Peer Navigator (Permitted Earnings Scheme)

Temporary, part time post (15.9 hours per week)
Location East Sussex Wide
Salary £8,684
Contract 12 months FTC

This role is suitable for those undertaking permitted work whilst receiving benefits.

Emerging Futures greatest resource is its people, so we also offer our employees generous annual leave, pension, and other benefits.

Our new contract with the East Sussex Drug and Alcohol Recovery Fund focuses on increasing recovery capital across the county and we’re looking for dedicated individuals with lived experience to join our team!

As a Peer Navigator, you will support individuals facing multiple disadvantage and work as members of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) on an outreach basis in East Sussex. You will provide personalised support for people facing multiple disadvantages, and utilise your own lived experiences to relate, communicate, engage, and support individuals as well as being an inspirational role model.

This job is for you if…

• You are someone who is committed to our passion statement and shares in our belief in the inherent capacity and potential of all individuals, and that empowering individuals to support each other leads to positive change; not only for themselves, but also for their communities.
• You have lived experience of homelessness, substance misuse, mental health issues, contact with the criminal justice system or domestic abuse.
• You are passionate about recovery and an advocate of asset-based, collaborative working practices from first point of contact, with a long-term vision to create hubs for sustained community development.
• You are fun, approachable, energetic, confident, warm, empathetic, ambitious, flexible, resilient, discreet, organised and professional.
• You are able to demonstrate that your personal ethos and work ethic mirrors the values of EF.

What you will be doing

• Engaging individuals experiencing multiple disadvantages, with the aim of exploring their needs, and engaging them with the wider MDT.
• Utilising your own personal experiences of homelessness, domestic abuse, substance misuse, mental health difficulties or contact with the criminal justice system to communicate with individuals, aid their engagement, show empathy and act as a role model.
• Working closely with community-based projects and local facilitators in supporting engagement in focused activities.
• Working creatively to engage individuals who may not be in touch with mainstream services, those isolated in communities, unaware of services, or who do not feel services are for them.
• Providing a friendly and consistent space including 1:1 and group activities for individuals to engage in an informal way which is not overtly addressing recovery needs.
• Working alongside other professionals in the MDT to provide support to named individuals as part of a coordinated support plan.

 Some of the skills, knowledge and experience you will have

• Experience of delivering psychotherapeutic groups to those contemplating change and sustained changes in drug and/or alcohol use, criminal behaviour, and social functioning.
• Good knowledge of IT systems, in particular MS Office and case management systems.
• An excellent understanding of boundaries and risk.
• Experience of providing peer support on a voluntary basis.
• Knowledge of the drug and alcohol treatment system and evidenced based approaches.
• Ability to employ an empathetic and non-judgmental attitude demonstrating commitment to recovery for all.
• Knowledge of the local area and links with relevant community networks and groups.

How to apply

Please find attached job description and person specification. If you are interested in applying for this new and exciting role within Emerging Futures, please send your Application Form to Hayley Territt – Area Service Manager – hayley.territt@emergingfutures.org.uk

We would be grateful if you could complete the Equal Opportunities Form attached along with your Application Form to help monitor the effectiveness of our recruitment practices and assess the success of different advertising methods in attracting applications.

This information is separated from the application and used for statistical purposes only.  It will not be made available to anyone directly involved in the selection process.

If you would like to discuss the role in more detail, please contact Hayley on 07885 866 438.

Anticipated interview dates are to be confirmed.