Peer Support Jobs

The Peer Support In-Reach Service is a partnership between several local Minds. Senior Peer Support Workers and Peer Support Workers, who have direct lived experience of mental health challenges, are working on in-patient wards across South London, providing recovery-focused Peer Support to people as they leave hospital and journey towards being settled in the community and living independently.

We are seeking a Peer Support Worker who has personal lived experience of mental health challenges. This individual will act as a role model for service users, utilizing their own recovery journey to instil hope and resilience. By sharing their life experiences and the lessons learned throughout their recovery, they will motivate others.

The successful candidate will collaborate with the multidisciplinary team within the Unit, assisting in-patients in developing essential skills and coping mechanisms, while promoting overall wellness through strength based and non-directive conversations. They will provide both practical and emotional support, facilitate access to community resources to help individuals maintain their independence while ensuring their wellbeing. Additionally, this role includes supporting service users after discharge in the community for up to 12 weeks, aiding them in fostering independence within their local community, connecting with various agencies, enhancing life skills, providing guidance related to employment or educational opportunities and improving their ability to manage challenges effectively to prevent readmission.

This position requires building connections with service users through shared experiences of mental health challenges, making lived experience a crucial requirement for applicants. Please apply only if you meet this requirement.

Closing date: Sunday 23rd February (11:59pm)
Likely interview date: Tuesday 11th March

If your application is successful, the team will offer you the opportunity to visit the site to give you an overview of the service and allow you to view the unit. This viewing will take place on Tuesday 4th March.

Successful applicants will be expected to undergo an Enhanced Level Disclosure and Barring Service check.

We encourage early applications as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications.

About Us

SEL Mind supports people with mental health problems and dementia in the boroughs of Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. We are proud of our diverse workforce and know that our organisation is made stronger by the variety of backgrounds, experience, and ideas within it. We promote a culture of inclusion and representation, and are working hard to build a workforce that even better reflects the communities we support.

SEL Mind is somewhere that you can be your authentic self without fear of discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, neurodivergence, gender, age, lived experience of mental health problems or anything else that’s part of who you are.

Read more about staff benefits and why staff love working here on our website.

About Gaddum

At Gaddum, we treat everyone as individuals. We really get to know those we help, understanding their world to offer a range of support that’s right for them. Our promise of tailored support is made possible by our breadth and depth of knowledge, through our unwavering commitment to the local people of Greater Manchester.

Our experience listening to generation after generation, for nearly 200 years, has taught us the importance of considering not just the individual but also the relationships around them. Our innovative approach means we can, not only build resilience, but identify further risks and offer preventive support now and in the future. At Gaddum, we believe that by supporting individuals, we ultimately help support entire communities.

Our aim is to empower and enhance the lives of people in Greater Manchester.

Outline of service:

Gaddum and Manchester Mind have come together to provide a new and innovative service which will support people to leave inpatient mental health settings and return to their community with the support they need to recover and remain well.

As a team, we will deliver psycho-social interventions, advocacy, housing and welfare rights advice and peer support. There will also be tailored support to young people (those under the age of 25). All we do is underpinned by listening and ensuring people feel heard – because we know that when people are listened to, they recover. The team will be working with colleagues within the mental health, primary care, inpatient and community sectors.

Job summary:

As a Peer Support Worker, you will have lived or living experience of receiving mental health care or treatment. As an ‘Expert by Experience’ you will support peers (people with similar experiences to your own) who are ready to leave hospital after being treated for their mental health needs. Receiving support from your colleagues, you’ll develop and manage your casework practice and hold a small case load.

Walking alongside people prior to discharge from mental health hospital, you’ll support people in the discharge process to get the care they need, and then into a community setting where they can continue to recover and begin to explore their aspirations. Ultimately, people will feel connected to their communities – to the right services, friends and family.

This role will work with a small but intensive caseload (max 12 cases for a full-time peer support worker) to focus on:

· Repatriate: when people are sent to an out of area placement (OAPs) advocate to get them back to Greater Manchester so they can recover in their community.

· Discharge: Supporting people when they’re ready to be discharged from inpatient mental health services to get back to the community and recover.

· Prevent re-admissions: Work with people, post-discharge, to ensure they continue to get the support they need to make informed choices, stay well and ultimately thrive.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

· To provide bespoke support to people that are ready to be discharged from inpatient psychiatric care to return to the community, building (with support) packages of care so they have a positive and sustained recovery.

· To work alongside people post-discharge, in their community setting (e.g. home or supported accommodation) to ensure they get what they need to stay well.

· To effectively manage a small but intensive caseload (max 12 cases for a full time worker), being flexible to people’s needs and short-term changes in schedule.

· To work in a person-centred, trauma informed, empowering and culturally appropriate way that enables people to feel listened to and heard.

· To help people engage with services and make sustainable links with their communities.

· To use and develop your knowledge of community care, policies, legislation and services to get people the support they need to recover and stay well.

· Identify when cases need escalation or onward referral and keep your line manager aware of case developments.

· Independently visit people in inpatient and community settings in Manchester and across Greater Manchester, adhering to lone working and risk management procedures.

· Occasionally visit people out of the Greater Manchester area who need to return to their community in Manchester (all travel expenses will be paid and non-commute travel time will be part of your working day).

· Build relationships with colleagues within services (e.g. inpatient staff, social care, CMHTs etc) to enable improved collaborative working

· Take part in multi-disciplinary meetings, representing the views of people, and their aspirations on returning to community settings.

· Support the development of this new service, drawing on your role as an ‘Expert by Experience’ and using what you hear from the people you support to contribute to the development of the services by reviewing and contributing to improvements.

The post holder will be required to undertake other tasks as reasonably directed by the Programme Management and Senior Management Team, which will usually be commensurate with the skills and experience of the post-holder.

All staff aree expected to work within all Gaddum / Manchester Mind policies and procedures. This role is subject to a standard DBS check.

Glaucoma UK is the charity for people with glaucoma. Our vision is to end preventable glaucoma sight loss. We want everyone with glaucoma to be able to live well with the condition.

It couldn’t be a more exciting time to join our team.We have just developed a new Theory of Change and we are now embarking on a period of growth. With an estimated 700,000 people in the UK living with glaucoma – but only half of them knowing it – we want, and need, to do more. We want to fund more research, raise more awareness and help more people. And that is where you can make a real difference.

As our Helpline Manager, and leader of a dedicated and skilled team, a key part of your role will be to ensure that high quality advice and support is provided, and that service users receive a timely response. When we talk about the helpline, we mean support via telephone, email, Healthunlocked (primarily online peer support) and our buddy service (peer support in advance of surgery).

Position: Helpline Manager

Responsible to: Head of Support Services

Responsible for: Helpline Advisors x 3; Locum Helpline Advisors x 2 

Location: Home based with a requirement to work in the Ashford office on a regular basis (approx. once in every 2 weeks)

Hours: Full time (35 hours a week) with potential for occasional evening or weekend work

Salary: £39,305 (FTE)

Annual leave and benefits

• 25 days holiday per annum (rising by one day per year to 28 days after 3 years’ service), plus Statutory Public Holidays, pro-rated for new starters and part-time employees.
• Benenden Healthcare cover
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Up to 5% contributory pension
• Enhanced maternity & paternity pay
• Funded support for learning and development

How to apply:

Please click on the Quick Apply button below. You'll be asked to submit a CV and covering letter.

Please note:

Only applications including a covering letter, which clearly details how you meet the requirements of the person specification, will be considered.

Closing date: 9am on Monday 24 February 2025.

Interviews: Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th March at our Head office in Ashford, Kent and interested candidates are urged to keep these times free.

What you’ll be working on:

• Ensuring helpline services are meeting the needs of people with glaucoma
• Ensuring high standards of service across the different helpline channels
• Supporting and developing the helpline team
• Leading the continuous improvement and development of the helpline
• Communicating and promoting the helpline

This job is for you if you have.…

• experience of developing and delivering services to a vulnerable client group
• experience of defining service specifications
• experience of demonstrating impact and quality in your work
• the ability to lead, manage and evaluate specific projects and able to prioritise workload to deliver projects on time and budget
• experience of line management and leading teams
• excellent communication skills (verbal and written) including the ability to translate complex scientific and medical information into accessible language and the ability to build excellent working relationships at all levels.
• an understanding of issues related to diversity and equality of opportunity and a genuine commitment to widening access to information

And finally.....

We will be in touch with shortlisted applicants by Thursday 27th February. Candidates with a disability who may need longer to prepare for an interview, or who have special requirements to be taken into account, are invited to contact us to discuss any necessary adjustments to the recruitment timetable.

The post holder will share and embrace the vision of ‘developing an innovative Gloucestershire Family Hub model which puts the well-being of all families, children, and young people at the heart of its work and leads to systemic and transformative change for individuals and the community’.

Summary of job:
You will provide support to children and families. This includes practical and emotional assistance delivered through a flexible program. You will also provide home visits, support groups, and structured learning sessions held in the Family Center, family homes, and community settings. Our approach focuses on empowering families. By using restorative practices, we build on their strengths and encourage their participation. This collaborative approach helps families achieve their goals quickly and effectively.

This peer support project is delivered in partnership with South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust to support Carers of people with mental health conditions.  This project will work to support Carers through one-to-one support, outreach, training and peer support groups.

About The Role: 

Using your lived experience of caring for someone with a mental health condition, and a strengths-based approach, you will support mental health Carers in their caring role.  You will provide person centred one-to-one- support, information, signposting, and advocacy, develop, and facilitate peer support groups and deliver training and outreach sessions at different locations across the borough. 

Key Requirements Include: 

• Lived experience of Caring for someone with a mental health condition 

• Knowledge and understanding of mental health and the associated challenges and support needs. 

• The ability to work within the principles and values of peer support. 

• Confidence supporting people on a one-to-one basis. 

• Experience of / ability to facilitate peer support groups and training. 

• Clear communication and good interpersonal skills  

• Efficient organisation and time management skills 

• Developed IT skills, with experience using databases and communication platforms. 

The Hepatitis C Trust has developed projects nationally whereby peers use their lived experience of injecting drug use and hepatitis C, to provide education and training to service users and staff in drug and alcohol, hostel and homeless services, increasing hepatitis C awareness, access to testing and referral to treatment, for people living with hepatitis C.

Do you have experience of working in drug services and with volunteers?

Have you been affected by hepatitis C or have you supported anyone who has hepatitis C?

This project has been commissioned in partnership with Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council to focus upon the community of Sefton and work in strong collaboration with the local substance misuse provider in this region. We are looking for a passionate and skilled peer lead who has excellent communication and organisational skills.

Working under the guidance of the Peer Programme Manager for Cheshire and Merseyside, this post will continue the development of the project, recruiting and coordinating peers across Sefton, with a focus on supporting the local substance misuse services. Working in partnership with hepatitis C clinical teams, outreach services and homeless service providers, the post will coordinate delivery of educational workshops, hepatitis C testing in community settings and ensure that service users are referred and supported through hepatitis C treatment and care. 

This post will require extensive travel across the region it is desirable that the post holder has a clean driving licence and their own vehicle for work related travel.

Perinatal Mental Health (PNMH) Peer Support Service Manager/Deputy Chief Executive

• Are you ready to use your service management and leadership skills in a team passionate about improving emotional and mental well-being in the perinatal period? 

• Do you understand the emotional and mental health challenges during pregnancy or after the birth of a baby? 

• Have you got significant experience of service and performance management? 

• Can you lead, motivate and inspire a team? 

If this is you, Light Peer Support has an exciting opportunity for you to play a central role in the delivery and development of our core peer support services across South Yorkshire and contribute towards the growth of a small but ambitious charity supporting women and families in the perinatal period. 

About Light Peer Support 

Light is a mental health peer support charity, set up in 2010, which has grown to support parents and their families across South Yorkshire. We’re led by our passion to support mental health during pregnancy and beyond for all families from all communities.

From our hub in Sheffield as well as in Family Hubs across Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley, we work with families who are experiencing emotional and mental health difficulties in the perinatal period, working in partnership across the statutory and voluntary sector to raise awareness of perinatal mental health difficulties and the support available.

We’re committed to providing services that embrace diversity to support equity in service access and promote equality of opportunity.

The role 

Light delivers a perinatal mental health peer support service across South Yorkshire, working in partnership with multiple statutory and public sector funders to ensure that women and families have access to high quality peer support in the perinatal period, as part of an integrated mental health care pathway. 

Light is seeking an experienced and innovative service manager to lead and inspire the team and hold operational responsibility for the day-to-day management of our peer support service. This will include all aspects of service delivery, service development and performance management of the team to ensure our contract requirements are met and we continually promote excellence in peer support practice. 

The role will play a pivotal role in the continued development of Light, acting as a key contact for our commissioning partners and undertaking activities to support the growth and sustainability of Light. The post holder will deputise for the Chief Executive in her absence, supporting with the operational management of Light and the efficient running of the charity from our main hub in Sheffield. 

Equality at Light 

Light is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in all that we do and we welcome applications from people from all communities particularly under-represented groups. We're aiming for a workforce that is truly representative of the communities we serve. 

We're a family friendly employer and open to discussion on flexible working subject to service needs. 

How to apply

To find out more about this exciting opportunity, please download the Job Description/Person Specification and Application Form Below below and click the 'How to apply' button.

All appointments are subject to a DBS check. 

Applicants must have a Right to Work in the UK. 

Macular disease is the biggest cause of sight loss in the UK, with around 300 people diagnosed every day. The Macular Society is the only charity determined to beat the fear and isolation of macular disease with world class research, and the best advice and support.

To support people affected by macular disease now, the Macular Society provides a range of support, information and services. Our research programme is focused on finding new treatments and a cure to beat macular disease forever.

We are seeking someone who can help our regional managers recruit, train, develop, and support local Macular Society services and volunteers. The candidate needs to have an open and collaborative approach and the ability to multitask and prioritise multiple projects and work streams.

If you feel you have the above attributes, then we would love to hear from you.

In return, we provide a great working culture and offer flexible working options, 26 days annual leave, the ability to buy or sell annual leave, supportive family policies, and a 6% pension contribution.

We are an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons.

This role is predominantly home-based; however, travel may be required across the North of England and occasionally to Andover in Hampshire.

Would you like to make a difference?

Would you like to bring your lived experience of mental health problems to support others?

Well take a look at this job – so new that we haven’t got a team name yet – that might be for you to contribute to. Manchester Mind and Gaddum have come together to provide a new and innovative service which will support people from hospital back to their home and crucially, onward support to stay in their communities. They will provide holistic and person-centred support.

Our purpose is to provide a collaborative and multi-disciplinary service to enable successful discharges from hospital. Part of what the team will be providing is peer support. All our roles are underpinned by listening and ensuring people feel heard. The team will be working with colleagues within the mental health, primary care and community sectors.

Manchester Mind will be employing a Peer Support Worker.

Position:  Peer Support Worker

Salary: £24,421

Hours: 35 hours per week

The skills and knowledge that are important to us are:

· Ability to create a sense of belonging through the development of kind relationships that lead to people feeling accepted and heard.

· Lived or Living Experience of mental health problems is essential.

· Keenness and ability to work in a collaborative way, sharing skills and talents in order to bring about better outcomes for the team.

You can download the job description/person specification and guidance notes from our website.

The deadline for these posts will be 12 noon on 18th February 2025 with interviews to be held week commencing 3rd March 2025.

Manchester Mind is striving to be an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Manchester Mind sees it as a positive advantage if you have experience of mental health issues and/or have used mental health services, or had experience of volunteering.

This is a new and exciting role to support the Hepatitis C Follow Me Project and the Liver Surveillance Project, specifically for Eastern European communities across West London. 

The Hepatitis C Trust develops projects nationally where peers use their lived experience of injecting drug use and hepatitis C, to provide education and training, increase hepatitis C awareness, and access to testing and treatment for people living with hepatitis C. 

Are you looking for a new and exciting challenge? Do you have experience of working within drug services and with volunteers? Have you been affected by hepatitis C or have you supported anyone who has hepatitis C?

We are looking for self-motivated individuals who can work on their own, engage with stakeholders and have a desire to make a difference in promoting hepatitis C awareness & liver health among services and affected Eastern European communities by increasing access to hepatitis C treatment and liver disease care. We are looking for a passionate and skilled Peer Support Lead who is fluent in Russian and Lithuanian and has excellent communication and organisational skills.

Working in partnership with hepatitis C & liver surveillance teams, drug and alcohol services and homeless service providers, the post holder will deliver education on hepatitis C & Liver Health to Eastern European communities deemed at risk of HCV infection & liver disease across all of the West London ODN area and ensure that everyone is offered and supported to treatment. Working under the guidance of the Peer Programme Manager the post holder will ensure that Eastern European people with an identified diagnosis of hepatitis C & liver cirrhosis are offered a referral to specialist hepatitis treatment & liver surveillance services in West London area. 

We are a patient-led organisation – you will be working in an environment where the patient/service user/client is placed at the centre of all that you do. It is desirable but not essential the post holder hold a driving licence. 

We offer employees great benefits – from generous annual leave entitlements to training opportunities. These include: 

25 days paid annual leave, plus bank holidays and closure over the Christmas period 

Extensive internal and external training to support you in your role; including a generous annual training allowance 

Company pension scheme with employer contribution of 5% 

Cycle to work scheme 

Employee Assistance Programme, including financial and wellbeing advice 

Funding at 75% for a London travelcard will also be available for this role.   

Help build powerful and sustainable communities of peer support groups for kinship carers.

About the role:
Funded by the Department for Education, the National Peer Support Service is a game-changing service that creates a sustainable and life-changing legacy. It builds on Kinship’s 10 years of experience in developing peer support groups and two years of delivering a national service that has set up 145 new groups.

This role is community-based and focuses on engaging kinship carers, bringing them together to form Peer Support Groups, and supporting them to achieve independence at which point they will receive ongoing support from our national Hub.

You will do this by working with local authorities, schools, other charities and community groups. Arranging information events such as coffee mornings to engage kinship carers. You’ll create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community for kinship carers, building belonging, resilience, and empowerment.

Who we are looking for: 

We are seeking an person who possesses the drive, passion, and skills to:

• Develop new Peer Support Groups across a diverse range of communities
• Demonstrate the energy and enthusiasm required to achieve key targets and objectives
• Work collaboratively within the Peer Support and Community Team, as well as throughout the broader organisation, to ensure the development of safe and effective support services for the kinship community
• Maintain current Peer Support Group levels, taking the lead from the national Hub
• Maintain accurate records that are used to populate reports, identify learning and share key insights across Kinship that allow the organisation to continuously improve our services and products

You should have experience in developing and maintaining meaningful relationships with various community-based stakeholders such as local authorities, health services, schools, charities, and kinship carers. You will need to understand the key success factors involved in establishing and developing new in-person groups in areas of high need, as well as how to support existing groups in their journey towards sustainability.

As a practical thinker, you will work creatively to identify stakeholders and assets in areas of high need. You will build local connections and bring together kinship carers across the region, empowering them to build resilient and robust peer support communities.

You will be confident in building relationships that generate referrals from external stakeholders and in contacting kinship carers directly to secure engagement with local coffee mornings, community, and training events that will help kick-start a thriving peer support group.

As you establish new groups, you will provide support and training to help them lead their groups effectively, and develop their group culture, resilience, and skills to function independently while offering reassurance and support to empower them.

We are ideally looking for candidates based close or within easy reach of our priority development areas which include; Reading, Oxfordshire, West Berkshire, Slough and Hampshire but also able to travel to other key locations across the South East and along the M4 corridor.

An essential requirement of the role is to be a driver with access to a vehicle for work purposes.

Key responsibilities: 

Service delivery:

• In-person (face-to-face) strategic outreach into local communities including setting up and attending local engagement events
• Set up and develop sustainable in person peer support groups, initially attending and leading sessions in person before transition to self-sufficiency
• Working with existing groups that are at risk, closed or need support that need replacing or rejuvenating to maintain DfE service level agreement, in addition to new groups. Targets are subject to change and are not fixed
• Recruit and retain support group leaders to develop their peer support groups
• Assist with the delivery of training to support group leaders and groups to become self-sufficient
• Develop strong boundaried and positive relationships with support group leaders – building resilience, empowerment and community
• Support established groups (including independent) in your area to access support group leader networks and training (this includes visiting groups in person) to build a peer community
• Follow (and where appropriate support further development off) the service blueprint to develop sustainable peer support groups
• Collaborate with the Peer Support Hub team to provide a joined-up and positive user experience for kinship carers
• Manage special interest groups and regional online groups as required, transitioning to ‘Hub’ team for sustainability and work with partners 

Service quality, development and data management:

• Accurately record all recruitment, contact information and volunteer case management in Salesforce in line with service framework and data protection requirements
• Ensure accurate data entry in Salesforce to support service performance, evaluation and learning
• Provide regular reports to ensure targets and SLA are met for the service
• Support continuous development and improvement of the service (new systems and processes) as required

Team culture:

• Act in the best interest of Kinship and the families we support
• Maintain and contribute up to date understanding of kinship care
• Deliver effective administration with attention to detail and keeping to deadline
• Identify and contribute to appropriate case studies to demonstrate the impact of Kinship services and contribute to policy and campaigns work
• Actively contribute to delivering and evidencing a high performing service
• Take responsibility for your ongoing continued professional development
•  Work in line with the Kinship values

Some tips for your application:

• Please provide a 2 page cover letter and a CV.
• Make sure you’ve read the job description and the essential requirements – make sure your answer reflects those points in the requirements very clearly.
• Really tell us why you want to work for Kinship. We’re interested in working with people who share our values. You can read about our values in the job pack available for download below.
• Keep your response clear – use bullets points and short paragraphs if that helps. It will help the recruitment team to really focus on your answer.
• Don’t go over 2 pages on your covering letter.
• As part of the interview process, we will send you some of the questions in advance.

We are seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic Coordinator to join our team.

Are you looking for your new role within Peer Support?
Are you ready to manage support workers and facilitators? 
We would love to hear from you.

Post Overview

Viewpoint's Peer Coordinator will lead the development of Peer support and facilitation for the organisation. This involves managing, coordinating and driving forward the development of Peer support within our organisation. As the primary lead, you will be instrumental in the recruitment of Peer Support workers and facilitators, crafting individualised development plans in collaboration with peers, and providing essential supervision to guide their growth and success.

In addition to your involvement in peer support operations, you will take charge of coordinating and enhancing service user engagement initiatives focusing on drug and alcohol support services. Your expertise will contribute significantly to driving these critical engagement programs forward while making a lasting impact on the individuals we serve.

Your role as the Viewpoint Peer Support Coordinator, will mean that will be at the forefront of innovation, leading by example to inspire a team of dedicated Peer Support workers / facilitators.

The Important Bits

Location: This position is hybrid, meaning you'll split your time between working in the office and working remotely. You will need to be able to travel around Hertfordshire either by car or public transport regularly.

Hours: 30 hours per week

Salary: FTE £27,300 (Pro-rota for 30 hours £25,613)

Contract Term: 12 months fixed term

Pension: Viewpoint will contribute a sum equal to 5% of your annual salary to a pension provided that you contribute at least 3% of your annual salary to the pension scheme.

Annual Leave: Annual leave will commence following six months probationary period and will rise to 25 days plus 8 Bank holidays.

Other benefits: Training, Development, Supervision and access to an Employee Assistance Wellbeing Program

For the full job description and person specification please see attachment. 

Head to our website to apply!
Please note: We do not accept CVs

Help build powerful and sustainable communities of peer support groups for kinship carers.

About the role:
Funded by the Department for Education, the National Peer Support Service is a game-changing service that creates a sustainable and life-changing legacy. It builds on Kinship’s 10 years of experience in developing peer support groups and two years of delivering a national service that has set up 145 new groups.

This role is community-based and focuses on engaging kinship carers, bringing them together to form Peer Support Groups, and supporting them to achieve independence at which point they will receive ongoing support from our national Hub. You will be home-based with frequent travel across the London Boroughs and the South East of England, but initially predominantly working in and around Greater London.  Note - some work outside this area may be required.

You will do this by working with local authorities, schools, other charities and community groups. Arranging information events such as coffee mornings to engage kinship carers.

You’ll create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community for kinship carers, building belonging, resilience, and empowerment.

Who we are looking for:
We are seeking a person located in or close to Greater London, and willing to travel across the South East of England who possesses the drive, passion, and skills to:

• Establish new Peer Support Groups across a diverse range of communities
• Supervise a small team of Peer Support Development Officers
• Demonstrate the energy and enthusiasm required to inspire yourself and your team to achieve key targets and objectives
• Work collaboratively within the Peer Support and Community Team, as well as throughout the broader organisation, to ensure the delivery of safe and effective support services for the kinship community
• Maintain current Peer Support Groups, taking the lead from the national Hub
• Maintain accurate records that are used to populate reports, identify learning and share key insights across Kinship that allow the organisation to continuously improve our services and products

In the role of Senior Peer Support Officer, you will be instrumental in ensuring the delivery of a high-quality, consistent, and sustainable peer support service that has a significant impact on the lives of kinship carers.

You should have experience in developing and maintaining meaningful relationships with various community-based stakeholders such as local authorities, health services, schools, charities, and kinship carers. You will need to understand the key success factors involved in establishing and developing new in-person groups in areas of high need, as well as how to support existing groups in their journey toward sustainability.

As a practical thinker, you will work creatively to identify stakeholders and assets in areas of high need. You will build local connections and bring together kinship carers across the region, empowering them to build resilient and robust peer support communities.

You will be confident in building relationships that generate referrals from external stakeholders and in contacting kinship carers directly to secure engagement with local coffee mornings, community, and training events that will help kick-start a thriving peer support group.

As you establish new groups, you will provide training to help them lead their groups effectively, and develop a healthy group culture, resilience, and skills to function independently while offering reassurance and support to empower them.

You will be an inspirational and energetic team leader with experience in providing day-to-day line management and operational support for a small team.

We are ideally looking for candidates based in or around Greater London and willing to work initially across the London Boroughs and into the South East of England. This role may involve work to establish groups on the periphery of this area that currently have no dedicated Development staff.

An essential requirement of the role is to be a driver with access to a vehicle for work purposes.

Key responsibilities: 

Service delivery:

• In person (face-to-face) strategic outreach into local and regional communities including setting up and attending local engagement events
• Work creatively to set up and develop new sustainable in peer support groups, attending up to six sessions in person (if needed) before transition to self-sufficiency.  Existing groups that are at risk, closed or need support will need replacing or rejuvenating to maintain DfE service level agreements across the team, in addition to the development of new groups
• Recruit and retain support group leaders to develop their peer support groups
• Deliver training to support group leaders (group roles and responsibilities, safeguarding, setting up, running, and promoting a group)
• Develop strong boundaries and positive relationships with support group leaders – building resilience, empowerment, and community
• Support established groups in your area to access support group leader networks and training (this includes visiting groups in person) to build a peer community
• Help develop and deliver a service blueprint for sustainable peer support groups, thinking strategically about how to develop groups
• You'll collaborate closely with the ‘Hub’ team to provide a joined-up and positive user experience for kinship carers. This collaborative approach is key to our success and ensures that kinship carers receive the best possible support
• Manage special interest groups and regional online groups as required, transitioning to ‘Hub’ team for sustainability and work with partners

Service quality, development and data management:

• Accurately record all recruitment, contact information and volunteer case management in Salesforce in line with service framework and data protection requirements
• Ensure accurate data entry in Salesforce to support service performance, evaluation and learning
• Provide regular reports to ensure targets and SLA are met for the service.
• Support continuous development and improvement of the service (new systems and processes) as required

Management and supervision: 

• Inspire, motivate and be responsible for day-to-day line management and supervising up to 4 staff members
• Oversee tactical development of new sustainable groups in your area and your team
• Help set clear objectives to achieve targets and outcomes
• Actively encourage personal development and learning
• Increase efficiencies and impact across the team
• Ensure good team induction processes and systems are in place
• Role model Kinship values 

Team culture:

• Act in the best interest of Kinship and the families we support. Maintain and contribute up-to-date understanding of kinship care
• Deliver effective administration with attention to detail and keeping to deadlines
• You'll identify and contribute to appropriate case studies to demonstrate the impact of Kinship services and contribute to policy and campaign work. Your work will directly contribute to our advocacy efforts and help us drive positive change for kinship carers
• Actively contribute to delivering and evidencing a high-performing service
• Take responsibility for your ongoing continued professional development
• Work in line with the Kinship values

How to apply and tips for your application:

• Please send us a cover letter and a CV.
• Make sure you’ve read the job description and the essential requirements – make sure your answer reflects those points in the requirements very clearly.
• Really tell us why you want to work for Kinship. We’re interested in working with people who share our values. You can read about our values in the job pack available for download below.
• Keep your response clear – use bullets points and short paragraphs if that helps. It will help the recruitment team to really focus on your answer.
• Don’t go over 2 page on your covering letter.
• As part of the interview process, we will send you some of the questions in advance.

Do you want to use your skills and expertise to really make a difference and help support people with mental health problems? If so, this could be a great role for you.

About the role

Working in partnership with our NHS colleagues, Solent Mind are providing Peer Support from within Community Mental Health Teams across Southampton.

This roles includes:

• Working with community mental health team colleagues to identify service users that may benefit from peer support and plan work accordingly in a collaborative, person-centred way, including on entry and discharge to/from the service.
• Working with people in one to one and group settings, including managing your own caseload of service users, to support their recovery and build support networks, whilst supervising peers and volunteers and attending appropriate meetings
• Supporting people to develop and use a range of skills and techniques to help their wellbeing.

Hours: 18.5 hours per week (job share).

Any offer for this role may be subject to a relevant Disclosure and Barring (DBS) checks.

About you

It is essential that you have your own lived experience and have a key understanding of the role of peer support in mental health as well as the ability to manage your own time with competing priorities taking responsibility for your own work and accountabilities.

About us

We're Solent Mind! We’re part of a network of over 100 Local Minds who tailor trusted mental health services to our communities. We set our own strategies and partnerships and rely on the support of our brilliant local fundraisers.

We collaborate with Mind to make sure their pioneering campaigns, information and research make a difference in Hampshire. Together, we make better mental health possible both locally and nationally.

Benefits 

Our Gold Award for Workplace Wellbeing Index 2022/2023 and being a Mindful Employer reflects our commitment to our lively, friendly teams. We empower our people to have a voice, discover new opportunities and develop their careers. In addition to knowing you’re making a difference, you’ll also enjoy excellent benefits, including:

• Flexible working to promote a healthy work/life balance
• 25 days’ annual leave rising incrementally to 30 days per year (pro rata for part-time)
• Pension plan
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Season ticket and cycle-to-work scheme

If you’re ready to join the fight for mental health, visit our website to find out more and apply.  

Closing date: Sunday 16 February 2025 (23:59)

Interview date: Friday 28 February 2025

Posts may be subject to a relevant DBS check.

Solent Mind welcomes applications from all the communities in which we work. Appointments are made on merit.

Registered Charity No: 1081116. Registered with Limited Liability in England and Wales No: 4004500.