Peer Support Worker

**About us**

The Anthony Seddon Fund is a small charity in Ashton-Under-Lyne, OL6 6AQ. We are social, supportive, collaborative, and our goal is to Support Mental Wellbeing in the Community.

Our work environment includes:

- Casual work attire
- Safe work environment
- Relaxed atmosphere

Are you passionate about mental health support and eager to make a real difference in people's lives? Do you have lived or professional experience with mental health issues? If so, we have a fantastic opportunity for you at SAFE Tameside.

SAFE Tameside is an important crisis support hub in Ashton-under-Lyne, providing an alternative to A&E for individuals experiencing mental health distress or crisis. Our services operate during key hours when our customers need us most, which makes this role incredibly impactful.

The role is available for 27 hours per week, with the scheduled rota shown below. A job share will be considered.
- Monday - 12pm-8pm
- Tuesday - 12pm-4pm
- Wednesday - 12pm-8pm
- Thursday - 12pm-4pm
- Friday - 12pm-4pm

**Role Description Summary of Main Duties and Responsibilities**

As part of the SAFE Tameside provision, the Peer Support Worker (PSW) plays a critical role in offering face-to-face mental health support in a relaxed, friendly, and safe environment. The PSW acts as a crucial alternative to A&E for individuals in distress or crisis, welcoming them into The Anthony Seddon Centre without the need for a pre-booked appointment.

The PSW is responsible for engaging with these individuals, building trusting relationships, and providing immediate support and resources. This can range from simply offering a listening ear to providing information, signposting to other services and organisations, and assisting customers in managing their crisis and finding the resources and support they require.

The PSW also contributes to the maintenance of a safe and welcoming environment by ensuring all resources are up-to-date and relevant and providing support to the team leader in the planning, development, monitoring, and reporting of SAFE Tameside's initiatives.

The PSW plays a crucial role in capturing the stories and experiences of the people visiting The Anthony Seddon Centre, ensuring the voice of those with lived mental health experiences is heard and represented in the local community.

Finally, it's crucial for the PSW to respect and protect the confidentiality of all customer information, adhering strictly to data protection regulations and the charity's guidelines on confidentiality.

**Main Duties and Responsibilities**
- To engage with customers at The Anthony Seddon Centre who may be presenting in distress or a mental health crisis.
- To meet and build relationships with members of the public with varying issues / questions regarding mental health and mental health services in a friendly, receptive, and non-judgemental manner.
- Providing a listening ear, information, and signposting to other services and organisations (including The Anthony Seddon Fund services), to assist customers in finding resources and support they require.
- To signpost to various resources, opportunities, and organisations within the local community to promote choice and informed decision-making.
- Promoting a safe environment for all customers and ensuring resources are kept up-to-date and relevant
- To support the Team Leader in the planning, development, monitoring, and reporting on SAFE Tameside, while also contributing innovative ideas and solutions to improve service delivery
- To ensure robust project monitoring and data capture throughout SAFE Tameside.
- To create and maintain professional, supportive relationships with all customers, staff, volunteers, and external agencies.
- To ensure effective communication with customers, relatives and carers, visitors, staff, volunteers, and others.

**Additional Duties**
- Initiating, developing, and maintaining effective working relationships with other professionals working in the field of mental health support in the local voluntary, statutory, and private sectors.
- To organise and contribute to the marketing and promotion of the charity’s peer support work, activities, and lived experience representation.
- Attending meetings with statutory bodies, amongst others, in relation to the peer support and crisis support work of the charity to influence policy, practice, or to improve support services.
- Attending meetings with statutory bodies, amongst others, to relate the direct experiences of those with lived experience of mental health issues in a number of different forms.
- Support the development of robust project monitoring systems, the production of case studies, and other reporting methods.

**General Responsibilities**
- Acting as a First Aider and Fire Marshall for the Centre (training provided)
- To cooperate with your line manager, to work safely, and to comply with health and safety instructions and information.
- To respect people’s differences and to activel