About this role
Job summary
We are looking to recruit a peer support worker to join our Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment team (CRHT) in Hastings. We are a supportive, well-resourced and staffed team located on the conquest hospital site, within Woodlands centre for acute care.
As a Peer Support Specialist you will be using your lived experience of mental health to work alongside individuals to understand their experiences and to maximise their strengths, resources and skills. You will link with resources in the third sector and community.
The job is for 15 hours per week, hours will include weekends.
This vacancy is only open to applicants who have lived experience of mental health conditions, i.e. you have a mental health diagnosis of your own which enables you to work with service users differently and foster a sense of "I've been there" connection, with unique experiences and insights.
Main duties of the job
The CRHT is a dedicated team, covering the east side of East Sussex, for people in mental health crisis and requiring treatment at home. The primary aim of the CRHT is to manage these crisis events at home, avoiding admissions to mental health inpatient wards as far as possible. The patients you will work with will require an intensive level of support to ensure their recovery; some have a history of difficulty forming relationships with mental health services/professionals and may have had multiple previous admissions to hospital. You will work in partnership with a diverse team of clinicians and support staff including Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Nurses and our third sector partners.
You will be working under the guidance of a qualified professional in the team andthere will mentoring and support available from more experienced peer workers within the Trust. Full training and induction will be provided as well as supervision.
About us
We are a committed team of individuals, like-minded in our devotion to the mental health of our service community.
We are a large NHS Mental Health Trust in South East England. We're looking for people to help us provide high quality services for patients, carers and local communities we serve.
We want patients and staff to recommend our organisation as a place where they would be happy for their friends and family to be treated. You can help us do this by bringing your skills, experience and commitment to Sussex Partnership.
Sussex Partnership NHS FT is committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. Our workforce is currently under-represented from Black and Minority, Ethnic and disabled communities and we would welcome applications from these communities.
Job description Job responsibilities
To support individuals and groups using a Peer approach
To be a positive role model for other people overcoming mental health challenges, other workers and members of the public
To use parts of your recovery story to inspire hope in others where appropriate
To use appropriate skills in engaging with individuals with mental health challenges, eg asking open-ended questions, validating strengths and experiences and using empowering language to overcome negative self-talk
To support and enable individuals with mental health challenges to resolve conflicts and regain control, responsibility, hope and enjoyment based on the principles of peer supported recovery such as sharing your personal recovery story
To assist the Care Co-ordinator to assess, plan, implement and evaluate care plans under the CPA, which may or may not overlap with the self-managed care plan developed by the individual
To co-deliver educational training to service users and staff as part of the recovery college
To support service users in identifying both strengths and early signs of relapse. To support service users in identifying possible triggers or causes of relapse
To provide support to individuals in gaining choice, developing and managing meaning and purpose of life and independence, and maintaining dignity and self respect
To support individuals in meeting holistic needs (education, welfare, employment, financial, leisure, housing, spiritual, etc) in partnership with other individuals, care team and agencies and within a recovery environment
To promote and make service users aware of personal strengths and social networks, and highlight their ability to engage with these
To engage actively in peer and professional supervision and apply the learning to working with clients of the service
To ensure all service users are aware of community activities which may be of benefit to them and how these can be accessed
To undertake any other such duties as may reasonably fall within the remit of the post, as required by the Manager/Supervisor
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS Essential
Health care or relevant NVQ Level 3 or equivalent skills acquired through experience or formal teaching qualification A recognised Peer Support qualification Evidence of a commitment to lifelong learning
KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE Essential
Significant experience of working with people with mental health needs in a paid or voluntary capacity in health/social care/teaching setting Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties Experience of working with groups/activities Experience of supervising others Lived experience of mental health issues/difficulties Managing personal mental health and recovery Comprehensive knowledge of Peer Support, Recovery and Wellbeing in mental health and ability to apply this throughout your work Experience of working as part of a team
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 Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address Woodlands centre for acute care
729 The Ridge
Hastings
TN37 7PT
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)