Mental health peer mentoring worker jobs in East of england

About Us

The Comedy School draws on the power of comedy to improve wellbeing across community, health, education and criminal justice settings. Since 1998, we have co-designed and delivered workshops, courses and training projects that build confidence, resilience and life skills for socially isolated and vulnerable people. We have worked with individuals with mental health conditions in collaboration with South London and Maudsley Recovery College for 15 years, and in 2023 expanded this work to veterans in partnership with London’s NHS Veterans Mental Health Services. Our Comedy for Veterans programme delivers evidence-based interventions that improve confidence, connections, wellbeing and sense of purpose.

Purpose of Role: The Veterans’ Worker will lead on outreach and peer support within the Comedy for Veterans Project, with a specific focus on engaging veterans from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds, and other communities underrepresented in traditional support pathways. The role aims to ensure inclusive participation, support mental wellbeing, and sustain long-term engagement with the project.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Lead outreach and engagement efforts to promote the Comedy for Veterans Project, focusing on building trust and participation among veterans from Black, ethnic minority, and underserved communities.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with veteran organisations, community groups, and stakeholders to enhance referrals, collaboration, and community presence.
• Provide peer support and mentoring to veterans enrolled in the project, encouraging sustained participation, confidence-building, and shared learning.
• Identify and address participation barriers, including logistical, emotional, or wellbeing challenges, and signpost to appropriate services when needed.
• Support the delivery of workshops and events, working closely with facilitators to ensure activities are inclusive, accessible, and responsive to participants’ needs.
• Collaborate with staff and partners to monitor progress, share relevant participant insights (within confidentiality boundaries), and contribute to a safe, trauma-informed environment.
• Document attendance, feedback, and outcomes for evaluation purposes, and report on engagement levels and project impact.

Essential Criteria: 

• Proven experience in outreach, peer support, mentoring, or community engagement—ideally with veterans or marginalised groups.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport across diverse social, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Understanding of mental health and wellbeing, including challenges commonly faced by veterans, and the confidence to respond supportively.
• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures, confidentiality protocols, and maintaining professional boundaries when working with vulnerable adults.
• Ability to work independently and manage time, alongside a flexible approach to group dynamics, changing needs, and varying energy levels.
• Commitment to inclusion and accessibility, with sensitivity to the social, cultural, and structural barriers some veterans may face.

Desirable: 

• Background in social work, community organising, mental health support, or creative arts facilitation.
• Certification in Mental Health First Aid or equivalent.
• Understanding of trauma-informed approaches in community and learning settings.

Security Checks: Enhanced DBS clearance required and project specific security checks maybe required.

This post is funded by the Veterans’ Foundation

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: 355
Responsible to: Senior Centre Support Worker – Social Support
Working hours: Full-Time, 37.5 hours per week
Contract: 1 year fixed (subject to extension)
Salary: £25,233 per annum
Based: St Albans, Stevenage or Hatfield

About the Service

The Social Support service delivers flexible and person-centred support across our Wellbeing Centres in St Albans, Hatfield, and Stevenage. The service is designed to respond to the individual needs of clients, supporting people to improve their wellbeing, build confidence, reduce feelings of isolation, and access community services and resources.

About the Role

The role involves managing a one-to-one client caseload while contributing to the delivery of Social Support Groups. Through personalised support, the post holder will offer emotional support and empower individuals to focus on what matters most to them, working towards meaningful and achievable changes in in their lives.

As a Peer Support Worker you will:

• Offer 1-1 support in St Albans, Hatfield and Stevenage, and within other HMN Wellbeing Centres across the County depending on client need and waiting lists
• Deliver Social Support Groups within our Wellbeing Centres
• Work with clients to identify their individual needs and support them through a personalised, person-centred approach
• Support clients in a variety of settings, including within the community, their home, and our Wellbeing Centres
• Play an integral role in embedding HMN’s values through our 1-1 and group support
• Play a key part in the development and delivery of our groups
• Ensure the consistent delivery of a high quality, responsive service that promotes wellbeing and positive outcomes for clients

The successful candidate will have a great understanding and proven skills of delivering mental health services, proven skills around working with adults with mental health needs, an understanding of the relationship between mental health and social issues and how these issues may impact on physical, mental and emotional wellbeing and Significant proven knowledge of models and services to meet the needs of adults with mental health needs. They will also have experience of working in both group settings and 1:1 and creating and reviewing dynamic risk assessments and support plans.

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 4th September 2026.
Interviews will be held at our St Albans Wellbeing Centre on 24th and 25th September 2026.
Please note: Due to high numbers of expected applicants, we may close this advert early.
N.B. Please quote reference number 355 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.

As a Service Manager, you will lead the day-to-day delivery and ongoing development of the Newham Together Cafe, ensuring the service provides safe, high-quality, recovery-focused support to people experiencing or approaching a mental health crisis.

What you'll do 

• Lead the operational delivery and development of the service, ensuring it meets contractual requirements, quality standards and the needs of the local community
• Provide effective leadership, line management, supervision and support to staff and volunteers, promoting a positive, inclusive and high-performing team culture
• Monitor service performance, outcomes, capacity, safeguarding and risk, using data and feedback to drive continuous improvement and ensure effective service delivery
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with NHS services, commissioners, local authorities and community organisations, representing the service at partnership meetings and multi-agency forums.

Please see the job pack for more information. 

The arts for mental health – peer support delivered creatively

Sound Minds is a user-led charity transforming lives through music, film and art. We are a thriving community bound together by creativity and a shared belief in mutual learning and peer support.

Main purposes of the job:

Sound Minds is recruiting a Head of Operations to join our team in Wandsworth.

The Head of Operations is a member of the senior leadership team at Sound Minds and leads the management and day-to-day operations of a vibrant community premises.

Sound Minds is in a period of review and consolidation, following growth of its programmes and having secured Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation status. The Head of Operations will further develop and implement robust systems to support this growth and the charity’s future aims.

The role leads on all operational, health and safety, premises, IT, systems, human resources, evaluation, and reporting activity. The Head of Operations manages the delivery of Sound Minds’ Peer Support service and will act as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead. They deputise for the CEO as required.

They will assist the CEO on maintaining key relationships with external stakeholders and external communications.

Sound Minds is a creative place, and the Head of Operations will need a passion for organisation and administration.

Salary: £42,833 per annum(pro rata) & 3% contribution to pension

Hours: 28 hours per week

This fixed term contract ends on 16th June 2030 and is renewable depending on funding.

Strong IT skills are essential for this role. You will be required to have a DBS (criminal records check) and satisfactory written references before starting.

The full job description and application pack are available from Sound Minds’ website.

Closing date: 10:00am, Monday 7th September 2026

First interviews: Friday 18th September 2026

Spectra is looking for a Research and Community Development Coordinator to join our growing Sex Worker Support Service.

Spectra is a health and wellbeing not-for-profit with a strong LGBTQ+ heritage. We design and deliver programmes for people from marginalised communities, including LGBTQ+ communities, particularly trans and gender diverse communities, sex worker communities, young people, and people living with and affected by HIV. Our work includes sexual health programmes, HIV and STI testing and outreach, counselling, advocacy, peer support and mentoring. 

Our Sex Worker Support Service has grown significantly since it was formed in 2023, and we are now looking for someone who can support the next stage of its development through community engagement, partnership work, participatory research and shared learning.

About the role

This role will support the ongoing development of Spectra’s Sex Worker Support Service by working closely with the Head of Sex Worker Support Services and the wider team. The postholder will help develop collaborative working with community and grassroots organisations, experts by experience, statutory agencies and other stakeholders.

You will lead on developing projects that support cross-community development in the sex worker support sector across London. This will include building external partnerships, helping to develop training, and supporting Spectra to play a positive and useful role in the wider sector. 

The role will also involve recruiting for and facilitating community participatory research projects and focus groups, contributing to data analysis and report writing, and sharing learning with colleagues and external stakeholders. The postholder will also occasionally contribute to outreach sessions and community support training, to build a direct understanding of the needs of the sex workers we work with.

Key areas of work

In this role, you will:

• Support the development of collaborations with agencies, grassroots organisations, collectives and experts by experience.
• Assist with the production of peer-led needs assessments and reliable, usable data and research. 
• Facilitate regular community participatory groups with service users and share learning with colleagues. 
• Create and distribute a monthly newsletter to stakeholders.
• Coordinate training opportunities and awareness-raising sessions with external organisations, delivering training alongside the Head of Service and/or other colleagues.
• Assist with funding proposals and applications. 
• Contribute to monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
• Help create, review and monitor resources for service users. 
• Work with Spectra colleagues and external partners to increase community engagement and develop resources for service users.

About you

We are looking for someone who is organised, thoughtful and community-minded, with good communication skills and a strong commitment to the rights and wellbeing of people from marginalised backgrounds.

You will have lived experience of sex work or transactional sex, or substantial experience working in trusted, peer-led sex worker support settings. Spectra delivers this service using a peer-led model, and lived experience is considered essential to this role because it supports trust-building, meaningful engagement, culturally competent service delivery, and the development of services that reflect the needs and experiences of sex workers and people engaged in transactional sex. 

You will also bring experience of developing good working relationships with stakeholders while maintaining professional boundaries, and experience of community research projects, data analysis and report writing.

We would particularly welcome applications from people who have experience of direct work within sex work community projects, online or in-person group facilitation, and/or knowledge of community participatory research methods.

About Spectra

Spectra’s values shape how we work, how we support one another, and how we work with the communities we serve. Our values are grounded in lived experience and reflect our commitment to equity, care and collaboration. We aim to be inclusive, supportive, emotionally aware, accessible, anti-oppressive, lived experience-centred and community-driven. 

We strive to provide a strong and supportive working environment for our staff team, many of whom have lived experience and are from the communities we serve.

How to apply

To apply, please complete the application form and return it by Thursday 3 September at 9am.

Interviews will take place in person on Monday 14 September.

Job Title: Community Engagment Lead

Location: Lambeth, London
Salary: £25,107.11 per annum (Inclusive of London Weighting, which may not be applicable depending on your home location and any agreed permanent homeworking arrangement)
Contract type: Permanent, Part Time

Hours: 27 hours per week (days to be discussed)

The successful candidate will lead on mapping services in the Borough; forming partnerships with statutory and voluntary agencies based on identified needs of the service to enhance and extend multi-disciplinary knowledge available at and through the Gaia Centre.

The post holder will be responsible for managing relationships with partner agencies and coordinating co-locations within the Gaia service as well as negotiating for staff from the service to co-locate with partner agencies.

You will build capacity for a community response to meet the needs of survivors of VAWG by drawing on the expertise of other specialist and by-and-for service providers, such as those working with LGBTQ+ victim/survivors, disabled victim/survivors or victim/survivors of so-called ‘honor’-based violence in order to provide a wraparound support as part of a broader service offer.

The post holder will also support a team of the Peer Support Mentors and volunteers who will be leading on some practical aspects of individual and group support for survivors accessing the Gaia Centre.

The successful candidate will be skilled at working with a diverse range of audiences and will be adept at creating and developing new partnerships and pathways that contribute towards coordinated community response and improve the lives of survivors of domestic abuse and gender-based violence.

The post holder will also have experience of developing teams and supervising people.

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

Closing Date: 09:00am on 7 September 2026

Interview Date: 14 and 16 September 2026