The Trust is now looking to recruit peer support workers who will be supporting the Community Mental Health Framework hubs in Oxfordshire as well as other mental health settings.

Vicky Naidoo

Vicky Naidoo, Recovery and Social Inclusion Lead, says:

“With the development of the Community Mental Health Framework in Oxfordshire, we are working on an integrated community mental health pathway that plugs the gap in mental health support for patients with serious mental illness. Peer support is integral to the recovery of our service users across this project. We have a well-established programme team and offer training and support whilst on the job.”

The Peer Support Worker Programme focuses on people’s recovery – providing inspirational career opportunities for people in recovery or their carers and one-of-the-kind support for people experiencing mental ill-health.

Linda Thomson

Peer support worker Linda Thomson says:

“Being a peer support worker and being able to help a person with our lived experience and see that person change is so rewarding. I feel so supported working in a team and have learnt so much about myself and others in the process. This is the best job I have had and managed to keep – because I feel so rewarded.”

Since the beginning of the peer support worker programme in 2015, Oxford Health has trained nearly 100 peer support workers and about 50 are in paid roles in a great variety of mental health services in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire – from inpatient wards to community services.

Apply by mid-January

The new recruitment boost is looking to hire people straight into paid roles instead of the previous path where people first joined as volunteer trainees and then had the opportunity to apply for a paid position.

Oxford Health is looking for people who are compassionate and highly motivated, can work well in a team, and have excellent written and verbal communication skills. Lived experience of mental health challenges or having cared for someone with mental ill-health is essential for the role.

All new peer support workers will be provided with training for the role and given the opportunity to complete the national recognised care certificate. In their roles, peer support workers will work minimum 22.5 hours (3 days) per week.

To see all the locations with peer support worker positions and to apply, click https://tinyurl.com/ys52radw.

Applications close on January 15, 2023.

Is this right for me?

If you are thinking of applying, we strongly recommend you attend one of the ‘Introduction to Peer Support’ sessions. These sessions will help you understand more about the role so you can make an informed decision as to if the job it right for you.

There are two dates to choose from:

• Tuesday 10 January 6pm-9pm online
• Thursday 12 January 9.30am -1pm in person at the POWIC Building, which is based on the Warneford Hospital site, Headington, Oxford OX3 7JX.

To book your slot, or if you can’t attend one of these but would like to chat through the role, please contact Louise Rosenberg via email: louise.rosenberg@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk.