Bucks Service User Network

Peer Support Workers (PWS’s) are people who have their own lived experience of mental health challenges. They use empathy informed by their own experiences to support service users who are accessing mental health services and their families.

The SUN facilitator with lived experience will be working closely with mental health practitioners to deliver regular Service User Network (SUN) groups in different community-based locations across Buckinghamshire.

The SUN is an initiative aimed at improving services for people with personality disorders. The SUN provides community-based, open access peer support groups and aims to help people develop effective ways of coping, reduce emergencies and improve access to appropriate services.

Those accessing the SUN may or may not have a formal diagnosis of personality disorder however, all members will have experienced longstanding emotional difficulties, isolation and are very likely to demonstrate unhelpful patterns of behaviour that negatively impact on the quality of their lives.

This job purpose is not exhaustive and there may be additional duties associated with the wider Personality Disorder service development initiative which will be negotiated as required with the line manager.

The SUN facilitator with lived experience will be working closely with mental health practitioners to deliver regular Service User Network (SUN) groups in different community-based locations across Buckinghamshire.

The SUN is an initiative aimed at improving services for people with personality disorders. The SUN provides community-based, open access peer support groups and aims to help people develop effective ways of coping, reduce emergencies and improve access to appropriate services.

Those accessing the SUN may or may not have a formal diagnosis of personality disorder however, all members will have experienced longstanding emotional difficulties, isolation and are very likely to demonstrate unhelpful patterns of behaviour that negatively impact on the quality of their lives.

The SUN Project employs therapeutic community principles, which include engaging group members in the running, delivery, development and evaluation of the service. The utilisation of SUN members’ own resources and expertise is integral to the model of peer support upon which the SUN groups are based.

SUN facilitators will have regular supervision and support in this role. Including access to a peer support network and appropriate training.

This job purpose is not exhaustive and there may be additional duties associated with the wider Personality Disorder service development initiative which will be negotiated as required with the line manager.

Benefits of working for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust include:

- Excellent opportunities for career progression
- 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, with an increase to 33 days with continuous service
- NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
- Staff accommodation
- Competitive pension scheme
- Lease car scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Drawing on lived experience of mental health and specifically personality disorder to provide emotional and practical support to the SUN group members to promote their recovery. This will include co-facilitating face to face and virtual SUN groups across various locations in Buckinghamshire.
- To support the group members to engage effectively with care being offered and access appropriate services.
- Drawing upon lived experience & using active listening to inspire hope, offer empathy, empowerment, confidence building & validate service users’ feelings.
- To build relationships that are founded on the value of mutuality which will facilitate the provision of regular and practical support, to service users in developing and managing independence and maintaining dignity and self-respect.
- See full Job Description and Person Specification for full duties.