Job description
Peer Support Worker – Calm Café Role for Young Adults
Employer: Telford Mind
Contract: 3rd Nov Fixed Term for 12 months
Hours: 20 hrs/wk
Wednesday pm
Thursday pm
Friday pm
(This is currently a mix of office based and in the community support to suit the needs of the service. Please note the hours may be subject to change) You must be able to cover additional shifts.
Location: Telford Mind, Court Street Medical Practice
Salary: £12.50/hr
Disclosure: This position is subject to a three-month probationary period, satisfactory references, Mind's policies on Safeguarding of Children and Young People and Vulnerable Adults and an enhanced DBS check and subsequent re-checks.
Job Overview:
If you have your own personal lived experience of recovery from mental health challenges, then this is an excellent opportunity to be part of a dynamic and friendly service supporting young people between the ages of who often have little to no networks, people who are struggling with their mental health and some who are experiencing mental health problems for the first time.
You will be required to work within the community and the community-based Calm Cafes. The Cafes will offer early interventions and will help support people with their emotional health and wellbeing needs. You may be required to support more complex individuals, including safe place work that the police may bring in. You will ensure that service users feel supported and listened to and helping them take control of their wellbeing.
The Peer Support Workers will operate within the café setting and in the community and will undertake work as directed by the Social Worker. You will also respond to individuals as they present at the café. In addition, you will be required to provide support to service users face-to-face, via telephone and email.
The role requires working with individuals to help them reach their potential to reduce interventions by primary care and statutory services. The role will be intervention focused, but issues will be escalated where necessary to the Social Worker. You will help them identify their health, social and well-being goals. You will work with service users to help them explore their desired goals and actions referring them to voluntary sector services, community groups, activity clubs and, where relevant, public sector services. You will develop a strong and coherent knowledge of the local voluntary and community sector and statutory services.
The Peer Support Worker will play a vital role in creating a safe, calm, quiet, inviting and welcoming environment.
You will be working with individuals towards the best possible outcomes, helping them to identify personal recovery goals and supporting them to fully embed into their local communities whilst working towards their own aspirations of a meaningful recovery.
We are looking for people who are willing to positively share their personal experiences with others in order to support individuals in their journey of recovery. You will need experience and qualifications relevant to the role and a desire to make a difference.
You will need to be motivated organized, energetic and a flexible team member with effective communication and interpersonal skills in order to work with service users, carers, multidisciplinary team members, outside professionals / community organisations.
You will need to have empathy whilst being professional and resilient enough to be able to deal effectively and constructively with a variety of challenging situations.
Access to your own vehicle and a full clean driving licence with business insurance is essential for this role.
Telford Mind are committed to providing equal opportunities to all current and prospective employees and welcomes and encourages applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law.
Telford Mind aspire to have a diverse workforce because we strongly believe that diversity enables better organisational outcomes. We also believe that a more inclusive workplace, where people of different backgrounds work together, ensures better outcomes for our service users who are the heart of everything that we do.
We strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply for our vacancies and join Telford Mind. In particular, we welcome and encourage those with lived experience of mental health difficulties to come and work for us.
Main Duties
Delivery
· Provide low level one to one listening support to service users.
· Liaise with the Social Worker to ensure appropriate support is provided for the service users.
· Attend home visits where the need arises, in line with Telford Mind's Lone Working Policy
· Carry out risk assessments and complete wellbeing monitoring forms
· Deliver a service that is flexible, person centred, and provides service users with choice
· Provide support with problem solving.
· Deliver a range of direct interventions depending on individual needs including;
· Emotional support including support to develop effective coping strategies (working therapeutically)
· Support to better manage or improve mental and physical health
· Support to regain or maintain relationships with friends and family
· Support to develop more confidence and a greater ability to gain choice, control and responsibility in their lives
· Support to engage with appropriate specialist support or advice services
· Support to engage in community groups and activities, including activities which promote citizenship and involvement
· Where necessary, signpost/actively refer to other service and agencies.
· Use person centred approaches to assess and manage risk and vulnerability with the individual, in line with Telford Mind's policies and procedures.
· Work collaboratively with service users towards a set of goals.
· Be responsible for the smooth running of the cafes
· Be responsible for and initiating activities in the Cafes
· Utilise good communication skills to maintain a positive momentum within the cafes
· Assisting service users to appointments
· Welcome new service users to the café.
· Meet service users to enable them to access the Calm Café.
· Liaise with community café venues for day-to-day café requirements/changes etc.
· Attending and arranging walk and talks.
· Keep accurate and appropriate service user records.
· Gather and record progress and outcomes with individuals, using an agreed outcome measurement tool, electronic database/case management systems and qualitative data capture.
· Build relationships with staff in the organisation and GP practice, attending relevant meetings, becoming part of the wider team, giving information and feedback on the service.
· Seek regular feedback about the quality and impact of the service.
Development
· Develop supportive relationships with local VCSE organisations, community groups and statutory services, to make timely, appropriate and supported referrals for the person being introduced.
· Promote/publicise the project and establish positive engagement and input.
· Promote general aspects of wellbeing.
Other Responsibilities
· To attend a debrief with the team at the end of each Calm Café shift
· Be responsible for the administration and promotion of the Calm Cafes
· Work within the values, beliefs and policies of Telford Mind and promote these to service users, families and other stakeholders
· Be efficient, responsible and maintain a high level of personal organisation.
· Promote the concepts of social inclusion, early intervention and recovery and ensure this underpins the direction of Telford Mind's activities.
· Be flexible and use initiative.
· Take part in line management supervision, clinical supervision and appraisal
· Ensure any information processed for both service users and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the Data Protection Act and Telford Mind's Confidentiality Policy
· Have a duty and responsibility for personal health and safety and the health and safety of colleagues, service users and visitors
· Attend training and events as required
· To undertake other tasks commensurate with the position
· To work as part of the wider team an undertake other tasks within Telford Mind and providing cover for sickness absences, holiday cover etc.
Person Specification
This sets out the skills and experience required for this post and will be used for shortlisting and interviewing candidates.
Qualifications
· You must have personal lived experience of recovery from mental health challenges
· Relevant work-related experience in the Health or Social Care field.
· Mental Health Awareness Level 2 (desirable)
· Mental Health First Aid (desirable)
· Adult and Child Safeguarding
· Confidentiality Training
Experience
· You must have personal lived experience of recovery from mental health challenges
· Demonstrate active Listening Skills
· Working within a listening role or mental health setting
· Close partnership working with other organisations/services
· Engaging and working with a diverse range of individuals
· Assessing suitability for services and working with people in person-centred and strength-based ways
· Working independently
· Using outcome measurement tools with individuals
· Working within the voluntary sector
· Working closely with or within primary care settings (desirable)
Skills
· Well-developed skills to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex or sensitive information to people, their families, carers and other professionals
· Able to use different approaches to assess individual needs and make appropriate decisions collaboratively with people about their goals and their support needs
· Risk assessment and risk management skills
· Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with people using services
· Ability to put people at ease and motivate people to engage in self-help activities
· Excellent relationship building and influencing skills
· Ability to work under pressure
· Ability to manage own caseload and varied workload and prioritise effectively
· Ability to work with minimum supervision, use own initiative and make appropriate decisions
· Able to secure advice/guidance on practice issues when necessary
· Computer literate
Knowledge
· Barriers and difficulties faced by people with mental health and social issues
· A range of emotional, health, social and vocational interventions and techniques
· Child and adult safeguarding issues and other relevant legislation
· Knowledge of the Recovery Model
· Community and specialist services and support available to people in Telford
· Structures and systems within primary care and secondary care health settings
· Local geographic knowledge of Telford and its communities
Other Requirements
· Caring, compassionate and person-centred approach
· Recovery focused, promotes independence, autonomy and personal control
· High level of enthusiasm and self-motivation
· Ability to use supervision and personal development positively and effectively
· Ability to be self-reflective, whilst working with beneficiaries and in own personal and professional development and in supervision
· Car driver and use of own transport for work purposes (ESSENTIAL)
· Commitment to Mind's values and objectives
· Ability to work flexibly to meet the demands of the service, both in terms of hours and role.
· Undergo any training relevant to the role either internally or externally.
Job Types: Part-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months
Pay: £12.50 per hour
Expected hours: 20 per week
Application question(s):
* Do you have access to your own vehicle that can be used for this role?
* Please tell us about any personal lived experience of recovery from mental health challenges.
* Please tell us how your personal lived experiences are relevant to people accessing support from mental health services.
* Please confirm that you are able to work the hours stated in the job description.
Experience:
* Mental Health Support Environment: 1 year (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
* Mental Health Qualification (preferred)
* Health & Social Care Qualification (preferred)
* Driving Licence (preferred)
Work Location: In person