Peer Support Worker

Make a difference in an important role using your own lived experience of mental health to support others in their journey!

Hours: 22.5 - 30 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Disclosure: This position is subject to a 26-week probationary period, Right to Work Check, satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS check and subsequent re-checks.

Actual Salary for hours worked:

22.5 hours is £15,926.13

30 hours is £21,234.85

Location: Darlington

Responsible to: Adult Services Manager at Darlington Mind and Peer Support Service Team Manager based within Teesside Mind

Closing date for applications is on: 5pm Tuesday 1 July 2025

Shortlisting is expected to be complete by 5pm Friday 4th July 2025

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an information session, on Tuesday 8 July 2025, 4.30pm 6pm. This session is optional. The session is to find out more about peer support, what the role entails and what Mind as an organisation has to offer.

Interviews are likely to be held on Monday 14 July 2025

About Peer Support

We describe peer support as when people with shared experiences connect to build safe, trusting and non-judgemental relationships through which they learn and grow together. Paid peer support workers in mental health settings have experience of mental health problems and accessing mental health services, and are employed, trained and supported to use their experiences to support others.

About This Role

Darlington Mind are really pleased to be recruiting a Peer Support Worker to a new role within our adult recovery-focused services in Darlington as part of the Tees Valley peer support service.

The role is part of Community Transformation work in the Tees Valley and will be part of an exciting new collaborative service in partnership with Teesside Mind (with similar roles) and with TEWV NHS Foundation Trust who will have peer workers in their Community Mental Health Teams.

Community Transformation is part of the NHS Long Term Plan and represents a shift in the way we deliver care. It considers the whole person, beyond their diagnosis, and what the whole system has to offer, including primary care, local authority, voluntary care sector, alongside families and friends. We are working together to ensure we collectively deliver trauma-informed, person-centred care to meet an individual s wide-ranging needs.

Role Purpose

You will work with individuals who have accessed adult day services within Darlington Mind and you will be an integrated and valued member of the wider team.

Drawing on your own experience of mental health problems, you will walk alongside others on their journey and will inspire hope and belief that recovery is possible.

You will listen non-judgementally to create safe spaces where people feel heard and approach the peer relationship with compassion and curiosity. You will recognise and value each person s strengths, diversity and expertise in themselves. You will be aware of the impacts of trauma and committed to the importance of working in ways which are sensitive to the needs of trauma survivors.

Important parts of this role also include working within the team to help people s voices be heard and to promote recovery values. You will be supported to challenge both individual and structural instances of stigma and discrimination related to mental health problems and other forms of exclusion.

At the start of the role, you will attend peer support training alongside other new team members from Mind and TEWV. This training is delivered by people with their own lived experience and experience working in peer roles.

Main Duties

Provide 1-1 peer support to people accessing the service

Hold and manage a caseload efficiently

Set up and facilitate peer support groups

Support service developments in the teams you work in

Work as part of a wider mental health recovery-based system to support involvement and participation of people with lived experience

Keep up to date records using online systems in line with policies and procedures

Manage your own diary (using Microsoft Outlook)

Person Specification

All criteria are essential or otherwise stated

Knowledge and Qualifications

Hold NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification, or have ability to work with information at this level and equivalent experience of providing peer support

Knowledge of mental health problems and mental health services

Knowledge of the Voluntary Sector and how it works with other Statutory and Non-statutory Services

Knowledge of CHIME model of care (desirable)

Safeguarding and safety planning practices

Knowledge of local services (desirable)

Experience

Personal experience of mental health problems and using mental health services

Recent experience of using own lived experience to support others, for example in a paid, volunteer or informal peer support role

Working in a community setting (desirable)

Working as part of a team

Skills and Competencies

Able to build trust and rapport both face to face and via telephone

Excellent communication and active listening skills

Able to share elements of own personal recovery journey in a way which is appropriate to the role and peer relationship

Able to set SMART goals where appropriate, plan and agree next steps and keep focus and motivation

Reflect on own practice and continuously develop own skills

Reflect on own needs to maintain wellbeing at work

Using IT, online and data management systems on an everyday basis

Manage own time effectively

Other and Personal Qualities

Be passionate and enthusiastic about empowering others to thrive and recover

Be able to inspire, motivate and instil hope in others

Caring, compassionate and person-centred approach

Commitment to Mind s values and objectives

Able to travel to a range of locations within each borough by own or by public transport

To find out more about the role, please contact Marcus Hawthorn at Darlington Mind.