Peer Support Lead
Job Description
Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity for a Peer Support Lead to join Aneurin Bevan's Mental Health & Learning Disabilities Division on a 12-month maternity cover basis.
The successful candidate will be competently experienced in peer support work and have the necessary skills, values and experience to lead peer support practice and supervise peers across community & in-patient settings.
You'll be required to undertake development of the peer support strategy in line with current frameworks ensuring required training and support is in place, whilst being able to persuade project boards, and staff the importance of the peer support project for Health Board wide expansion to provide equity of service provision.
The role requires communicating sensitive information about performance and service change; incorporating formal presentations to large groups (e.g. 3rd sector partners, executive board, heads of service and Welsh Government) alongside developing a clear and accessible peer support pathway that will support new peer support workers and volunteers in the future.
Please note only candidates who have their own living and lived experience of mental health challenges and/or learning disabilities will be eligible for shortlisting. Therefore, please make explicit reference to this within your written application in order to be shortlisted for this role.
Main duties of the job
The peer support lead will:
- Show an awareness of the needs of individuals who may vulnerable and their networks and communicate in a way that engages them in the project (e.g. supporting individuals in co-production).
- Establish networks and partnerships with other agencies for collaborative working, demonstrating a hopeful and positive approach to mental health, neurodiversity and learning disabilities.
- Build and develop key relationships across the Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Division to enable support and ongoing development of the peer support project, developing and delivering training, in a variety of settings to a range of audiences.
- Provide leadership and management for the Peer Support Development Team and lived experience associated projects, supporting and monitoring progress of the projects within team and across ABUHB.
- Ensure the comprehensive provision of a cost effective, appropriate, and responsive peer service to service users with complex mental health and/or learning disability needs and wider as the service develops across the Health Board.
- Work closely with other staff within the Division to drive forward peer support/lived experience initiatives to ensure consistency and equality in Mental Health and Learning Disabilities services and wider as the service develops.
- Develop and coordinate a multi-professional approach to peer support for all those who use the service.
About us
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board is a multi-award-winning NHS organisation with a passion for caring. The Health Board provides an exceptional workplace where you can feel trusted and valued. Whatever your specialty or stage in your career, we have opportunities for everyone to start, grow and build your career. The health board provides integrated acute, primary and community care serving a population of 650,000 and employing over 16,000 staff.
We offer a fantastic benefits package and extensive training and development opportunities with paid mandatory training, excellent in-house programmes, opportunities to complete recognised qualifications and professional career pathways including a range of management development programmes. We offer flexible working and promote a healthy work life balance, provide occupational health support and an ambitious plan for a Wellbeing Centre of Excellence to support you at work.
Our Clinical Futures strategy continues to enhance and promote care closer to home as well as high quality hospital care when needed. Join us on our journey to pioneer new ways of working and deliver a world-class healthcare service fit for the future.
Job responsibilities
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.
This post is fixed term for 12 months due to - meet the needs of the service
Person Specification
Qualifications and/or Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist project knowledge to Postgraduate degree level or equivalent experience (e.g. PRINCE2 Practitioner or AgilePM Practitioner).
- Successful completion of accredited Peer Support Worker/Peer Support training. (E.g. ImROC Peer Support Training, Intentional Peer Support Training, Growing Space Peer Support Training).
- Knowledge and experience working within mental health and/or learning disabilities teams alongside individuals with lived experience of mental health difficulties and/or learning disabilities.
- Specialist knowledge of peer support and experience of having worked with peer support workers.
- Knowledge and understanding of recovery-focused and person-centred services including best practice related to recovery focused care.
Desirable
- Knowledge and understanding of young people's mental health Inc. peer support.
- ILM 7
- ASIST Trainer or MHFA Trainer.
- Formal qualification ICDL (International Certification of Digital Literacy) formally ECDL.
Experience
Essential
- Lived experience of mental health challenges and/or learning disabilities and of using MHLD services.
- Experience of working in the field of Mental Health and/or Learning Disabilities.
- Evidence of people management.
- Experience of meeting key operational targets.
- Experience of audit, service evaluation and/or research.
- Experience of delivering training and presentations.
- Experience of and commitment to co-production
- A clear focus to independently develop and achieve objectives and work plans either independently or within a team.
- Experience of managing a team and leading others.
- Experience of offering specialist support via sharing experiences of receiving, sharing, and utilising therapeutic interventions and strategies and personal expertise in achieving and maintaining recovery.
- Experience in managing resources e.g. financial, stock, equipment etc.
Desirable
- Experience of working in a Peer Supporting role.
- Knowledge of the Mental Health Acts and other legislation affecting service delivery.
- Experience of developing and implementing strategic plans at service level.
- Experience of working in the public sector.
Aptitude and Abilities
Essential
- Autonomous practitioner with self-management skills. Ability to work autonomously under own initiative with minimal supervision.
- Excellent written, verbal, and non-verbal communication skills including the ability to author concise reports and business cases.
- Ability to use local health board IT systems and other computer packages relevant to the role. (E.g. Microsoft 365, Canva, Zoom).
- Able to present information effectively to individuals and large groups.
- Highly tuned interpersonal skills and experienced at building relationships and working with a varied audience.
- Ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships with all members of multi-disciplinary teams.
- Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to work with vulnerable young people who may lack confidence.
- Ability to deal with highly complex issues across the organisation.
- Ability to respond swiftly and prioritise work as demands, and agendas change. Ability to prioritise quickly and accurately.
- Ability to manage and account for own time, demonstrating flexibility in adjusting schedule according to demands as they arise.
- Ability to be understanding of the impact of stigma and discrimination.
- Ability to challenge stigma and discrimination as appropriate with informed reasoning aligning to the evidence-base.
- Advanced reasoning/problem solving skills.
- Ability to use advanced computer/keyboard skills for data input and report writing.
- Able to motivate, stimulate and inspire other staff.
Desirable
- Ability to speak Welsh.
- Ability to chair meetings and facilitate groups of people.
Values
Essential
- Be understanding and compassionate towards others including vulnerable young people.
- Demonstrate a positive approach to mental health and learning disabilities including recovery and wellbeing.
- To be person centred and value individual's key strengths.
- Confidence using a range of ...
