PEER SUPPORT WORKER - INTENSIVE TEAM

Application Deadline: 26 September 2025

Department: Operations

Employment Type: Permanent - Part Time

Location: NIHCSS Specialist Housing Related Support

Reporting To: Claire Woodcock

Compensation: £19,114 / year

Description

Do you have your own, personal, lived experience of mental health and/or using MH services? Lived experience relates to you and not caring for or supporting someone else. Are you good at engaging with, and supporting, others who are experiencing difficulties? 

NIHCSS value lived experience within our staffing teams, as it brings co-production of services to the heart of all we do. We want to be able to learn from you with your range of views and your experience of mental distress and how your life has been affected so you can inform and influence our service users from your Lived Experience perspective. 
Due to the promotion of the current post holder, we are now looking for a Peer Support Worker to join our amazing, dedicated Intensive team covering community clients in Norwich. You will support people who are going through a difficult time, drawing on your unique knowledge and personal insight to connect with others, by sharing your experiences and helping them discover the strengths and developing skills that will lead to wellness. This is only possible with the help of people like you! Your caseload will take you across the county so you must be able to drive and have access to a car that you are happy to use for work purposes. You’ll be working as part of a team with background support from a Peer Support Co-ordinator to offer both individual and group support, helping others on their own recovery journey. So what can we offer you in return? 

NIHCSS is an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.

Key Responsibilities

General· Act as a navigator supporting individuals to engage in the service, identify what they need and how they would like to progress· Develop specialist expertise to support individuals in areas such as: building hope and empowerment, developing self-management techniques, developing social connections, problem-solving and navigating / accessing services including statutory services, whilst drawing on your own lived experience where appropriate· Support individuals to increase their self-esteem, confidence and motivation and promote progress in their journey to recovery, drawing on own lived experience to help you do this.· Support people to develop coping and self-management techniques
Delivering Support
· Empower individuals to exercise choice and control, offering a person-centred service led by the wishes of the individuals you are working with.
· Promote engagement within the community as a key factor in recovery and self management
· Provide advice, guidance and support to individuals, drawing on own lived experience where appropriate
Communication/building & maintaining appropriate relationships
· Communicate effectively with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds and maintain positive and effective relationships with individuals, staff, the staff of other agencies and the local community· Be an expert navigator of local services and opportunities, helping to build and sustain relationships with agencies and professionals, promoting the service, sharing peer support and recovery principles and the Psychologically Informed Environment approach, and supporting individuals to access local services / opportunities as appropriate
· Extend the range of community opportunities for people by supporting community resources to improve accessibility and using peer support and lived experience of mental health to break down mental health stigma
· Support the maintenance of a database of community resources, used by staff and individuals to identify and access a range of opportunities to promote wellbeing and independence

Information/Record Keeping & IT
· Work with IT equipment and systems to ensure accurate and timely recording of service user data, accidents/incidents, as well as the use of shared electronic calendars and a lone worker safety system
· Maintain and build upon good working knowledge of IT, and to take full advantage of opportunities to use IT to progress the services we offer

Task planning, personal development & development of the service
· Work