Peer support worker jobs

The Peer Support In-Reach Service is a partnership between several local Minds. Senior Peer Support Workers and Peer Support Workers, who have direct lived experience of mental health issues, are working on in-patient wards in Croydon, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Wandsworth to provide recovery-focused peer support to people as they leave hospital and journey towards living independently in the community.

SEL Mind have a two vacancies for Peer Support Workers to join the team: one based in Lewisham and one in Greenwich.

You will use your lived experience whilst on the ward to help people build skills to manage their home and finances, connect with family and friends, pursue social or vocational interests, to get more involved in their local community and to stay physically and mentally well. Your support will be person-centred and may include mentoring, coaching, emotional support and facilitating access to community activities, practical support, work or study.

The role will be ward-based initially until the patient is ready for discharge; you will then work with them to develop their support plans and goals. You will support them with the transition into the community for up to 6 weeks, helping them to connect with community resources to ensure they are well-supported in the community and working towards their goals.

Successful applicants will be expected to undergo an Enhanced Level Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Closing date: Sunday 15th March (11:59pm)

Likely interview date: Week beginning 13th April

We encourage early applications as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications.

About Us

SEL Mind supports people with mental health problems and dementia in the boroughs of Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. We are proud of our diverse workforce and know that our organisation is made stronger by the variety of backgrounds, experience, and ideas within it. We promote a culture of inclusion and representation, and are working hard to build a workforce that even better reflects the communities we support.

SEL Mind is somewhere that you can be your authentic self without fear of discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, neurodivergence, gender, age, lived experience of mental health problems or anything else that’s part of who you are.

Read more about staff benefits and why staff love working here on our website.

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 Mental Health Service in Paddington.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

The primary purpose of this role is to deliver high-quality, person-centred support and targeted interventions to individuals experiencing mental health needs who would benefit from early intervention and preventative support. You will work alongside clients throughout their journey with the service, fostering independence and equipping them with the skills, confidence and resilience needed to manage their wellbeing effectively. All support and interventions will be delivered in line with organisational values, embracing the principles of recovery and co-production, and adhering to established policies, procedures and best practice guidelines.

What do I need to bring with me?

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.

We're looking for someone with lived experience of mental health care pathways and a strong understanding of the challenges faced by people with a range of mental health conditions. You'll be a confident communicator, able to build trust quickly, listen deeply and engage effectively with service users in crisis, carers and professionals across statutory and voluntary services. You'll be skilled at assessing needs and risks, identifying appropriate support and signposting options, and working within recovery-focused approaches. Calm under pressure, highly organised and able to prioritise competing demands, you'll combine strong IT, literacy and numeracy skills with a solid understanding of safeguarding. Just as importantly, you'll be a collaborative team player, capable of using your initiative, building partnerships and supporting the induction of new peer staff and volunteers.

Interview Steps

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.

We are a disability confident employer

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.

Safeguarding Statement

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.

Important Information for Candidates

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.