Peer Supporter

Job summary

An opportunity has arisen in Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust's (CNTW) North Cumbria Locality. We are currently seeking a Peer Supporter to join our Hope Haven team based in Whitehaven, Cumbria. This is a unique opportunity to work as part of a new and transformative service working alongside local partners including Home Group, Everyturn, as well as local third sector organisations.

Our aim is to transform the way mental health care is provided locally, by bringing together specialist health, social care and community services in the heart of West Cumbria.

Lived experience roles are a vital part of our plan to continually improve the services that we provide. They help to support people during their journey through our services to establish greater control over their lives, decisions and build resilience during their care and treatment.

This role is aimed at people who have experience of using their own recovery journey to help others and now feel able to be part of a small, dedicated team of peer supporters and ensure lived experience is integrated into each part of Hope Haven

Main duties of the job

You will be expected to offer a different perspective and contribute to the role by:

Offering a warm welcome to people using the service as part of our welcomer team by conducting initial and follow up consultations including Welcome Pad and use of NHS dialog + too

Working alongside colleagues from partner organisations to identify the most appropriate interventions for people whom we work with.

Liaising with senior leads to communicate progress within the Lived Experience team

Organising weekly workload including personal caseload where peers willmanage both appointments and walk-ins as well as other training sessions as part of development

Contributing to the development and delivery of training to all partners

Promoting carer involvement working alongside our carer lead and involvement team.

Assisting with facilitation of groups as well as 1:1 work, using wellness plans and tools.

Recording progress and concerns, working in a manner which ensures confidentiality and security on unique recording system.

About us

This will be a challenging, but rewarding role, working with people presenting with a range of mental health issues and risks. The post holder must have the ability to communicate where there are barriers to understanding, and they must be able to work as part of a team. They must be confident in working and communicating with people and demonstrate strong recovery values in, inspiring hope and empowerment in others.

As an employee of CNTW, the wellbeing of all our staff is vitally important. The post holder will have several avenues of support but should also feel confident in their personal skills and abilities to draw upon their own resilience and strengths to sustain their wellbeing throughout this role.

As this is a community-based role, you must be able to work centrally from the hub and be able to travel across the Copeland area and other Trust sites across CNTW.

Due to the 24/7 nature of the project, unsocial working hours will be required.

We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.

Job responsibilities

Please find attached job description and role descriptor for full details.

Advertising date : 21st August 2026

Closing date : 3rd September 2026

We welcome your application.

Person specification

Education and Qualification

Essential

• Completion of a competency-based programme within probationary period OR equivalent demonstrable experience
• Knowledge of care related procedures, clinical observation, relevant legislation

Desirable

• Completion of Peer Support Specialist Training or other similar peer support training
• Completion of Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) training
• Completion of WRAP Educator training

Skills and Competencies

Essential

• Understanding of personal values and beliefs
• Good interpersonal and team-working skills
• Ability to share personal story of recovery in a professional manner
• Confidence in own skills and ability to draw upon own resilience and strengths to sustain own wellbeing Ability to assist people to develop recovery and wellness plans
• Ability to facilitate groups
• Ability and willingness to reflect on work practice and be open to constructive feedback
• Ability to work in an enabling and creative way
• Ability draw on own resilience while working with challenging situations.
• Ability to plan and prioritise workload
• Ability to undertakebreakaway skills
• Ability to deliver aspects of a planned training event.

Desirable

• Experience of WRAP or other recovery / person-centred planning tools
• Knowledge of how the mental health and other health and social care systems operate
• Understanding of issues affecting mental health and well-being

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Personal lived experience of secondary mental health services and own recovery journey and / or personal lived experience of supporting someone with mental health / neurodiversity / learning disability
• Experience of being in a supportive and enabling role

Desirable

• Experience of a person-centred approach
• Experience of working in the mental health field
• Knowledge of trauma informed practice
• Knowledge of strength's based and person-led practice

Additional Requirements

Essential

• Ability to meet the mobility requirements of the post