Job Introduction

Peer Support Worker - Outreach 

Do you want to help build a brighter future for communities and individuals in Oldham, doing a highly rewarding job. At Turning Point, we support people across England with mental health issues. We make a real difference to their lives as we introduce them to the personal, flexible and realistic support they need to improve the quality of their lives in their communities. Passionate about people, you'll enjoy the scope and support to enhance your own life and career too, as you gain the experience, training and education you need to progress in your career with us.

Turning Point’s Oldham Active Recovery service are currently recruiting a Peer Support Worker. At the service, we support clients to live meaningful and fulfilling lives independent from substance use by addressing their needs including issues relating to drugs, alcohol, mental health, learning disabilities, housing and employment, training and education.

As a Peer Support Worker we offer a starting salary of £22,284 rising each year in line with our pay progression salary bands, rising to £24,567 per year. (Dependent on experience you may be offered a starting salary above the initial starting salary).

You will have opportunities to progress your career with a structured learning journey and clearly defined career pathways that will enable you to achieve your long-term goals and work to your strengths.

Whether you are looking to progress into a management and leadership role or to be a specialist in your field as an Advanced Substance Use Practitioner at Turning point we will support and encourage you on your career journey.

Role Responsibility

As a Peer Support Worker we are looking for a new colleague with a passion to support individuals with substance use issues. Your role will be to work alongside Turning Point Recovery workers to support service users to access person centred support and navigate the different opportunities for support available to them across the treatment and housing system.

Peer Support Workers act as ‘advocates, mentors and coaches’ to service users supporting them to succeed in their chosen goals around treatment. The role includes maintaining regular contact with your clients, offering advice, information as well as supporting service users to access support in the community utilising lived experience to provide hope, inspiration and support. No day is the same in this role but an ability to communicate effectively with a range or service users and colleagues, an ability to manage different tasks and a commitment to Turning Point values are essential. As a Peer Support worker you yourself will have lived experience around the issues experienced by our service users, you may come with experience supporting people in health and social care or just have a keen interest in supporting this group; if your values are right, we have a role for everyone.

The Ideal Candidate

You’ll have an understanding of substance and alcohol misuse and the challenges and opportunities for individuals on a recovery journey. However, we also recognise that many people have transferrable skills from other backgrounds such as mental health, housing or other health and social care provision. The roles are varied, so flexibility, an ability to work dynamically on a one to one and group basis and knowledge of relapse and other barriers to recovery will be useful but we can help to shape these skills where needed. We also look for candidates with excellent communication skills and who share our values as an organisation. This role is specifically aimed at people with lived experience and an excellent role for those wishing to progress from voluntary roles as a peer mentor or looking to develop in a career in substance use.

We value individual creativity and initiative and, whatever your role, you will be fully involved in identifying opportunities to improve the quality of our services and the service user experience. Your ideas will be listened to and your suggestions implemented wherever possible. You will be supported in your role by extensive training to help develop your skills. Our learning culture encourages everyone to stay on top of the latest developments in their field and helps drive service improvement.

About us

What Benefits Will I Receive?

We know reward looks different to each person and so whether its ways to make your money go further, a culture supporting recognition and celebration, or opportunities to boost your career – we want to support you in every way we can with our total reward package that includes:

• Comprehensive learning and development opportunities so we can invest in your future, with a blended approach of self-lead learning, experiential learning or more formal learning opportunities

•  Choose from our range of courses to gain recognised qualifications
• 29 days’ paid holiday a year, increasing with each year of service up to 31 days. Plus the option to buy additional holidays
• An exclusive discounts hub for TP colleagues, to help make your money go further – including high street shopping, pubs and restaurants, mobile phones, gym memberships, and much more. You’ll also have access to the Blue Light Card, for even more discounts and savings!
• Flexible working solutions to support your work-life balance
• Life Assurance of up to 3x annual salary and a competitive Pension Scheme to support your savings and security
• Access to our Rightsteps Therapy service – free, confidential telephone based counselling sessions, access to an online wellbeing platform, and a Financial Education hub to support your total wellbeing
• A 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme including a Digital GP, legal advice and more – all free to you and your immediate family
• Recognition awards to recognise colleagues’ inspirational work and dedication, as well as Long Service bonuses to celebrate your commitment to us
• Flexible benefit options including a Cycle to Work scheme and interest-free Season Ticket Loans
• A £300 bonus if you successfully refer a friend as a new colleague through our Refer a Friend scheme, as a thanks from us!

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date

Turning Point