4 Community peer recovery practitioners jobs

We’re looking for a compassionate and motivated Community Connector to join our GP Integrated Mental Health Service and Mental Health Integrated Community Service in Surrey Heath.

This is an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of local communities, supporting people with their mental health and wellbeing by helping them access the right support at the right time. Working alongside GPs, mental health practitioners, partner agencies and community organisations, you will provide timely assessments, brief psychosocial interventions and practical support that helps people build on their strengths, overcome barriers and connect with services, activities and networks that promote independence and recovery.

As part of Catalyst Support, you will be joining a Surrey charity committed to supporting wellness together through kindness, integrity and commitment. We are looking for someone who is confident working with people experiencing mental health challenges, able to build positive relationships with professionals and community partners, and passionate about making support more accessible, joined-up and person-centred.

Location: Surrey Heath
Salary: £30,280
Hours: 35 hours across Monday to Friday
Contract type: Permanent

Key responsibilities:

To work jointly with the Mental Health Practitioner in conducting assessments, including risk assessment, and to work with patients to support them in identifying their socially determined needs and goals, provide self-management tools and facilitate the development of personal support plans

• To provide a range of motivational and structured psychosocial interventions
• To promote independence through an enabling asset-based approach that draws on individuals’ strengths, preferences and ‘natural’ support networks
• To establish effective working relationships with a range of agencies to facilitate a ‘joined up’ approach to support plans
• To liaise with, develop and maintain good relations with GPs, practice managers and other health practitioners across mental health and physical health pathways and wider support networks
• To provide continuity throughout recovery; engaging the patient with key services such as Safe Havens, accessing CMHRS, and providing support for those engaged with and leaving CMHRS, and linking into local wellbeing services and activities
• To co-ordinate and support patients to access a range of community services such as wellbeing services, housing providers, family and carer support services, debt and employer advisors where appropriate
• To assist with community resource mapping exercises and maintain a database of community resources; map where there are gaps in provision across the PCN and wider geography and work with other VCS organisations to develop resources where most needed
• To promote and support (where necessary) advised follow up actions from physical health checks for people with serious mental illness
• To support patients to engage with local peer support workers and volunteering services
• To support and supervise any peer support workers linked to PCN
• To work with the service to identify opportunities to expand provision particularly in local communities where there is a lack of service provision identified
• To broker and establish new partnerships between public and voluntary sector agencies to enhance service delivery and access to services
• To develop and sustain professional relationships with service users, partner agencies and appropriate external agencies
• To complete locally agreed quality outcome measures, with patients and to undertake regular reviews
• You may be required to cover duties not listed within this job description.

About the organisation

Through Community, Specialist and Outreach services, we support recovery, mental health, and wellbeing—together, every step of the way.

 About you

Essential:

• A diploma or degree in an appropriate subject, e.g. counselling, psychology, social work, probation, mental health, or Health and Social Care Level 3; and/or a minimum of two years’ community experience in drug, alcohol or mental health work.
• Understanding and ability to work to confidentiality, consent, information sharing and safeguarding policies within an integrated service.
• Good communication and written skills, with a commitment to accurate and confidential record keeping.
• Ability to interact effectively with the client group, colleagues and other professionals while maintaining clear boundaries.
• Ability to break down stigma and barriers associated with working with the client group.
• Understanding of the issues and needs of the client group.
• Knowledge and understanding of community working and lone working, with the ability to maintain safety while working in the community.
• Ability to work to all policies, procedures and standards of the service and joint-working arrangements with key partners.
• Good understanding of personal limitations, with the ability to identify when to seek advice and support and deal with emotionally challenging issues objectively and professionally.
• Ability to manage challenging behaviour, anger and verbal aggression from patients.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel.
• Ability to enter data onto a database as required by the service.
• Demonstrates Catalyst’s values of kindness, commitment and integrity.
• Ability to maintain equal opportunity standards at all times.
• Ability to be resilient when working with the client group, while demonstrating compassion and willingness to go the extra mile.
• Ability to maintain respect for the client group, peers and partners.
• Adaptable to change.
• Dynamic and self-motivated.
• Proactive, motivated and energetic.
• Ability to work calmly in a challenging environment.
• Capacity to innovate and work flexibly on own initiative as well as part of a team.
• Commitment to developing skills and knowledge through ongoing learning and development.
• Ability to work flexibly across operational hours.
• Ability to work to the policies, procedures and standards of the charity.

Desirable

• If holding a professional qualification, maintain up-to-date professional registration, e.g. BACP, HCPC, BPS or recognised equivalent.

Benefits

• 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing with service)
• Pension scheme and access to Simply Health (including optical, dental, counselling sessions)
• Birthday leave, employee discounts, and flexible working where possible
• Supportive probation, sick pay after probation, and wellbeing/EAP resources

Safeguarding & Checks

• This role is subject to a basic DBS check.
• A past history of drug/alcohol issues or criminality will not necessarily exclude you from this role; we encourage applications from people with lived experience where appropriate.
• All applicants must have a valid right to work in the UK

Catalyst Support is an equal opportunities employer. We celebrate difference and are committed to fairness, accessibility, and inclusion throughout recruitment and employment.

We welcome requests for reasonable adjustments at any stage of the process.

Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

About the role 

This role sits within Women and Girls Network’s Intake Service and provides high-quality, trauma-informed and survivor-led support to women and girls affected by Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

As an Advice Hub & Sexual Violence Helpline Practitioner, you will be a key first point of contact for survivors, providing one-off and short-term support through WGN’s Advice Hub and Sexual Violence Helpline. You will offer practical advice, advocacy, emotional support, risk and needs assessment, and safety planning via telephone and webchat.

You will also contribute to WGN’s Emotional Support & Resiliency programme, provide specialist guidance to professionals, and help ensure the continued development of accessible, survivor-centred services.

Job description 

As the Advice Hub & Sexual Violence Helpline Practitioner, you will:

• Deliver one-off and short-term support, advocacy, information and safety planning to survivors via telephone and webchat.
• Undertake risk and needs assessments and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns.
• Deliver structured emotional support sessions for survivors of sexual violence.
• Provide specialist advice and consultation to professionals supporting survivors of VAWG.
• Support survivors to understand their rights, options and available services.
• Work within an intersectional, feminist, anti-oppressive and trauma-informed framework.
• Contribute to the effective delivery, development and promotion of the Advice Hub and Sexual Violence Helpline services.
• Maintain accurate records, monitoring information and partnership relationships to support high-quality service delivery.

Closing date and interviews

This vacancy will close at 23:59pm on Thursday 8 October 2026. Interviews will take place shortly thereafter, and shortlisted candidates will be notified of the arrangements.

We encourage early applications, as we reserve the right to close the vacancy before the advertised closing date should we receive a high volume of applications or identify a suitable candidate.

Interviews may be conducted either in person or remotely, depending on panel availability and logistical requirements.

About us 

Women and Girls Network (WGN) is a pan-London organisation that supports women and girls affected by all forms of gendered-based violence. Our overall aim is to promote, preserve and restore the mental health and well-being of women and girls who have experienced, or are at risk of, gendered-based violence, whilst working towards a society free of gendered-based violence.

We do this by:

• Providing women-only holistic and seamless therapeutic services, which meet women and girls’ needs and contribute to total and sustainable recovery from the experiences of violence.
• Evidencing the impact of gendered-based violence and presenting this information in appropriate forums to affect social change in attitudes towards, and responses to, gendered-based violence.
• Developing good practice in the sector by providing training and guidance on specialist service provision and the development of culturally appropriate service delivery.

WGN is proud to be an accredited Living Wage Employer and a member of The London VAWG Consortium, Halo Code, and Helplines Partnership.

Join us and be part of a team that values your well-being, growth, and contribution.

Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

We are deeply committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity, resilience and strength of the women and girls we serve. We strongly encourage applications from Black and Global Majority women and applicants with Lived Experience, including those who may not meet every criterion.

WGN is an equal opportunities employer.

Exemption

This post is exempt under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1, and is open to female applicants only, due to the nature of the role.

What we offer

At Victim Support we believe in attracting & retaining the best people and offer a competitive rewards & benefits package including:

• Flexible Working Options: Including hybrid working.
• Generous Annual Leave: 28 days plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 33 days plus Bank Holidays, with options to buy or sell annual leave.
• Birthday Leave: An extra day off for your birthday.
• Pension Plan: 5% employer contribution.
• Enhanced Allowances: Enhanced sick pay, maternity, and paternity payments.
• Exclusive Discounts: High Street, retail, holiday, gym, entertainment, and leisure discounts.
• Financial Wellbeing: Access to our financial wellbeing hub and salary-deducted finance.
• Wellbeing Support: Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support.
• Inclusive Networks: Access to EDI networks and colleague cafes.
• Sustainable Travel: Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loans.
• Career Development: Ongoing training and support with opportunities for career progression.

About the role