Peer Support Worker

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust; Wakefield; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional NHS Foundation Trust in Wakefield is looking for a Peer Support Worker to facilitate workshops and support children and young people in enhancing their confidence and co-design program experiences. The role includes providing feedback, leveraging personal lived experience in mental health, and engaging with diverse groups. Applicants should have strong communication and organizational skills, along with a willingness to work flexible hours. This position empowers service users, allowing them to actively contribute to improving mental health services, making them more relevant and accessible.

Qualifications

• Lived experience of mental health services is essential.
• Must be willing to work outside normal office hours.
• Experience in a supportive and enabling role.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate workshops with children and young people.
• Provide peer support and assist in recovery-focused programs.
• Liaise with service users, carers, and other professionals.

Skills

Good organisational and time management skills

Communication skills (both oral and written)

Ability to support and facilitate groups

Ability to write reports and keep records

Knowledge of health issues

Education

GCSE A-D or grade 3-9 in Maths and English or equivalent

Apprenticeship level 3 or equivalent

Mental Health Awareness Training

Job description

Go back South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust

Peer Support Worker - Bank Band 3

The closing date is 28 January 2026

We have been awarded funding from NHS charities Together Innovation Challenge Round2 for an exciting new 18 month creative programme to ensure that children and young people on the CAMHS waiting list in Wakefield District are waiting well, with access to creative health sessions, activities and resources so that they may develop their understanding of how creative health can be a powerful tool to support communication, recovery, wellbeing and resilience.

The Peer Support Worker will work with a team of children and young people, on an ad-hoc basis, who have previously accessed CAMHS services to ensure the programme, content and activities are relevant and accessible to them, including new digital content for the Create and Bloom, Creative Health app.

We would love to hear from people who are creative and have a passion for codesign and working with children and people (aged 13-16) to shape and develop projects. You will be experienced in working with a group of children and young people with varying needs to empower them to share their lived experience and build confidence to effectively engage in co-design activities.

You will be responsible for providing feedback to the wider project team, including VCSE, NHS and other staff, to ensure the voice of children and young people truly is at the heart of the project.

Main duties of the job

The successful, creative applicant will enjoy a varied and flexible role. We are looking for a candidate who can bring their own lived experience and innovation to facilitate and support a service user led project, bringing the voice of experience to the planning, design, delivery and developments.

You will be responsible for the safe facilitation of workshops with children and young people in the Wakefield District area.

You will be experienced working with children and young people, facilitating creative codesign workshops so that children and young people feel empowered to share their views on how we can improve services and make them more engaging, relevant and accessible.

You will have a good knowledge of the barriers children and young people face, be empathetic, caring and know how to raise children and young people's confidence so they can engage effectively.

You will be required to work outside of normal office hours as workshops will take place after school and evenings to ensure they are accessible to children and young people but will be supported by the wider project team.

You must be willing to travel to various locations within the Wakefield District based on the young people's access needs. Locations will be dependent on the needs of the group.

About us

We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health and learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the west Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.

Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do this by providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employ staff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups; we value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.

Being a foundation Trust means we are accountable to our members, who can have a say in how we are run. Around 14,300 local people (including staff) are members of our Trust.

Join us and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improving the mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet and help each year.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.

We do reserve the right to close vacancy before the advertised closing date if necessary, so please apply as soon as possible.

Job responsibilities

SERVICE PROVISION

To provide rehabilitation and recovery‑based services that enable people to define, build and live a meaningful, independent and satisfying life.

The role of the Peer Support Worker is to deliver specific components of prescribed care packages under the direct supervision of Care Coordinators and Clinical Leads. The post holder will provide formalised support and assistance to service users in order for them to take control over their own lives and engage actively in their unique recovery process.

We welcome applications from people with lived experience of mental health difficulties, and the service encourages the use of the wisdom and skills gained through personal lived experience, to inspire hope in others and the belief that recovery is possible for all. Within a relationship of mutuality, the peer support model can facilitate and support information sharing to promote choice, self‑determination and opportunities for the fulfilment of socially valued roles with connection to local communities.

The post holder will be part of a clinical team and will work into the inpatient units and also within the community with service users that are within a mental health and require support. The post requires effective liaison with service users, carers, and other professionals and agencies as required. It will involve the provision of direct psychological based care, offering therapeutic time to a defined client group or on a case‑by‑case basis working at all times within the principles of recovery.

You will be supporting individuals with complex social and mental health histories; we will therefore provide a framework of supervision and wellbeing initiatives to enable you to support your own wellbeing and manage the boundaries of the role.

The service provision is from Monday to Sunday between the hours of 8am and 8pm with flexibility depending on and responding to the needs of the service users.

Person Specification

Special Knowledge Skills

• Good organisational and time management skills.
• Communication skills (both oral and written)
• Ability to support and facilitate groups.
• Ability to write reports and keep records.
• Understanding of the impact of stigma and discrimination
• Knowledge and understanding of health issues and the impact of poor health can have on the individual
• Knowledge of the philosophy and principles of co‑production and service user and carer led recovery initiatives.
• Skills in supporting volunteers in Creative projects, in a community and/or other settings.
• Ability to liaise and negotiate with a wide range of people internal and external to the organisation.
• Awareness/understanding of Caldicott & Information Confidentiality/security issues
• Ability to use initiative to deliver what is required

Qualifications

• GCSE A‑D or grade 3‑9 in Maths and English or equivalent
• Apprenticeship level 3 or equivalent eg, RQF (regulated Qualification Framework) level 3 in Peer Support/Working or be willing to work towards this. (preferably accredited).
• Or, level 2 qualification with the ability to demonstrate competencies at level 3
• Care Certificate or required to achieve within 12 weeks of commencement
• Willingness to undertake further training in line with the development of peer support.
• QCF Diploma in Health & Social Care Level 3 or equivalent or equivalent level of experience
• Mental Health Awareness Training, Mental Health First Aid Training.
• Completion of own Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) or whole life plan

Physical Attributes

• The successful candidate will be supported to maintain a satisfactory sickness record by the Team Manager or Senior Peer support worker through the use of flexible working and substantial supervision.

Experience

• Lived experience of mental health services (secondary preferred) and able to reflect on their personal experience of recovery that has followed this
• Wide range of life experiences to bring an enabling and positive view of opportunities for others.
• Computer/keyboard skills using MS software
• Experience of being in a supportive and enabling role
• Experience of working in a team or a group environment
• To be willing and able to share one's own personal recovery in order to help others through lived experience
• Evidence of promoting/supporting active user/carer involvement/participation
• A positive approach to recovery
• Ability and willingness to disclose personal experience of recovery in order to influence others positively
• Experience of supporting the development of services.
• Experience of partnership working and networking
• Experience of facilitating groups and/or chairing meetings
• Experience of working in the public sector
• Customer Care
• Information management experience including: Data input, collection & collation, Setting up spreadsheets or files

Personal Attributes

• A current driving licence and access to a car during the working day is essential, dependant on the service you will be working in. (reasonable adjustments will be considered for any applicants who are unable to drive due to a disability)
• Ability to work with people in a supportive and empowering way.
• Able to demonstrate effective communication skills verbal, non‑verbal and written
• Work within the culture of improving working lives and working time directive
• Ability to demonstrate ethical values and attitudes within a culture of equality and diversity
• Good organisational skills
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Self motivated and enthusiastic.
• Ability to prioritise and manage own work. Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to work independently while making sure to refer to a manager for guidance.
• Will be committed to the Trusts mission and values.
• Recovery/strengths focused
• Emotional Maturity/ range of life experience
• Flexibility and adaptable
• Sense of humour
• Energy/drive, enthusiasm and tenacity
• Patient, Non-judgmental, Respectful and Compassionate
• Quick learner
• Team player

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust