Band 4 Peer Support Worker (Complex Emotional Needs) - Bristol

Job overview

We have a part time vacancy for a Peer Support Worker (PSW) within the Complex Emotional Needs Service (CEN). This role is for people who have personal lived experience of mental health challenges that have been understood or diagnosed as a 'personality disorder' and of accessing secondary mental health services.

Through sharing wisdom and insight from their own experiences, PSWs will effectively and positively use their own lived experience to inspire hope and belief that recovery is possible in others.

Within a relationship of reciprocity and mutuality, the PSW will journey with service users to promote choice, self-determination and opportunities for the fulfilment of individually identified goals. The PSW will work with people towards gaining greater independence and self-agency in managing their own health and wellbeing and will help them to build a sense of belonging within their communities.

This post is suitable for someone who is empathetic, compassionate and patient with a calm and professional response to distress, disturbance and unpredictability.

The post holder will be based at the Speedwell Centr e, Central & East Bristol .

This role requires the post holder to work on Tuesdays.

Main duties of the job

As an integral and valued member of the multidisciplinary community team, PSWs will be responsible for the delivery of peer support including but not limited to 1:1 peer work, co-delivering therapeutic groups, co-delivering training and attending supervision groups to embed the lived experience perspective within the team.

The post holder will contribute to the ongoing assessment, planning delivery and review of activities and interventions against identified health, social and well being needs, for an allocated group of service users.

The post holder will also be actively participating in service user and carers involvement work, such as gathering feedback as well as feeding back, encouraging service user involvement and leading on co-creating within service developments.

See attached job description for more details.

Right to Work in the UK

This position is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already hold the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application, as the organisation is unable to support sponsorship for this post.

Working for our organisation

We are the lead provider of healthcare for people with serious mental illness, learning disabilities and autism across Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Swindon and Wiltshire, and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

We aim to provide High Quality, Compassionate Care everywhere, every day. This means our services will be safe, clinically effective and provide a positive all round experience for our patients, families and carers. And we believe passionately in treating everyone with kindness, respect and empathy.

Key to this is providing a supportive and safe environment for our 4,000 staff where we all feel welcome and able to do the best we can for those we support. Our staff and teams work incredibly hard delivering services across more than 90 locations, covering 2,200 miles, to more than 1.8 million people.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To undertake the role of peer support worker for an allocated caseload of service users organising and participating in the ongoing assessment, planning, delivering and review of care to meet identified physical and mental health social and well being needs. This will include:

• Explaining the role of peer support worker.
• Organising and participating in defined assessment methods/activities.
• Contributing to Personal Wellbeing plans, identifying and organising other resources as appropriate.
• Completing relevant paper and electronic documentation in line with the peer support worker role.

Developing, planning and undertaking defined interventions to enable the individual to meet and develop their ongoing daily living skills, to increase confidence and independence in line with agreed personal recovery plans. This might include:

• Preparing for and delivering defined self-help groups.
• Therapeutic activities to improve and individuals coping skills e.g. mindfulness and relaxation.
• Co-facilitating therapeutic group work.

Planning and undertaking activities to enable the individual to meet and develop their daily living skills, to increase confidence and independence in line with agreed personal recovery plans. This might include helping individuals to:

• Complete forms or letter e.g. housing benefits.
• Contact employment advisors or education facilities.

Or it might include providing any of the following:

• Emotional support to individual focusing on motivation and encouragement.
• Information and advice to maintain good physical health.
• Information on rights under the mental health act.

Effectively build hope, inspiring relationships which acknowledge the personal journey of each person, and focus on strengths and aspirations to allow the creation of meaningful personal recovery plan

Communicate effectively with a wide range of people in order to build and sustain effective, and positive relationships with individuals, and carers, team members and other agencies. This may include accessing translation and interpreting services.

To work collaboratively with service users and their carers to understand and manage their mental health needs in line with their personal recovery plan and relapse prevention strategies.

To work within the AWP peer support practice values model and AWP PSWLXP Code of conduct.

To undertake specific activities and interventions in the support of carers including engagement and involvement, assessment and provision of support or services.

Participate in the development of risk assessments and crisis management plans, rapid access plans, within the appropriate framework, ensuring that when trigger points are reached, these are reported appropriately to a registered practitioner, and that immediate or direct action is taken in line with these, or in the event of a crisis.

Respond to the needs of individual with sensitivity with regard to their age, culture, race, gender, ethnicity, social class or disability, modifying behaviour to optimise the helping relationship.

Promote the rights of individual by recognising differences and acting in accordance with the relevant legislation, recognising and reporting discriminatory behaviour, and taking appropriate action.

Work collaboratively and sensitively with individuals, to develop skills to manage their own health, in accordance with their personal recovery plan, by actively promoting and using approaches which are affirming, build on strengths, identify past positive experience and success, and use small steps to move towards the persons goal.

Promoting independence and increasing confidence by providing appropriate self‑help materials, information about available resources/services, facilitating identified group work and educational workshops and peer support groups.

To be responsible for maintaining own caseload on a day to day basis, ensuring that time is prioritised effectively.

Contribute to the protection of individuals from abuse and harm in line with local safeguarding policies and procedures, by recognising and reporting any signs that may indicate an individual is at risk of neglecting or harming themselves, or at risk from others, and by participating in processes with other agencies to keep the individual safe.

Develop own knowledge and practice, and contribute to the development of others, making use of available feedback, supervision and appraisal to identify appropriate areas of development for this work role, taking responsibility for accessing identified learning and training opportunities.

Monitor and maintain health, safety and security of self and others, taking appropriate action where required.

Maintain accurate, confidential records of patient activity, writing reports and letters, utilising electronic record and other systems available within the organisation.

Report and record within agreed timeframes, all activity relating to information reporting and performance requirements.

To participate in local arrangements in order to ensure consistent care to service users across the local geography.

See attached job description for more details.

Person specification

Education and Qualification

Essential criteria

• Evidence of continuing professional and personal development
• Health Education England Peer Support Worker training - willingness to undertake
• NVQ Level 3 completed in Health and Social Care, or able to demonstrate an equivalent and relevant level of knowledge and experience
• Any relevant training/qualifications completed in, and relevant to working in a mental health setting

Desirable criteria

• NHS Care Certificate
• Trained in an allied field such as counselling, mediation or advocacy

Experience and knowlege

Essential criteria

• Understanding of the impact of stigma and discrimination
• Lived experience of a diagnosis of and ongoing recovery from a personality disorder (complex emotional needs) and of being supported by mental health services, giving a deep and emphatic understanding of the condition.
• To have experience of recovering a meaningful life
• Relevant experience of working in any health, social care, or any related voluntary organisation setting.
• Able to demonstrate some awareness of theories underpinning health care
• Able to articulate a clear knowledge of policy and legislative frameworks within which mental health services are delivered including a persons rights under the MHA, CPA Mental Capacity Act
• Demonstrates a good understanding of recovery principles and the role of secondary and specialised mental health services in the delivery of care
• The ability to form and sustain a working relationship with service users and carers, demonstrating an understanding of when a different approach might be needed
• Demonstrate an ability to deliver a range of specific therapeutic interventions with agreed outcomes within a prescribed framework
• Is able to describe how supervision supports safe working practices
• Demonstrates ability to use initiative appropriately, making decisions within the guidelines set
• Able to demonstrate a general understanding of mental health issues with a positive, non-judgemental approach towards people requiring mental health services and an understanding of the principles of recovery
• Able to demonstrate a broad understanding of the concept of confidentiality
• Willingness to take part in activities which support team working
• Able to demonstrate an appreciation of equal opportunities/diversity issues
• Ability to share personal stories of recovery in a positive and safe way
• Ability to assist people to develop recovery plans
• Ability and willingness to reflect on work practice and be open to constructive feedback
• Ability to work in an enabling and creative way
• Willingness to support people with a range of needs to meet their recovery goals
• Understanding and practical knowledge of recovery
• Understanding of the issues and concerns of mental health service users
• Knowledge and commitment to service users rights

Desirable criteria

• Experience/knowledge of service user involvement
• Experience of secondary mental health services, as a user, carer, volunteer or worker
• Experience of teaching/training individuals or groups
• Experience of working in a customer care environment, e.g. an Advice Centre, telephone Helpline or Advocacy Service

Skills and abilities

Essential criteria

• Able to travel freely and flexibly across the local area in order to work effectively with service users
• Demonstrate well-developed listening skills and effective verbal communication skills, such as being able to engage appropriately with service users, carers, colleagues, statutory and voluntary agencies, both face to face and by telephone
• Demonstrate well developed written communication skills, with the ability to produce letters, written reports, maintain accurate records and record required statistical information
• Demonstrates a willingness to embrace new technology and processes
• Well developed IT skills including competent use of Microsoft Office, and the use of electronic record keeping systems
• Excellent written, verbal and non-verbal communication skills
• To communicate effectively with a range of service users, carers, professionals and agencies
• Receiving highly complex and sensitive information
• Ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships with all members of the multidisciplinary teams
• Willingness to use the Trust IT systems
• Professional in appearance and behaviour
• Able to manage conflict and to help others to do so
• Good team‑working skills
• High level of self‑awareness - ability to critically appraise own performance
• Demonstrate an ability and awareness to maintain personal boundaries
• Problem solving skills
• Able to organise and plan own work activities
• To take leadership and direction from registered staff
• Ability to manage stress and to plan and prioritise workload
• Ability to carry out practical tasks
• Ability to maintain a healthy home/work life balance
• Flexible and adaptable to change

Desirable criteria

• Empathy for individuals who have experienced mental health problems and ability to cope with behaviour which may be challenging at times

We are proud to be fostering a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. A key commitment to this is improving staff representation from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, those from the LGBTQ+ communities, people with 'lived-experience' of mental health conditions and people living with disabilities,- we are a 'Disability Confident Employer' offering a guaranteed interview to Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. This includes people with a variety of disabilities and neurodivergent conditions (for example autism, ADHD, sensory, physical and learning disabilities).

We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service users.

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