Peer Mentor Engagement Co-ordinator
Role information pack
Our staff are our greatest asset, so we want to recruit talented people who can help us to make a real and lasting difference.
Swanswell’s Peer Mentor Engagement Co-ordinator is responsible for the co-ordination of Swanswell’s peer mentoring programme. This is an exciting opportunity to increase service user engagement within the service and support both current and ex-service users to learn and develop skills so they can change their lives and be happy and support other service users in their recovery journey. The role requires excellent communication skills and the ability and passion to connect with service users. The most important thing you will bring to this role is your desire and ability to make a positive difference to people’s lives.
The Peer Mentor Engagement Co-ordinator will support service users in their recovery from their substance and alcohol use by:
· Setting up and increasing engagement with peer mentor support groups
· Recruiting peer mentors
· Co-ordinating the induction and on-going support of peer mentors with support from and Operations Manager
· Promoting volunteer opportunities
· Promoting service user independence
· Co-ordinating a befriending scheme and match mentors with mentees
· Increasing service users engagement with their recovery journey
We’ll provide you with regular supervision sessions, giving you the opportunity to discuss your work with your supervisor.
Salary
This is a full-time post earning £24, 768
Hours of work
This post is for a 37 hour week. You’ll need to be able to adapt to meet the needs of the organisation, and some evening or weekend work may be required. Swanswell offers flexible working, subject to the needs of the business.
Annual leave
Swanswell’s holiday entitlement is 36 days per holiday year (28 days plus bank holidays and statutory public holidays). This will be a pro rata amount for part time and fixed term contract employees.
Transport
This role will require you to regularly travel in the community and other Swanswell offices, so a current driving licence and own transport would be an advantage.
· Co-ordinate the recruitment of service users into Swanswell’s peer mentoring programme.
· Develop and deliver the peer mentor training programme and increase the numbers of service users joining the scheme.
· Establish and maintain a network of peer mentors to enhance our services in Leicestershire and Rutland and Barnsley.
· Establish a structured pathway from which Peer mentors can become volunteers or access to paid employmet with Swanswell. This can be linked to the setting up of a user lead social enterprise to fund acrivities outside of core funding.
· To support and develope links and access to Mutual Aid within the community
· To ensure mentees are able to provide information and support to service users including service users to make empowered choices.
· Raise team members’ awareness of the role and function of peer mentors.
· To oversee the smooth running of the mentor/mentee relationship.
· To provide supervision to mentees.
· Work with the service user and other professionals to identify individual service user needs and ensure that an appropriate, purposeful programme of support and aftercare is prepared, implemented, recorded and regularly reviewed.
· Manage and attend appointments with peer mentors (this may be in community settings or the peer mentors home).
· Contribute to the initial and ongoing assessment (including risk assessment) of potential peer mentors.
· Liaise and cooperate with Swanswell team members, relevant professionals from employment, housing, health and social care agencies, the local community and relatives of the service user so that all appropriate resources are identified and used for the benefit of the service user.
· Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in accordance with organisational and national standards.
· Work effectively in partnership with other service providers (including Swanswell), to find solutions that will benefit the service user.
· Keep up-to-date with the latest developments in the field and contribute to the continuing development of Swanswell’s services.
· Maintain high standards of office security, confidentiality and administration. This includes ensuring the safe and secure keeping of files on Swanswell premises and any premises used by Swanswell.
· Carry out all aspects of the role cost effectively and in line with Swanswell’s policies, the requirement of funders and all relevant clinical standards/frameworks. You’ll need to consult appropriate sources of expertise where necessary.
· Take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of service users, relevant others (particularly children and vulnerable adults) and members of the community.
· To support Swanswells Lecistershire and Rutland recovery strategy
· Carry out other duties appropriate to the role, as necessary or requested.
Criteria
When filling in an application form for this role, please explain how you meet the criteria listed below. In your evidence of how you meet the criteria you could refer to experience in a similar role (or a related field), or relevant transferable skills that you have.
Qualifications and experience / Essential/desirable / Assessed by application form (A) or interview (I)Qualification or demonstrable relevant experience at NVQ Level 3 Advice and Guidance or Health and Social Care / Desirable / A
Experience / Essential/desirable / Assessed by application form (A) or interview (I)
Evidenced willingness to take part in proactive supportive activity for other people / Essential / A, I
Work with service users to support them to deal with the issues they face / Desirable / A,I
Previous experience as a peer mentor / Essential / A,I
Knowledge / Essential/desirable / Assessed by application form (A) or interview (I)
Evidence of a good knowledge and understanding of welfare benefits and housing related services / Desirable / A, I
Understanding of the recovery agenda and how peer mentoring and support fits into this / Essential / A, I
Understanding of community care issues / Desirable / A, I
Knowledge of harm reduction principles and practice / Desirable / A, I
Skills and competencies / Essential/desirable / Assessed by application form (A) or interview (I)
Leadership
Take responsibility for relations with external partners / Essential / A, I
Be part of the corporate entity through your communications and behaviour / Essential / A, I
Participate in multi-agency relationship building and working / Essential / A, I
Willingness and desire to work in an environment of continual change / Essential / A, I
Managing effectiveness
Ability to manage own time, prioritise activities, and maintain accountability for workload and clients / Essential / A, I
Maintain confidentiality of all data and information related to clients and business / Essential / A, I
Accurate record keeping / Essential / A, I
Ability to work non-judgementally / Essential / A, I
Awareness of range of cultural differences / Essential / A, I
Problem solving
Identify and be alert to risk; and manage contingency plans effectively / Essential / A, I
Ability to learn and apply theoretical knowledge in practical situations / Essential / A, I
Spot links between issues to solve a problem / Essential / A, I
Show creativity and innovation / Essential / A, I
Ability to make critical decisions in a timely, considered manner / Essential / A, I
Communication
Ability to engage fully with people / Essential / A, I
Set clear boundaries across relationships / Essential / A, I
Adopt a person-centred focus to communication / Essential / A, I
Team work
Participate and collaborate with internal and external teams / Essential / A, I
Liaise with other agencies to support service users / Essential / A, I
Proactive engagement with change, progressive concepts, openness to learn / Essential / A, I
IT
Good IT skills and ability to use MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) / Essential / A, I
Able to use a computerised client record database for case file management / Essential / A, I
Other
Able to travel independently, in a timely manner, within work area / Essential / A, I
How to apply
To apply for this role, you can visit our website http://www.swanswell.org/current-vacancies and apply online.
Alternatively, you can contact us (details below) to receive an application form in the post or by email.
Return your completed form to:
Business Resources
Swanswell
Suite 5, Hilton House
Corporation Street
Rugby, Warwickshire
CV21 2DN
Or by email to
To speak to someone about this role, email with your name, a contact phone number and which role you’re interested in and we’ll call you back. Alternatively, please call head office on 01788 559400.
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