Peer Support Lead

Peer Support Lead

Location: Shepherd's Bush, London

Salary: £25,154 per annum

Are you looking for a meaningful career that helps others break the cycle of addiction and live a positive life? The impact you will have in this role is far more reaching than the day to day contact with service users, the service we provide reverberates through families and societyWho we are?The Forward Trust are a social enterprise that empowers people to break the cycle of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

We believe and are committed to providing opportunities to all people including those with 'Lived Experience' we encourage applications from all background including those in recovery from addiction, co-dependency or gambling, have experience of previous offending or homelessness.

What you will be doing?

This role is currently subject to receive *bonus payment scheme* of interim Inner-London 'cost-of-living' allowance.

This is an additional £3000.00 payment over 12-months paid monthly as a taxable benefit (pro rata for part-time roles), subject to review end of March 2025.

The Recovery Champion Lead role is one that aspires to champion the 'lived experience' and work with those who will be engaged in the service as service users but with aspirations to take on a role in promoting and assisting in delivery of services on Sit across our London Prisons. This is an exciting time to join the services as we implement a new contract model at HMP Wormwood Scrubs and continue to develop projects and initiatives across our other London prisons. Please note this role will be based working across both HMP Brixton and HMP Wormwood Scrubs, therefore travel will be required between sites.

Both services are commissioned to deliver psychosocial interventions within an integrated healthcare framework known as the New Models of Care (NMOC). The team work in close partnership with healthcare services to deliver services across various functions including Early Days in Custody (EDiC), unscheduled care, planned care, release and resettlement.

The role will be based on site working seamlessly with substance misuse teams delivering services directly to service users aged 18 and over detained at the closed-category male prisons. The substance misuse services take a recovery-orientated and trauma informed approach to deliver holistic health and wellbeing interventions and various treatment programmes for those coming into the prison who identify as having issues with drugs and/or alcohol. You will therefore be expected to work with those presenting with low-level mental health needs and/or issues relating to substance misuse and dependency.

As the Recovery Lead Champion you will support the team and the prison in delivering 'peer led' elements of service delivery. This will involve the appropriate recruitment, training and supervision of a number of peer supporters and mentors at each site. Your work will enable training and supervision of peer supporters and mentors to operate effectively across all wings of the prison to promote engagement and delivery of recovery pathways and peer support. In addition to this you will play a key role in the development and delivery of Health and Wellbeing Champions (HAWCs) within the prisons in partnership with healthcare providers. HAWCs will work to motivate and encourage service users to take greater responsibility for their health and wellbeing whilst in custody with appropriate signposting and support. The Recovery Champion Lead role is vital in building and improving links between the substance misuse service, prison and wider healthcare services and service users within the prison.

Flexibility will be required as the service includes evening/weekend working on a rota basis.

What are we looking for?

• Knowledge of the criminal justice sector
• Knowledge of the issues facing substance misusers
• Ability to develop, coordinate and deliver the training on a peer support programme
• Previous experience of providing a peer support service to this or a similar client group
• A thorough knowledge of and commitment to the process of recovery from addiction
• A Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care or equivalent

What we offer

• Training and development opportunities
• Flexible working
• Simply Health Cashback Scheme (Optional)
• £90 per month External Therapy Allowance
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
• Access to Blue Light Card
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
• Contributory Pension Scheme - Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years' service and up to 9% thereafter
• Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)
• Free Headspace Membership
• Blue Light Discount Membership
• Continued professional development and training investment opportunities

• To Apply

  If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for the Forward Trust, please click apply to be redirected to their website to complete your application.