Peer Worker

Peer Workers play a vital role across various sectors, including healthcare, justice, housing, and community services, drawing upon their personal lived experiences to assist others facing similar challenges. They support individuals experiencing severe mental distress, addiction problems, rough sleeping, and other issues by providing empathetic and informed guidance based on their own experiences. Their work involves building trusting, non-coercive relationships that emphasise mutuality and reciprocity, focusing on empowerment, choice, and self-determination.

These professionals work alongside multi-disciplinary teams in settings such as hospitals, community centres, and justice facilities, offering support through one-on-one interactions, group sessions, and remote communication. They facilitate skill-building, self-advocacy, and access to resources, helping individuals navigate their circumstances and achieve user-defined goals. Peer Workers also engage in ongoing reflection and supervision to enhance their practice and address ethical considerations within their roles.

In addition to direct support, Peer Workers contribute to service improvement by promoting peer values, challenging stigma, and advocating for systemic change. They collaborate with other professionals, partner agencies, and community resources to ensure comprehensive support and foster a culture of personal recovery and well-being. Their role demands effective communication, self-care, and management of their work and resources, often including flexible hours to meet the needs of those they support.

Please enter your email address (upon completion of this skills scan you will need to click on the submission button. Once you have done this, the completed skills scan will be emailed to you and your line manager. You will need to upload your completed skills scan to the OneFile learning assessment record that you have opened to access this skills scan)

We need to ensure you require substantial learning and development to access a funded apprenticeship. You do not need to research topics to answer. This is about what you may already know or do, so we can get a baseline and create a personal learning programme. You may also wish to state areas you would like to develop further.

Please rate each question with Yes, Some or No

Please note if you answer Yes or Some to any of the questions, a drop-down box will appear and you will need to write about what you already know and/or do. If you have any qualifications, competency evidence or certification appliable to the question, it is very important you attach these to the OneFile learning assessment record (LAR) that you have opened to access this skills scan. Please ensure you always maintain confidentiality and avoid putting any names of colleagues/patients.

Skills - Establishing safe, supportive, and respectful relationships involves developing and maintaining mutual and reciprocal connections with peers. This includes collaboratively setting clear purposes and boundaries for the relationship to ensure it remains constructive and respectful.

Engaging with and supporting families and carers is also crucial for creating a holistic support system. As the peer relationship progresses, it is important to manage and prepare for its conclusion thoughtfully, ensuring a positive and respectful ending.

Purposefully sharing lived experiences within the relationship enhances mutual understanding and support, reinforcing the trust and effectiveness of the connection:

Knowledge - Establishing safe, supportive, and respectful relationships in peer support requires a thorough understanding of core values and principles, including the importance of empowerment, adherence to boundaries, and the impact of unconscious bias.

Knowledge of relevant legislation related to equality, diversity, and inclusion is essential, as is recognising how health and socio-economic inequalities can affect individuals' experiences and needs. Understanding the significance of culture and identity, the rights of carers, and the organisation's carer engagement protocols further supports effective relationships.

It is also crucial to manage the ending of peer relationships thoughtfully, navigate ethical dilemmas, and appreciate the historical and civil rights context of the peer support movement:

Skills - When disclosing personal experiences to individuals, it is crucial to establish connections grounded in shared experiences to build trust and rapport. This involves modelling self-help and self-management strategies to demonstrate practical approaches to handling challenges.

Additionally, supporting the individual in developing their own self-management and problem-solving skills empowers them to address their issues effectively and independently:

Knowledge - When disclosing personal experiences with individuals, it is essential to understand the purpose of sharing and determine the relevant extent of disclosure. This involves using self-help and self-management approaches to demonstrate practical strategies and support individuals in developing their own self-help techniques.

By modelling these approaches and problem-solving skills, you help individuals learn how to effectively manage their challenges and enhance their self-reliance:

Skills - Using co-production and lived experience to support individuals and groups in achieving their self-defined goals involves several key skills and knowledge areas. This includes helping individuals identify opportunities, overcome setbacks, and work towards their goals through peer-based approaches in various settings, such as one-on-one, drop-in, or virtual environments.

It also entails supporting individual-led activities, collaboratively discussing care and support options, and actively contributing to care and goal plans. Facilitating group work to achieve individual or shared goals, assisting individuals in safely accessing digital support platforms, and providing support during life changes are also crucial. Additionally, it involves discussing concerns with individuals and, when necessary, raising issues with appropriate colleagues or supervisors:

Knowledge - Using co-production and lived experience to support individuals and groups in identifying and working toward their self-defined goals involves understanding the principles of involvement and co-production within one's scope of practice. This includes skills in goal setting and supporting individuals to establish their goals collaboratively.

Knowledge of care planning, trauma-informed approaches, and current care and support needs is essential, as is knowing where to find relevant information within the organisation and local community. Building links with community organisations, understanding the differences between guidance, advice, and information, and facilitating and managing groups are also critical. Additionally, recognising settings where access to information may be restricted is important for effectively supporting individuals:

Skills - Empowering individuals to self-advocate and understand their rights and choices requires a comprehensive understanding of their rights and options within the context of their circumstances.

It is crucial to recognise the importance of advocacy and self-advocacy for the individuals being supported. This involves guiding them to prepare for reviews and assisting them in completing applications and referrals, ensuring they are equipped to make informed decisions and access necessary services effectively:

Knowledge - Empowering individuals to self-advocate and understand their rights and choices involves supporting them in making informed decisions and taking control of their care and support options. This includes assisting individuals in developing self-determination, guiding them to appropriate advocacy services, and helping them prepare for reviews.

Additionally, it involves aiding in the completion of applications or referrals for services such as housing, medication reviews, food banks, and benefits, ensuring they have the necessary support to navigate these processes effectively:

Skills - Identifying, facilitating access to, or signposting resources within the service and communities requires the ability to locate new resources or community projects beneficial to the individuals being supported.

It involves raising awareness and understanding of available opportunities, acting as a community connector to build links with community resources, and helping individuals navigate systems to access support. This includes signposting resources relevant to their circumstances and self-defined goals, ensuring they can access these resources independently to promote choice and informed decision-making aligned with their personal goals:

Knowledge - Identifying, facilitating access to, or signposting resources within services and communities involves maintaining up-to-date knowledge of existing resources and identifying gaps or new opportunities for support. It is crucial to raise awareness of available resources and connect individuals to those that best meet their needs.

Effective signposting should be tailored to encourage independent use by the individual, considering how stigma and labelling may impact their willingness to seek help. Addressing factors that limit access and overcoming these barriers is essential, as is following up to ensure that the signposted resources effectively meet the individual's needs or to explore alternative options if necessary:

Skills - Representing and promoting peer support within development activities and service development involves actively supporting the co-production and delivery of learning and development initiatives to enhance awareness of the Peer Worker’s role. This includes using service development activities to address stigma and labelling, fostering a culture change.

It also involves giving presentations and delivering training to small groups, while advocating for the lived experience perspectives and concerns of individuals being supported within one's own workplace and across other organisations and services:

Knowledge - Representing and promoting peer support within development activities involves actively engaging in service development to offer a peer perspective.

It is essential to highlight the value of the Peer Worker role to foster understanding and acceptance. This includes advocating for lived experience perspectives and addressing the concerns of individuals being supported.

Effective representation also requires skill in presenting information to individuals and groups and tailoring training delivery to accommodate different learning styles and audience needs:

Skills - Working as part of the team and contributing to service improvement involves promoting and embedding peer-based approaches within teams and services. This includes using meetings with multi-disciplinary team members to enhance understanding of the individual's perspective and their rights.

Collaborative work with the multi-disciplinary team and other organisations is crucial, as is positively challenging low expectations and discriminatory practices to drive system change and improve services. It is also important to seek advice and support when facing the limits of one’s responsibility and competence, manage time and priorities effectively, and develop and maintain both peer and professional networks:

Knowledge - Working effectively as part of a team and contributing to service improvement involves understanding how to collaborate within a team setting and actively promoting the service user perspective.

It is essential to value and leverage peer and professional networks, recognise the limits of responsibility and competence in the peer worker role, and seek advice or support when these limits are reached. Additionally, it requires the ability to positively challenge low expectations and discriminatory practices, taking appropriate action according to organisational policies.

Efficient management of time, work priorities, and resources is also crucial for enhancing service delivery and promoting continuous improvement:

Skills - Maintaining a peer perspective involves actively engaging in team and peer supervision to reflect on the role and apply learning to practice. It is crucial to recognise the importance of self-care and take appropriate action when needed to ensure well-being.

Participation in appraisal, personal development planning, and continuous professional development is essential for ongoing growth and effective practice in the role:

Knowledge - Maintaining a peer perspective involves understanding the purpose and value of supervision, appraisals, and personal development planning for professional growth.

Effective use of reflective practice is crucial for assessing and improving one's role. Additionally, recognising the importance of self-care and utilising available support structures ensures ongoing well-being and effectiveness in the role:

Skills - Maintaining the safety of oneself and others while encouraging positive risk-taking involves identifying potential risks and contributing to necessary risk assessments.

It requires facilitating discussions with individuals and their service providers about potential risks to health and safety as they work toward their self-defined goals. Promoting positive risk-taking and diverse perspectives on risk within the team is essential, as well as taking appropriate actions according to organisational policies when safeguarding concerns arise.

Recognising high-risk situations and responding in line with organisational guidelines ensures that the best interests, needs, and preferences of individuals are prioritised:

Knowledge - Maintaining safety while encouraging positive risk-taking involves a comprehensive understanding of how to identify and assess risks according to organisational policies and procedures.

This includes facilitating discussions about risk with individuals and their service providers, acknowledging various perspectives, and promoting positive risk-taking. Knowing when and how to escalate concerns is crucial.

Additionally, adherence to safeguarding principles and relevant legislation and organisational policies on risk and safeguarding is essential. Effective communication with individuals and the wider multi-disciplinary team ensures that the best interests, needs, and preferences of individuals are prioritised while managing risks responsibly:

Skills - Effective communication within the context of peer support involves adapting communication styles to meet the diverse needs of individuals and colleagues.

It includes supporting individuals experiencing distress, providing relevant and supportive feedback, and actively seeking feedback on the support offered. Maintaining accurate, co-produced records about individuals and adhering to legal and organisational requirements for confidentiality, consent, and information sharing are also crucial.

These practices ensure clear, respectful interactions and uphold the integrity of the peer support relationship:

Knowledge - Effective communication in peer support involves creating and maintaining a safe space for individuals experiencing distress and providing constructive feedback tailored to their needs.

It also includes actively seeking and receiving feedback from those being supported and from the wider multi-disciplinary team to improve the support provided. Additionally, understanding and adhering to the organisation's policy on record-keeping, as well as complying with legislation and organisational requirements regarding confidentiality, consent, and information sharing, are essential to ensure respectful and secure interactions:

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Your Email : {yourEmail}

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Reminder: your completed skills scan will be emailed to you immediately, please upload to the skills scan learning assessment record on OneFile, with any other evidence. This is very important as your allocated coach will review before the planning meeting.

Please inform your manager they will receive your skills scan.

At the planning meeting with your coach, your line manager will be asked to confirm it is correct and /or identify further areas of development.