Mental health peer mentoring worker jobs in East of england
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Are you an experienced practitioner with a passion for empowering young people and making a difference?
At NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service), we are dedicated to making a lasting impact on the lives of children, young people, and adults at risk. We believe no child or young person should ever be alone or voiceless in the care system, in family court, or when decisions are being made about their future.
We are seeking an experienced and compassionate Senior Practitioner to join Project Unity England, working 28 hours per week. This is an exciting opportunity to deliver intensive, trauma-informed support to care-experienced young mothers who are pregnant or have recently given birth, helping families stay together and supporting young mothers to build positive futures.
About Project Unity England
Project Unity England is an innovative national initiative focused on improving outcomes for care-experienced young mothers and their children through collaborative, multi-agency working. The project aims to keep families together, strengthen service delivery, promote innovation and ensure that local needs are addressed effectively across England.
At the heart of Project Unity is a collaborative approach that brings together local authorities, health partners and community organisations to provide coordinated, community-focused support. By working closely with partner agencies, Project Unity helps ensure young mothers receive the right support at the right time, enabling them to make informed decisions and achieve the best possible outcomes for themselves and their children.
About the role
As a Senior Practitioner, you will manage a complex caseload, providing independent, rights-based advocacy and one-to-one support to care-experienced young mothers. Working autonomously while supported by the Project Coordinator, you will empower young mothers to understand their rights, navigate statutory processes and make informed decisions that help keep families safely together.
You will build trust, complete assessments, develop support plans and advocate on their behalf within multi-agency settings. You will work alongside social workers, midwives, health visitors and other professionals to ensure each young mother's voice is heard and represented.
Alongside direct casework, you will contribute to peer support groups, workshops and community-based activities that reduce isolation, build confidence and strengthen parenting skills. You will also play an important role in safeguarding, quality assurance and service development by maintaining high-quality records, producing case studies and identifying opportunities to improve local services.
This is a rewarding opportunity to make a tangible difference to the lives of care-experienced young mothers while working within an innovative, rights-based national programme.
About you
We are looking for someone who is passionate about supporting vulnerable young people and families. You will be confident working independently while building strong partnerships with professionals across health, social care and the voluntary sector.
You will have experience supporting families or parents with complex social care involvement and a sound understanding of safeguarding, risk assessment and relevant legislation. You will be an effective advocate with excellent communication skills, able to build trusting relationships while maintaining professional boundaries.
You will be organised, resilient and confident managing a demanding caseload, with strong analytical skills and the ability to make sound professional judgements in complex situations.
Above all, you will demonstrate NYAS's values of Collaboration, Accountability, Respect and Empowerment, sharing our commitment to ensuring children, young people and adults at risk have their voices heard.
How to Apply
Please apply via the the NYAS website. In your application, evidence using specific examples how your skills and experience meet the criteria in the person specification within the attached job description, including:
- Experience with vulnerable young people or families in a social care, advocacy or support setting
- Knowledge of legislation and policy relating to advocacy, safeguarding and children’s social care
- Excellent communication, organisational and report-writing skills, with sound professional judgement
Employee Benefits
We offer the following employee benefits:
- 26 days, increasing to 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time)
- Occupational sick pay (subject to completion of qualifying period)
- Enhanced pay for family friendly leave
- Free parking at some of our offices
- Employee assistance programme
- Group stakeholder pension scheme
- Access to BHSF health cash plan
- Cycle to work scheme
- Support and supervision from your line manager
- Learning and Development opportunities
Safeguarding and Compliance
NYAS operates robust safeguarding procedures, and internal candidates will be subject to references in line with our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. In accordance with UK immigration law, proof of eligibility to work in the United Kingdom will be required as part of the recruitment process. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications.
About NYAS
NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) is an established rights-based charity ensuring that children, young people, and adults across England and Wales are respected, represented and supported in expressing their views. We work with care-experienced people who are often reliant on statutory services, and our combination of social care and legal services places us in a unique position to ensure their voices are heard.
We are an equal opportunities employer and a Disability Confident Employer, guaranteeing an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria. We welcome applications from all individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or belief, or any other protected characteristic.
Registered Charity
101 - 500
At NYAS, we listen to what children, young people and vulnerable adults want. We empower them to have their voices heard.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
The Peer Recovery Worker will support people who are sleeping rough, at risk of rough
sleeping, or going through important stages in housing and recovery. The main purpose
of this role is to help reduce the harm caused by rough sleeping.
You will listen, build trust, give practical help and share clear information. You will help
people connect with the right support, including housing, health care, drug and alcohol
services, benefits advice, community groups, and services based at WSUP.
WSUP is not a drug and alcohol treatment provider, so this role does not involve
clinical treatment or specialist interventions. Instead, you will help people understand
their options, prepare for appointments, overcome barriers and stay connected with
services that can meet their needs.
You do not need to have all the answers.
We are looking for someone who is kind, reliable, calm and able to support people
without judgement. We welcome applications from people who have lived experience of homelessness,
addiction or recovery, and who feel ready to use that experience to support others
safely and positively.
Key Responsibilities
Engagement
- Build trusting and respectful relationships with people experiencing roughsleeping, homelessness, substance use, poor mental health or social isolation.
- Engage people in the Target Priority Group cohort through drop-ins, planned appointments, informal conversations and outreach.
- Provide emotional and practical support, listening and helping people feel heard.
- Use lived experience, where appropriate, to build connection, reduce stigma and inspire hope.
- Encourage people who may be unsure about housing, treatment or other support to explore their options at their own pace.
- Maintain contact during periods of disengagement, relapse, crisis or transition, within the boundaries of the role.
- Help people identify their own goals, strengths and next steps.
- Support or co-facilitate peer, recovery or wellbeing activities where appropriate.
Practical support and navigation
- Provide clear, accurate information about local treatment, health, housing, benefits and community services.
- Introduce people to co-located services at WSUP and help them understand what each service can offer.
- Provide warm handovers and accompany people to appointments where this is helpful, agreed and within the service plan.
- Help people with practical tasks such as phone calls, forms, identification, benefits enquiries and gathering information for appointments.
- Work closely with treatment, outreach, housing, health and other partners so that support is coordinated and responsibilities are clear.
- Advocate for people when stigma, exclusion or difficult processes create barriers to support.
- Support people at key transition points, including moving from the street into accommodation, leaving hospital, prison or treatment, or returning to services after disengagement.
- Help people connect with local groups, activities and community support that may improve wellbeing and reduce isolation.
Recording, safety and outcomes
- Record all contacts, actions, referrals, risks and outcomes accurately and promptly on WSUP's case management system.
- Complete triage/ONS4 wellbeing monitoring at the agreed stages.
- Complete ERSRAT monitoring across the newly registered guests, active caseload, including baseline information and follow-up reviews.
- Identify safeguarding concerns, immediate risks and changes in a person's situation, and report or escalate them without delay.
- Follow WSUP procedures on confidentiality, consent, information sharing, lone working, incidents, professional boundaries and health and safety.
- Contribute to support plans, case reviews and multi-agency discussions.
- Help collect guest feedback, case studies and evidence of outcomes, with appropriate consent.
Working with co-located services
- Welcome and introduce people to visiting and co-located professionals.
- Help guests prepare for conversations with treatment, housing, health, benefits and other services.
- Share relevant information in line with WSUP policies and procedures.
- Follow up agreed actions and help guests understand what will happen next.
- Avoid taking over duties that belong to specialist, statutory or treatment providers.
Person Specification
Essential skills & experience
- Experience of supporting people affected by homelessness, rough sleeping, substance use, poor mental health or other disadvantages.
- Ability to build trusting relationships with people who may have had poor experiences of services.
- Good listening, communication and practical problem-solving skills.
- Ability to explain information clearly and support people to make their own choices.
- Ability to work positively with colleagues, co-located services and external partners.
- Ability to maintain clear professional boundaries.
- Ability to recognise and respond to safeguarding and risk concerns.
- Ability to organise a varied workload and keep accurate records.
- Commitment to equality, inclusion and non-judgemental practice.
- Willingness to work flexibly, including outreach and occasional evening or weekend work where agreed.
Desirable skills & experience
- Personal lived experience of substance use, recovery, homelessness or related issues, with the ability to use this experience safely and appropriately.
- Peer mentor or peer support training or qualification.
- Experience of helping people access treatment, health, housing or community services.
- Knowledge of local services in Greenwich or South East London.
- Basic computer skills. Training and support can be provided.
Registered Charity
1 - 5
Our ambition is to prevent and ultimately end homelessness within our local community.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Do you want to support people with mental health issues in a moment of crisis?
Are you calm, non-judgemental and able to work effectively with people experiencing distress?
If you can embody our values of Hope, Courage, Togetherness, and Responsiveness, and want to help others build resilience and manage their wellbeing, we’d love to hear from you.
Peer Support Worker
Reference: 354
Responsible to: Peer Support Team Lead
Working hours: Full-Time, 37.5 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £25,233 per annum
Based: Waltham Cross + Herts Countywide travel required, depending on client need and waiting lists, with a focus on Waltham Cross and East Herts.
Another exciting role has become available within our Peer Support Service.
About the Peer Support Services
Our Peer Support Service started 14 years ago, Since then, we have seen our service grow and we now offer Peer Support across the whole of Hertfordshire. Peer Support is the key service most requested by people and we now offer this in all of our 7 Wellbeing Centres across Hertfordshire. HMN’s values of Hope, Courage, Togetherness and Responsive form the basis of all the work we do.
Hertfordshire Mind Network provide a range of training opportunities, including our Peer Support Academy. Working in co-production with clients, staff, volunteers and stakeholders, we were able to create our own Peer Support Charter Values and these values form the ethos we work within our peer support team and the 2 academy courses we run which are: The Foundations of Peer Support and Supporting Others in a Peer Way.
About the Role
The Peer Support service provide tailored, personalised support for someone’s individual needs. This includes using different tools and techniques to help an individual improve areas of their life they may be struggling with. This approach includes; Hope, Courage, Togetherness and Responsive. Peer Support is based on the recognition that there is no better person to support the path towards recovery, than someone who has walked a similar path as that person.
As a Peer Support Worker you will:
- Offer 1-1 peer support in Letchworth and within other HMN Wellbeing Centres across the County depending on client need and waiting lists
- You will help co-facilitate our online Peer Support Group
- Meet client need and work within this personalised approach
- Work with clients in the community, within their home, as well as in one of our Wellbeing Centres
- Support clients in a peer support way
- Play an integral role in instilling HMN’s values through our 1-1 and group support
- Play a key part in the development and delivery of our groups
- Always ensure the delivery of quality services
We offer:
- Annual leave entitlement of 25 days per year pro rata, rising in increments to a max. of 28 days after 5 years employment (plus 8 days Bank Holidays)
- An additional day of leave each year for your birthday following completion of probation period.
- Ongoing training relevant to your role.
- An Employee Assistance Programme.
- Health cover (after 6 months employment) – compensation payment for Optical, Dental, Chiropody and Therapy Treatments.
Being able to drive and having access to your own vehicle (or equivalent) is essential for this role.
Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 31 July 2026.
Interview dates will be confirmed
Please note: Due to high numbers of expected applicants, we may close this advert early.
N.B. Please quote reference number 354 when completing your application for this role.
Interested?
If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.
We welcome applications from all suitably-qualified candidates, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.
In addition, during the various stages of recruitment, specific measures can be taken to ensure equal opportunities for candidates with disabilities or special needs.
Hertfordshire Mind Network is committed to the Disability Confident and Mindful Employer charters. We actively recruit staff who have a lived experience of mental ill health. Our inclusive approach recognises the unique skills, knowledge, and perspectives that lived experience brings to our team.
No agencies please.
