evidence and show visible recovery; showing that change is possible.
• You will offer emotional and practical support to our service-users by using your own lived experience of the criminal justice system and the challenges and fears this can create which will enable them to achieve a positive future
• Must have lived experience of the criminal justice system
• Must have direct lived experience and being stable in recovery from an addiction, mental ill health or other vulnerabilities
• Must have an awareness of modelling appropriate behaviours, having the capacity to cope when unsupervised; setting clear boundaries and seeking support and guidance to support and protect own recovery, health and wellbeing
• Must have good listening skills and effective communication skills; to be able to engage appropriately with service users, carers, and colleagues, and partnership agencies. Please note: This role is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship under current UK immigration rules. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK. Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites