Job Title:               Peer Development Worker

Organisation:        MESMAC

Project:                  HIV Peers Support Project South Yorksire.

Responsible to:     Local Service Co-ordinator (South Yorkshire)

Responsible for:    Volunteers/Interns/Apprentices

Salary:                   NJC salary points 26-28 (£22,443 to £23,945) Pro rata

Pension:                5% of gross salary paid into Stakeholder pension

Hours:                   15 hours per week

Contract:               1-year fixed contract with a possibility of a 12-month extension

Base:                     Home, Barnsley though travel to all MESMAC sites may be required.

The role of the HIV Peer Support Worker (PSW) has been developed for people who have lived experience of recovering a good life after HIV diagnosis. We use the definition of recovery as "the purposeful pursuit of a good life, irrespective of the absence or presence of symptoms, built around the pillars of hope, opportunity and control, with self-management and social inclusion at the heart."

The role includes meeting with service users of Barnsley HIV services providing scheduled meetings with service users on 1-1, group or drop-in basis providing ongoing support. The PSW will work with allied colleagues including HIV Peer Support Volunteers to develop and deliver a varied offer of peer support activities to support service users of the Barnsley HIV service.

The role will have special responsibility for developing and delivering a range of HIV peer support groups and training opportunities

To inspire, develop and deliver HIV Peer Support across Barnsley in particular;

• Group co-facilitation and support
• Community ambassadors’ roles
• Sexual health skills peer mentoring
• Positive speakers
• Training for professionals.

To ensure that the Barnsley Peer Support Project of MESMAC Group of Services have in place the systems and infra-structure to support people to become volunteers including recruitment, training, personal development and supervision.

Responsible to the Local Service Coordinator for line management and supervision.

Responsible for ensuring that all Barnsley Peer Support Volunteers have adequate supervision and support.

HIV Peer Support Volunteers, Operations Managers, Chief Executive, Finance/Administration staff, Community Development staff, sessional workers and MESMAC Board of Trustees.

The following is a list of duties and provides a general outline of the work of the post holder and is not definitive.  The post holder may be required to undertake other related duties as deemed appropriate by the MESMAC Board of Trustees and/or Chief Executive.

Groupwork & Training

1. To work with other members of staff, and peer support volunteers to identify and develop appropriate voluntary action opportunities within the MESMAC Group of Services.
2. To work with staff, volunteers and service users to develop Peer Support Groups for People Living with HIV in Barnsley
3. To train and support HIV Peer support volunteers to co-facilitate groupwork and other events e.g. drop-ins. 
4. To ensure Peer support groupwork volunteers have adequate support and supervision including debriefing after training sessions.
5. To Take the lead in developing training opportunities for professionals.
6. To develop systems that capture and demonstrate the value of groupwork in contributing to our outcomes. 

Case load

1. To assist service users in identifying their own strengths, personal interests and goals; providing opportunities for service users to direct their own recovery process.
2. To support newly diagnosed and existing service users regarding adjustment to HIV diagnosis e.g. issues around confidentiality and disclosure.
3. To support service users in developing personal wellbeing plans; this can be delivered individually or in groups to assist individuals in managing their physical and general wellbeing.
4. To encourage the individual to be involved in care plans and risk/safety management plans.
5. To collaborate closely with the clinical staff to appropriately link service users with the most appropriate support, including signposting and support in accessing emergency financial support, immigration services, benefits and housing services etc.
6. To positively promote and support service users in the community by maintaining extensive knowledge and links with community resources and to actively support service users to access opportunities of their choice.
7. To develop and maintain excellent working relations with the HIV voluntary sector, local partners, mental health services, homeless charities and other relevant organisations.
8. To maintain professional relationships with particular attention to confidentiality and the maintenance of boundaries.
9. To participate in teaching sessions where a patient perspective, or personal experience, of living with HIV is required.

General:

1. To produce regular reports on the state of volunteering and voluntary action in  MESMAC groups of services in Barnsley.
2. To facilitate the establishment and maintenance of groups/forums that allow volunteers to reflect on common concerns and act to meet these.
3. To offer advice on volunteering issues to members of staff and the Board of Trustees.
4. To attend meetings, as appropriate, of the  MESMAC Board of Trustees and working groups.
5. To represent the project on relevant bodies and committees as identified by the CEO. 
6. To contribute to reports on the work of  MESMAC group of services as a whole in conjunction with MESMAC staff and volunteers.
7. To undertake any appropriate administrative duties identified by the CEO
8. To undertake appropriate training of self as required.
9. To take an active role in staff meetings and supervision.
10. To undertake any other duties which the  MESMAC Board of Trustees deems to be appropriate to the Project’s aims and commensurate with the post.
11. To be aware of  MESMAC’s Workers Code of Conduct and Equal Opportunities policies and to ensure these are reflected in all aspects of the work of the post holder.
12. To participate in and, in some cases, take the lead in programmes of research and evaluation.
13. The ability to work flexible hours. This post requires evening and weekend working on a regular basis.

1. To manage appropriate budgets devolved by the Chief Executive and/or Board of Trustees.
2. To participate in the preparation of funding applications as agreed by the Chief Executive/Board of Trustees.

Ability to travel between locations using own or public transport

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Download the Peer Support Worker Person Specification