About this role
Job summary
Are you passionate about using your lived experience to make a real difference in people's lives?
We are looking for a Dual Diagnosis Peer Navigator to join our Enfield Dual Diagnosis Network, supporting individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use needs, particularly those experiencing homelessness, rough sleeping or social exclusion.
You will play a key role in bridging mental health, substance misuse and community services, helping individuals navigate systems and stay engaged, especially during key transitions such as discharge from inpatient care.
The role includes providing practical, person-centred support, building trusting relationships, and working with a range of professionals and partner organisations. You will also contribute to work at Penrose Care Home, supporting engagement, co-facilitating groups and helping develop approaches to improve motivation and participation.
You will:
Use lived experience to support and inspire recovery Help individuals access services across health, housing and community support Support safe transitions and reduce gaps between services Contribute to group work, workshops and co-produced activities We are looking for someone who is compassionate, resilient, and able to engage people with complex needs, with strong communication skills and a commitment to recovery-focused, person-centred care.
Main duties of the job
As a Dual Diagnosis Peer Navigator, you will use your lived experience to support individuals with mental health and substance use needs to engage with services and progress in their recovery.You will build trusting, recovery-focused relationships and provide practical and emotional support, including accompanying individuals to appointments and helping them access services. You will support people during key transitions, particularly when leaving inpatient care, to ensure continuity and reduce risk of relapse or crisis.The role involves helping individuals navigate mental health, substance misuse, housing, sexual health and community services, with a focus on those who may be disengaged, including people experiencing homelessness, rough sleeping or social exclusion. You will work closely with professionals and partner organisations to support coordinated care.You will contribute to work within settings such as Penrose Care Home, supporting engagement, co-facilitating groups and workshops, and helping to develop approaches that improve participation and motivation.You will maintain accurate records and work in line with Trust policies, safeguarding and confidentiality requirements.What we're looking for: lived experience of recovery, strong communication skills, a compassionate and non-judgemental approach, and the ability to engage individuals with complex needs as part of a team.
About us
North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) is committed to improving mental health care across North London to deliver excellent services to our local people.
Our Five-Year Strategy:
We will provide consistently high-quality care closer to home. With our partners in North London and each borough we will ensure equity of outcome for all We will offer great places to work, providing staff with supportive environment to deliver outstanding care.
Why NLFT?
We develop and retain our staff through leadership behaviours and managers programme and many more opportunities. We promote flexible working and support staff with a range of health and wellbeing initiatives. NHS Discounts, generous annual leave and NHS pension scheme Excellent internal staff network
In order to meet the needs of the Trust you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that fall under Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey or Islington. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.
Job description Job responsibilities
Use your lived experience to build trusting, recovery-focused relationships and support service user engagement Provide practical and emotional support, including accompanying individuals to appointments and helping them access services Support individuals at key transition points, particularly pre- and post-discharge from inpatient services Help service users navigate mental health, substance misuse, housing, sexual health and community services Work proactively with individuals who may be disengaged from services, including those experiencing homelessness, rough sleeping or social exclusion Contribute to improving continuity of care and reducing gaps between services Support activity within partner settings such as Penrose Care Home, including engagement, group work and structured support approaches Co-produce and co-facilitate groups, workshops and recovery-focused activities Work in a trauma-informed, person-centred way, promoting recovery, independence and inclusion Maintain accurate records and carry out duties in line with Trust policies, safeguarding and confidentiality requirement
This is not an exhaustive list, please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information on the role requirements and duties.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Good standard of education (GCSE or equivalent). Effective communication skills in English Commitment to ongoing learning and mandatory training. Lived experience of substance use and/or mental health recovery.
Desirable
Relevant qualification (e.g. NVQ Level 3 or Health & Social Care). Willingness to undertake further role-related training. Willingness to develop knowledge of inclusion health (e.g. homelessness, rough sleeping, sexual health, sex worker pathways).
Experience Essential
Experience of peer support or supporting vulnerable individuals. Understanding of recovery approaches and harm reduction. Awareness of mental health and substance misuse needs. Understanding of service user involvement and empowerment. Awareness of safeguarding, stigma and social exclusion. Understanding of the needs of individuals with complex or multiple disadvantage.
Desirable
Experience in mental health, substance misuse or public sector services. Knowledge of local services and community resources. Understanding of safeguarding frameworks and Trust procedures. Awareness of inclusion health and barriers faced by people experiencing homelessness or rough sleeping. Awareness of risks associated with sexual health and sex worker pathways. Understanding of trauma-informed approaches and multi-agency working.
Skills Essential
Ability to use lived experience appropriately to support others. Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to build relationships and engage individuals, including those who may be hard to reach. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Ability to support access to services and work across agencies. Basic IT and record-keeping skills. Ability to maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries. Ability to manage workload and respond to changing priorities.
Desirable
Ability to engage individuals experiencing homelessness or rough sleeping. Ability to work with sexual health, housing, safeguarding and third-sector services. Ability to recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns. Understanding of trauma-informed approaches in practice.
personal qualities Essential
Compassionate, empathetic and non-judgemental approach. Resilient and able to work in emotionally demanding environments. Ability to maintain professional boundaries. Commitment to recovery, inclusion and person-centred care. Respectful of individuals experiencing homelessness, rough sleeping or involvement in sex work. Honest, reflective and self-aware. Ability to adapt to change and work flexibly.
Desirable
Demonstrates adaptability and openness to learning
other requirements Essential
Willingness to travel across community and Trust sites. Ability to accompany service users to appointments. Willingness to work in a range of settings (including community, hostels and outreach environments). Willingness to undertake lone working in line with policies. Flexible approach to working hours in line with service need.
Desirable
Driving licence and access to a vehicle.
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name North London NHS Foundation Trust
Address Chase Farm hospital, Park Lane, Lucas house, Silver Street
Chase Farm Hospital, 127 The Ridgeway Enfield EN2 8JL
Enfield
EN2 8JL
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.northlondonmentalhealth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)