About this role
Job summary
Applicants require recent direct lived experience of the criminal justice system, including contact with prison and/or probation services.
The Peer Support Worker (PSW) will work as an integral member of the Reconnect service, supporting people before and after release from prison. Reconnect aims to improve continuity of care, reduce health and social inequalities and help people engage successfully with health, substance misuse and wider community services.
Using their own lived experience appropriately, the PSW will develop trusting and compassionate relationships with service users, providing practical and emotional support, promoting choice and helping individuals identify and work towards their personal goals. The role will support people through the transition from prison into the community, including engagement with appointments, services and other sources of support, helping to build confidence, independence and longer-term stability.
Main duties of the job
Develop trusting, compassionate and recovery-focused relationships with people supported by the Reconnect service before and after release from prison.
Use lived experience appropriately to help service users identify their own achievable and meaningful goals, build confidence and develop greater independence.
Share elements of personal lived experience in a safe and purposeful way to provide hope, challenge stigma and support motivation and engagement.
Act as a positive role model for service users and colleagues, demonstrating professional boundaries, empathy, respect and a trauma-informed approach.
Support service users to develop practical strategies for maintaining wellbeing, managing setbacks and increasing self-management, including contributing to crisis or relapse planning where appropriate.
Support people to access and remain engaged with health, substance misuse, housing, financial, employment and wider community services, including accompanying them to appointments where appropriate.
Work alongside Reconnect practitioners and partner agencies to contribute relevant information to support plans, reviews and multi-agency discussions.
Use role-specific training, supervision and personal experience to guide practice, maintain appropriate boundaries and reflect on the impact of the work.
Promote choice, participation and personal responsibility, helping service users to recognise their strengths and work towards greater stability in the community.
About us
Join 'Team Derbyshire Healthcare' and become part of a talented, compassionate and enthusiastic workforce committed to a vision of 'making a positive difference in people's lives'.
CQC rated us as 'GOOD' overall, commenting on how our colleagues "treated patients with compassion and kindness" and "felt positive and proud about working for the trust."
Benefits include
- Commitment to flexible working where this is possible
- 27 days annual leave/year plus bank holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years & 33 days after 10 years' service
- Yearly appraisal and commitment to ongoing training
- Generous NHS pension scheme
- Good maternity, paternity and adoption benefits
- Health service discounts and online benefits
- Incremental pay progression
- Free confidential employee assistance programme 24/7
- Access to our LGBT+ network, BAME Network and Christian Network
- Health and wellbeing opportunities
- Structured learning and development opportunities
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Work within multi disciplinary team and develop positive working relationships with service receivers and colleagues
- Communicate with team members and provide information to inform future care planning
- Provide relevant information to care plan co-ordinators as required and feedback information into CPA process to ensure recovery goals are integrated into future care planning
- To work with teams in the wider organisation to raise the profile of recovery and peer support.
Person Specification
Essential
- Contact with the Criminal Justice System
Desirable
- Peer mentor training
Essential
- Excellent communication skills
Desirable
- Mental health awareness
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 details
Employer name
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Address
St Andrews house
London Road
Derby
DE1 2SX
United Kingdom
Employer's website
http://www.derbyshirehealthcareft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)