Peer Support Worker

We\’re looking for people who share our values (compassion, accountability and optimism) to help us provide high quality care to the patients, carers, families and local communities we serve. We specialise in providing NHS mental health and learning disability services.

So what can we offer you in return?

We\’re an organisation which puts people first. We\’ll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We\’ll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we\’ll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.

You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you\’ll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.

As a Trust we are committed in making a difference. Your development is important to us, so don\’t forget to ask us during interview what opportunities we can offer. We can offer fully funded lifelong learning opportunities such as an apprenticeship from GCSE to Masters level.

If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.

Job overview

Location: WorthingJob Type: Permanent
Working pattern: 22.5 hours per week, part time
Pay Scheme: Agenda for change
Pay Band: 3 ( £20,330 – £21,777 pro rata)
Staff Group: Specialty/Function: Peer Support Worker (PSW)

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Worthing Early Intervention in Psychosis Team (part of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust), a community based service for people aged 14-65 who are experiencing their first episode of psychosis. As part of our ambition to deliver outstanding care we are looking to recruit a Peer Support Worker.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for an expert by experience that has lived experience of psychosis, to support the delivery of recovery focused interventions in our Early Intervention Team. As an integral and highly valued member of our multi-disciplinary team, the Peer Support Worker will provide formalised peer support and practical assistance to service users, empowering them to regain control over their lives and their own unique recovery process.

Working collaboratively alongside service users, the Peer Support Worker builds on a person\’s ability, strengths and their links to social and community services. In the role you will work in partnership with multiple agencies in the community. Peer Support Workers engage with mental health service users to show empathy, share experience, inspire hope and promote recovery with the aim of assisting service users to gain and maintain independence in the community. The Peer Support Worker will assist service users in raising aspirations and developing personal goals, co-produce and co-facilitate groups and increasing individual occupational performance and participation.

Working for our organisation

This small, friendly, multi-disciplinary team is based at Arun House in Worthing town centre, due to move into the Worthing Integrated Care Centre (WICC) in April 2025. The service offers support and treatment to people aged 14 – 65 who have experienced either a first episode of psychosis or present with an At Risk Mental State. Practitioners in the team are passionate about their work, and are committed to supporting families and working in a psychologically informed way.

The AAW EIP team is one of 6 Early Intervention in Psychosis teams provided by the Trust. The teams have a single service-wide governance group which oversees and leads on the delivery of care. Organizationally, the teams sit within the Trust’s Children and Young People’s Services division.

You will be provided with individual clinical supervision, group supervision for family interventions and opportunities to link with other Peer Support Workers both within EIP and other services for peer support and development.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and learning disability services in and across Sussex. The Trust has teaching status and is developing into one of the country’s leading teaching mental health trusts. Working here offers continued training and development, variety, plus all the benefits of living in Sussex. We welcome informal visits and or a phone conversation about the service and this post.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To support individuals and groups using a Peer approach
• To be a positive role model for other people overcoming mental health challenges, other workers and members of the public
• To use parts of your recovery story to inspire hope in others where appropriate
• To use appropriate skills in engaging with individuals with mental health challenges, eg asking open-ended questions, validating strengths and experiences and using empowering language to overcome negative self-talk
• To support and enable individuals with mental health challenges to resolve conflicts and regain control, responsibility, hope and enjoyment based on the principles of peer supported recovery such as sharing your personal recovery story
• To support service users in identifying both strengths and early signs of relapse. To support service users in identifying possible triggers or causes of relapse
• To provide support to individuals in gaining choice, developing and managing meaning and purpose of life and independence, and maintaining dignity and self respect
• To support individuals in meeting holistic needs (education, welfare, employment, financial, leisure, housing, spiritual, etc) in partnership with other individuals, care team and agencies and within a recovery environment
• To promote and make service users aware of personal strengths and social networks, and highlight their ability to engage with these
• To deliver educational training to service users (as appropriate)
• To engage actively in peer and professional supervision and apply the learning to working with clients of the service
• To support access and facilitation of activity sessions both on a one-to-one and group basis for service users
• To ensure all service users are aware of activities which may be of benefit to them and how these can be accessed
• To undertake any other such duties as may reasonably fall within the remit of the post, as required by the Manager/Supervisor

Person specification

QUALIFICATIONS

• A recognised qualification in an area related to the workplace or equivalent technical/life skills
• Evidence of a commitment to lifelong learning
• Health care or relevant NVQ Level 3 or equivalent skills

KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE

• Experience of working with people with Psychosis/Complex mental health needs in a paid or voluntary capacity
• Experience working as part of a team
• Experience of being supervised
• Lived experience of Psychosis and mental health issues/difficulties
• Managing personal mental health and recovery
• Knowledge of Peer Support, Recovery and Wellbeing in mental health and ability to apply this throughout your work

Sussex Partnership NHS FT is committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. Our workforce is currently under-represented from Black and Minority, Ethnic and disabled communities and we would welcome applications from these communities.

We regret that we are unable to advise candidates if they have not been shortlisted. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

In the event of an excessive number of applicants the Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy earlier than indicated.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust takes its responsibilities for the safeguarding and protection of children and young people and vulnerable adults very seriously and expects this of all its employees and bank workers. The Trust works with adult and children’s social care to ensure that the integrated service has systems in place to equip staff and bank workers with the knowledge and skills to recognize abuse, and take action to safeguard and protect vulnerable adults and children and young people. It is expected that all staff and bank workers familiarise themselves with the appropriate structures and policies and with the Sussex child protection and safeguarding procedures and the Sussex multi‑agency policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults and undertake the relevant essential training and further training appropriate to their role.

Successful candidates are normally offered salaries at the bottom of the relevant salary range. However, where previous or equivalent NHS experience in a similar role can be demonstrated and evidenced, this may be taken into consideration when setting the starting salary.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.