(Part-time) Peer Support Worker – Service User Network (SUN)

Job overview

Do you have lived experience of Personality Disorder, are passionate about supporting others with similar experiences through inspiring hope for the future? Then this role is for you.

We are recruiting for a Peer Support Worker to join the Service User Network (SUN) within Oxford Health, Buckinghamshire. This vacancy is an excellent opportunity for people with lived experience of difficulties commonly associated with Personality Disorders. Peer Support Workers (PSW’s) are people who have their own lived experience of mental health challenges. They use empathy informed by their own experiences to support service users who are accessing mental health services and their families.

The SUN Peer Support Worker will be working closely with mental health practitioners to deliver regular SUN groups in different community-based locations across Buckinghamshire.

The SUN is an initiative aimed at improving services for people with personality disorders. It provides community-based, open access peer support groups

SUN employs therapeutic community principles, which include engaging group members in the running, delivery, development and evaluation of the service. The utilisation of SUN members’ own resources and expertise is integral to the model of peer support upon which the SUN groups are based.

SUN facilitators will have regular supervision and support in this role, including access to a peer support network and appropriate training.

Main duties of the job

• Use your own lived experience of Personality Disorder (or associated difficulties) to inspire hope, drawing on empathy and understanding informed by your own experiences to support those accessing services.
• Co-facilitate SUN peer support groups, offer empathy, empower group members, encouraging them to build their own support networks and resources.
• Support engagement of new members or those considering joining SUN or group based services by offering engagement calls where a need for this has been identified.
• Reduce stigma by role-modelling recovery journeys and challenging discrimination with compassion.

The primary base for the role is The Whiteleaf Centre in Aylesbury, but you will be expected to work across multiple venues across Buckinghamshire, so the ability to travel independently between sites within the Trust is essential for this role.

Is this right for me?

The role as a peer support worker within SUN is a demanding role working with service users who may at times be distressed and/or presenting with risk behaviours.

If you are thinking of applying, we strongly recommend reading the attached document entitled 'Things to consider before you apply'. This document will help you understand more about your readiness for the role so you can make an informed decision if the job is right for you.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the job description and person specifications attached for further information on this role.

This job purpose is not exhaustive and there may be additional duties associated with the ongoing development of the wider Personality Disorder pathway and Primary Care Mental Health Hub which will be negotiated as required with the line manager.

We hope that the advert has given you a clear understanding of the skills we are seeking and the opportunity at hand. You will need to use the “supporting statement” element of your application form to demonstrate your suitability for this role and you should refer to the job description, person specification and the guidance notes attached to this role to help you tailor your application.

The essential and desirable criteria will be used to shortlist for interview, and you should ensure that you refer to these within your application to increase your chances of being selected for interview.

We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their application. We kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of their experience and must take care to ensure the use of AI tools does not generate an application that does not accurately reflect their knowledge, skills and values.

Due to the nature of this role and the need to maintain appropriate therapeutic and professional boundaries within a small specialist service, applicants should not be actively accessing or receiving ongoing support from the Buckinghamshire SUN Service at the point of offer.