Peer Support Worker - Norwich & South Norfolk

• 853.32 per annum (Recruitment and Retention Allowance)

• 19974.6 per annum (Basic Salary) plus
• 853.32 per annum (Recruitment and Retention Allowance)

Peer Support Worker – Bring Your Lived Experience to a Team That Values You

Do you have your own lived experience of mental health distress or of using mental health services? (We’re specifically looking for people with personal lived experience—this doesn’t include experiences gained only through caring for others.)

If you’re someone who can connect with others who are struggling…

If you can listen, empathise, and offer hope based on your own journey…

Then you might be exactly who we’re looking for.

As a Peer Support Worker at NIHCSS, lived experience isn’t just welcome—it’s essential. Your voice, your story, and your insight help shape the way we support people. Co‑production is at the heart of everything we do, and your perspective can directly influence how others feel heard, understood, and empowered in their recovery.

About the Role

We’re excited to welcome a new Peer Support Worker to our dedicated Intensive Team, supporting people across the community in Norwich.

In This Role, You Will

• Use your personal experiences of mental distress to build genuine, human connections
• Offer emotional and practical support to people going through difficult times
• Help others recognise their strengths, build confidence, and develop skills for wellness
• Provide one‑to‑one and group support, with guidance from a Peer Support Coordinator
• Work across the county—so a driver’s licence and access to a car are essential

Your lived experience is your strength. It’s what makes this work powerful.

What We Offer You

At NIHCSS, people come first—including you. We’ll make sure you feel:

• Respected, valued, and included as a unique contributor to the team
• Supported through ongoing training, development opportunities, and supervision
• Encouraged to share your ideas and help us shape services for the future
• Part of a community that truly understands the importance of lived experience

Your insight can change someone’s life. Your story can give someone hope. And we’d love you to bring that to our team.

Key Responsibilities

Functional Responsibilities

• Act as a navigator supporting individuals to engage in the service, identify what they need and how they would like to progress
• Develop specialist expertise to support individuals in areas such as:
• building hope and empowerment
• developing self-management techniques
• developing social connections
• problem-solving and navigating / accessing services including statutory services
• whilst drawing on your own lived experience where appropriate

Support individuals to increase their self-esteem, confidence and motivation and promote progress in their journey to recovery through one to ones and group work, drawing on own lived experience to help you do this

Support people to develop coping and self‑management techniques by facilitating group based peer support

Empower individuals to exercise choice and control, offering a person‑centred service led by the wishes of the individuals you are working with

Promote engagement within the community as a key factor in recovery and self management

Provide advice, guidance and support to individuals during drop‑in sessions, drawing on own lived experience where appropriate

Communicate effectively with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds and maintain positive and effective relationships with individuals, staff, the staff of other agencies and the local community

Be an expert navigator of local services and opportunities, helping to:

build and sustain relationships with agencies and professionals

promote the service

share peer support and recovery principles and the Psychologically Informed Environment approach

support individuals to access local services / opportunities as appropriate

Extend the range of community opportunities for people by supporting community resources to improve accessibility and using peer support and lived experience of mental health to break down mental health stigma

Support the maintenance of a database of community resources, used by staff and individuals to identify and access a range of opportunities to promote wellbeing and independence

Work within set targets and manage time effectively on own initiative and as part of a team

Promote service user leadership and the principles of peer support across the service

Contribute to the aims and continuous improvement of the service, including the commitment to delivering within a Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) framework

Share knowledge, skills and experience within the team, while observing confidentiality, and participate in team meetings and reflective practice groups

Make a positive contribution to and work constructively within the team, including developing your own abilities to enhance team performance

Work flexibly and remotely as part of a geographically‑spread team, including daily local travel within the service locality and, where appropriate, working within wider localities across Norfolk to support the demand and capacity requirements of the Norfolk‑wide Integrated Housing and Community Support Service

Ability and willingness to work flexibly and cover shifts in the mornings, afternoons, evenings and weekends

Work flexibly across the whole service pathway, including supported living and community based support

Promote leadership and the principles of peer support

Work in a way that ensures the service is delivered in compliance with relevant legislation, the service values, policies and practices and contractual requirements

Carry out any other reasonable duties within the scope of the role as required

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

Essential

• Personal lived experience of mental health and/or using services
• At least one year full‑time equivalent experience of working in mental health, paid or unpaid
• Commitment to the empowerment of individuals and a belief in user involvement and promoting people’s rights
• Commitment to equal opportunities and awareness of issues surrounding BME, LGBT and other minority groups
• Actively seeks opportunities for own development and to share skills / knowledge
• Commitment to delivering outcome and recovery focussed services within a Psychologically Informed Environment framework
• Passionate about and committed to the empowerment of people who are experiencing mental distress
• Ability to use own experiences of mental distress appropriately
• Ability to establish and develop empathetic relationships based on mutual respect and trust
• Ability to support individuals to increase their self‑esteem, confidence and motivation and promote progress in their journey to recovery. An understanding of the principles of recovery
• An understanding of a person‑centred approach and able to work with individuals in a user led, calm confident and sensitive manner
• Ability to share personal story of recovery as and when appropriate
• A real belief that people can recover and lead their own recovery with appropriate support
• Experience of supporting others one‑to‑one in a person‑centred, confidential and empathic manner
• Understanding of issues surrounding mental health and issues likely to affect those experiencing or recovering from periods of mental illness
• Ability to respond to individuals’ needs (including those in crisis) promptly, in a flexible, consistent and appropriate way
• Ability and experience of working in an outcome focused way
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to deal tactfully and sensitively with a range of people, including being assertive when necessary

Desirable

• Ability to assist people to develop recovery plans
• Knowledge and experience of supporting individuals to achieve goals relating to their mental and/or physical health
• Experience of organising and facilitating meetings and groups
• Experience of working within and supporting the development of a Psychologically Informed Environment

Job Benefits

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