Band 4 Peer Support Worker (Complex Emotional Needs) – Bristol

Band 4 Peer Support Worker (Complex Emotional Needs) – Bristol

Part‑time (22.5 hours per week) position requiring work on Tuesdays and Fridays. Contract: Permanent. Grade: 4. Pay: £28,392 – £31,157 per annum, pro-rated. Location: Petherton Resource Centre, South Bristol.

Job Overview

Peer Support Workers (PSWs) in the Complex Emotional Needs Service (CEN) use their lived experience of mental health challenges, particularly personality disorder, to inspire hope and recovery in service users. PSWs build reciprocal relationships, promote choice, self‑determination and facilitate the achievement of service users’ individual goals. The post requires empathy, compassion, patience and a calm professional response to distress and unpredictability.

Right to Work in the UK This position is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already hold the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application. The organisation is unable to support sponsorship for this post.

Main Duties

As an integral member of the multidisciplinary community team, PSWs are responsible for:

• Delivering peer support, including 1:1 support, co‑delivering therapeutic and training groups, and attending supervision groups.
• Contributing to assessment, planning, delivery and review of activities and interventions against identified health, social and wellbeing needs for an allocated caseload.
• Actively participating in service-user and carer involvement work, gathering and feeding back feedback, encouraging involvement and co‑creating within service developments.
• Co‑facilitating therapeutic group work, delivering self‑help groups, and leading sessions where appropriate.
• Assisting individuals in completing forms or letters, such as housing benefits applications, and contacting employment or education advisors.
• Providing emotional support, motivation, encouragement, and information on maintaining physical health, rights under the Mental Health Act and other relevant legislation.
• Building hope, ensuring relationships acknowledge each person’s journey, and focusing on strengths and aspirations to create meaningful personal recovery plans.
• Communicating effectively with individuals, carers, team members and other agencies, and accessing translation and interpreting services when required.
• Working collaboratively with service users and carers to manage mental health needs within personal recovery and relapse‑prevention strategies.
• Carrying out risk assessments, crisis management, rapid response plans, and reporting appropriately during crises.
• Supporting individuals with sensitivity to age, culture, race, gender, ethnicity, social class or disability, adjusting behaviours to optimise the helping relationship.
• Promoting the rights of individuals and reporting discriminatory behaviour in line with legislation.
• Developing skills for self‑management of health in line with recovery plans, using affirming, strength‑based approaches and incremental steps toward goals.
• Facilitating peer support groups, educational workshops, and group work that promote independence and confidence.
• Maintaining caseload records and prioritising workload effectively.
• Participating in safeguarding processes and reporting signs of self‑harm or external harm to appropriate agencies.
• Continuously developing professional knowledge, engaging with supervision, feedback and training to improve practice.
• Monitoring and maintaining health, safety, and security for self and others.
• Maintaining accurate, confidential records, writing reports, letters, and submitting documentation within agreed timeframes.
• Co‑ordinating with local arrangements to ensure consistent care across the local geography.

Education and Qualifications

• Evidence of continuing professional and personal development.
• Completion or willingness to undertake Health Education England Peer Support Worker training.
• NVQ Level 3 Health and Social Care, or equivalent knowledge and experience.
• Relevant training or qualifications completed in a mental health setting.
• NHS Care Certificate.
• Training in allied fields such as counselling, mediation or advocacy.

Experience and Knowledge

• Understanding of stigma and discrimination impacts.
• Lived experience of diagnosis and ongoing recovery from a personality disorder, and experience of mental health services.
• Experience of recovering a meaningful life.
• Experience working in health, social care or voluntary sector settings.
• Awareness of healthcare theories.
• Knowledge of policy and legislative frameworks, including the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act.
• Good understanding of recovery principles and the role of secondary and specialised mental health services.
• Ability to form and sustain working relationships with service users and carers.
• Ability to deliver specific therapeutic interventions with agreed outcomes.
• Understanding of supervision for safe practice.
• Initiative and decision‑making within guidelines.
• Positive, non‑judgemental approach to mental health service users.
• Understanding of confidentiality.
• Willingness to support team working.
• Appreciation of equal opportunities and diversity issues.
• Capacity to share personal recovery stories safely.
• Assistance in developing recovery plans.
• Openness to reflection and constructive feedback.
• Creative and enabling working style.
• Willingness to support people with a range of needs to meet recovery goals.
• Practical knowledge of recovery concepts.
• Understanding of issues affecting mental health service users.
• Commitment to service users’ rights.
• Knowledge of service user involvement.
• Experience of teaching or training individuals or groups.
• Experience in a customer‑care environment such as an advice centre, helpline or advocacy service.

Skills and Abilities

• Freely travel across the local area.
• Excellent listening and verbal communication skills, engaging with service users, carers, colleagues and agencies face‑to‑face and by phone.
• Strong written communication skills, ability to produce letters, reports and maintain accurate records.
• Willingness to embrace new technology and processes.
• Well‑developed IT skills, including Microsoft Office and electronic record‑keeping systems.
• Professional appearance and behaviour.
• Conflict management skills and ability to help others do so.
• Team‑working abilities.
• Self‑awareness and critical appraisal of own performance.
• Maintaining personal boundaries.
• Organising and planning own work activities.
• Accepting leadership and direction from registered staff.
• Managing stress and prioritising workload.
• Practical task execution.
• Maintaining work–life balance.
• Flexibility and adaptability.
• Empathy for individuals with mental health experiences and ability to handle challenging behaviours.

Legal Statements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and a Disclosure and Barring Service submission is required.

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