Peer Support Worker - Havering Crisis Alternative Service

We are Hestia. We make a difference. At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Peer Support Worker to play a pivotal role in our Havering Crisis Alternatives Service.

The main purpose of this role is to provide high-quality support and interventions to clients with mental health needs who require early intervention and prevention. The postholder will support clients throughout their time in the service, empowering them with the skills to cope independently, while working in line with organisational values, the ethos of recovery, and principles of co-production.

Responsibilities include:

• Managing a caseload of clients
• Delivering group activities and programmes
• Clearly communicating the aims, objectives, pathways, and service model to enable clients to fully participate in and co-produce their support
• Helping service users engage effectively with community professionals
• Developing peer support networks and community-based approaches
• Monitoring the health, wellbeing, and safety of service users
• Contributing to the core work of the service
• Accurate and timely administration, referrals, assessments, and service reviews
• Participation in supervision, appraisals, training, and team development activities

Flexibility, initiative, and a collaborative approach are essential to ensure effective service delivery and support for both clients and colleagues.

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

The ideal candidate will have lived experience of mental health care pathways, including emergency department attendance, acute admissions, and community mental health services, alongside a solid understanding of the issues affecting individuals with a range of mental health conditions. They will be able to communicate effectively and provide support with dignity and respect, forming and sustaining trusting relationships with service users, carers, peer support workers, and professionals.

Strong listening and verbal communication skills are essential to engage appropriately with service users in crisis, colleagues, and external agencies, both in person and over the phone. Knowledge of recovery tools, local mental health and wellbeing support, and the ability to assess needs, risks, and aspirations to provide appropriate signposting are required. The candidate will demonstrate strong prioritisation, time management, and the ability to work dynamically under pressure. Proficiency in IT, including MS Word, Outlook, and internet functions, as well as good literacy and numeracy skills to produce clear written correspondence, is expected. They will have a sound understanding of safeguarding issues and the ability to address them appropriately, work effectively both independently and as part of a team, and support the induction of new peer staff and volunteers. Strong communication, partnership building, and interpersonal skills are essential.

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect:

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed. We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.

Work Pattern: AdHoc (Not fixed work pattern, Bank Holiday inclusive in holiday allowance) Part-time, Permanent Full Time Equivalent Salary: 29,097.06