Deaf Mental Health Project Peer Support Worker in Barnsley

This is a new and exciting post to work closely with the Clinical Nurse Specialist in Deaf Mental Health, working across the South Yorkshire footprint of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. The post holder will be responsible for delivering, developing and supporting the equality and inclusion agenda as part of the Deaf mental health services. They will draw upon their own lived experience of being a deaf British Sign Language (BSL) user or living within a family that use BSL (e.g. having deaf parents or siblings).

This will include a key role in supporting and developing mechanisms for BSL users, families and carers to influence and have a say in the development of the services. By offering hope and encouragement, the role will help people to feel understood, valued, and empowered in helping to design services that are accessible to them. The post holder will work with services to look at the needs of BSL users and work in partnership with members of the deaf community who may have experienced mental health needs themselves, carers, and colleagues within the multidisciplinary team to promote accessibility.

This may include providing deaf awareness sessions for services and providing information to the deaf community regarding mental health conditions and signposting them to the appropriate services. This role is central to reducing stigma, fostering inclusion, and ensuring that the voice of lived experience is represented in the design and delivery of mental health support. The service operates flexibly between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). Dependent on engagement events that are taking place, there will be occasions when the post holder will be required to adjust their working hours so that they can support the event.

Qualifications and Experience

• 5 GCSEs including English and Maths Grade 4 and above or equivalent NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care, Community Development or equivalent
• Native BSL user or Level 3 or above, broad experience of engaging with patients, carers, members of the public and communities
• Experience of working with partners and stakeholders
• Demonstrable experience of digital and social media platforms
• Substantive experience of organising self and others and meeting deadlines
• Experience in using Microsoft Office packages, insight into the issues which may impact on deaf people accessing mental health services
• Knowledge and understanding of deaf culture, ability to engage with people from diverse backgrounds
• Data inputting
• Ability to review complex information and present it in an understandable way within reports
• Ability to analyse information and present it concisely
• Strong reporting skills
• Well-developed IT skills with the ability to utilise a range of electronic reporting programs
• Able to produce data and reports
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Able to deliver to short timescales
• Can work with a wide range of stakeholders
• Able to communicate to different audiences
• Ability to manage priorities and demanding workloads
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team
• Clear communication verbally in BSL and in writing to effectively convey knowledge and information

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.