Peer Supporter - £3K Incentive

NHS; England; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider is looking for a Peer Supporter to join their inpatient male acute ward. This role involves supporting service users with their recovery, leveraging the individual’s personal lived experiences. Candidates should have a strong background in mental health engagement and excellent interpersonal skills. An attraction incentive of £3,000 is offered, paid over two years.

Benefits

£3,000 attraction incentive

Qualifications

• Personal lived experience of secondary mental health services and own recovery journey.
• Experience of being in a supportive and enabling role.
• Experience of a person-centred approach.

Responsibilities

• Support service users by developing mutual peer relationships based on lived experience.
• Engage directly with service users on a one to one basis and in group settings.
• Assist in identifying aspects of life that provide meaning and purpose to service users.

Skills

Understanding of personal values and beliefs

Good interpersonal and team-working skills

Ability to share personal story of recovery in a professional manner

Confidence in own skills and ability to draw upon own resilience and strengths to sustain own wellbeing

Ability to assist people to develop recovery and wellness plans

Ability to facilitate groups

Ability to work in an enabling and creative way

Education

Good level of secondary education

Commitment to complete the CNTW Peer Supporter Educational Programme

Completion of Peer Support Specialist Training

Completion of Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) training

Job description

Go back Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

Peer Supporter - £3K Incentive

The closing date is 09 October 2025

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW) are recruiting for a Peer Supporter on Hadrian which is our 18 bedded inpatient male acute ward at the Carleton clinic.

The Peer Supporter role is a vital part of our plan to continually improve the services that we provide. This Vacancy is aimed at individuals with personal lived experience of overcoming their own challenges with mental health.

The principal role of the post will be to support service users and/or carers throughout their journey through our services, to establish greater control over their lives and decisions, and build resilience during their care and treatment.

These are unique opportunities to work as part of a Clinical Team, utilising your personal experience to inspire people through their own recovery path. The roles focus on creating trusting relationships whilst supporting service users (and/or carers) in their journey of recovery.

This vacancy includes an Attraction Incentive of £3000

This will be paid on the following basis:

• £1,500 on appointment to be included in the employee's first salary
• £750 on the first anniversary of appointment
• £750 on the second anniversary of appointment

*this will include a repayment clause if staff leave within 3 years (Appendix 1).

**Should this post be filled by a CNTW employee not currently working into inpatient services, the £3K Incentive payment may be applicable. This can be discussed in detail at interview.

Main duties of the job

The principal role of the post holder will be to support service users by developing mutual peer relationships based on their own lived experience.

A key feature of the post will be the person's unique lived experience of accessing secondary mental health services, their recovery and how the wisdom that comes with this can support others on their personal journey.

The majority of the post holder's time will be devoted to having direct contact with service users, mainly on a one to one basis but at times in group settings.

They will support service users to identify aspects of life that give meaning, hope, value and purpose whilst recognising that each individual's wellbeing is distinctive and deeply personal, conversations may include reference to their own recovery journey.

They will support staff to identify, understand and respect aspects of life that give meaning, hope, value and purpose to service users and / or carers, creating an awareness in staff of the key role that service user's experience may play in their identity and how it influences their wellbeing.

About us

We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.

Job responsibilities

Please find attached job description for full details.

We welcome your application.

Person Specification

Education and Qualification

• Good level of secondary education
• Commitment to complete the CNTW Peer Supporter Educational Programme
• Completion of Peer Support Specialist Training or other similar peer support training
• Completion of Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) training
• Completion of WRAP Educator training

Knowledge and Experience

• Personal lived experience of secondary mental health services and own recovery journey
• Experience of being in a supportive and enabling role
• Experience of a person-centred approach
• Experience of working in the mental health field
• Knowledge of trauma informed practice
• Knowledge of strengths based and person-led practice

Skills and Competencies

• Understanding of personal values and beliefs
• Good interpersonal and team-working skills
• Ability to share personal story of recovery in a professional manner
• Confidence in own skills and ability to draw upon own resilience and strengths to sustain own wellbeing
• Ability to assist people to develop recovery and wellness plans
• Ability to facilitate groups
• Ability to deliver aspects of a planned training event
• Ability and willingness to reflect on work practice and be open to constructive feedback
• Ability to work in an enabling and creative way
• Ability draw on own resilience while working with challenging situations
• Ability to plan and prioritise workload
• Ability to undertake breakaway skills
• Experience of WRAP or other recovery / person-centred planning tools
• Knowledge of how the mental health and other health and social care systems operate
• Understanding of issues affecting mental health and well-being

Role/Team specific requirements

• Commitment to putting recovery values and principles into practice
• Belief that people can and do recover and that people can live a meaningful life in the present or absence of difficulties
• Ability to seek support when needed
• The ability to effectively challenge practice and language use
• Ability to work as a bridge between service users / carers and clinical team

Personal Characteristics

• Enthusiasm towards and understanding of the specialist nature of the Peer Support role
• Motivation towards the promotion and development of the role
• Reliable and professional
• Non-judgemental, tolerant, compassionate and respectful

Additional Requirements

• Ability to meet the mobility requirements of the post

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

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust