Peer Support Officer (North West)

This role is all about developing a welcoming and supportive support group community for kinship carers wherever they live. Building belonging, resilience and empowerment for support group leaders and kinship carers.

Funded by the Department for Education, our national Peer Support Service is creating a sustainable and life-changing legacy for kinship carers across England.

This is a game-changing service for kinship carers and builds on Kinship’s 10 years’ experience of developing peer support groups, and two years delivering a national service which has set up 145 new groups.

As a Peer Support Officer, you’ll make sure we deliver an exceptional and consistent peer support service for kinship carers.

You’ll set-up and develop new in-person groups in areas of high need, as well as supporting existing groups to thrive, developing a resilient and powerful peer support community.

• in-person (face-to-face) strategic outreach into local and regional communities including setting up and attending local engagement events
• setting up and developing at least 6 new sustainable in-person peer support groups annually, attending up to six sessions in person (if needed) before transition to self-sufficiency (existing groups that are at risk, closed or need support will need replacing or rejuvenating to maintain DfE service level agreements across the team, in addition to new groups)
• recruiting and retaining support group leaders to develop their peer support groups
• delivering standardised training to support group leaders (group roles and responsibilities, safeguarding, setting up, running and promoting a group)
• developing strong, boundaried and positive relationships with support group leaders – building resilience, empowerment and community
• supporting established groups (including independent) in your area to access support group leader networks and training (this includes visiting groups in person) to build a peer community
• following (and, where appropriate, developing) the service blueprint to develop sustainable peer support groups, thinking strategically to develop groups
• collaborating with Peer Support Hub team to provide a joined-up and positive user experience for kinship carers
• accurately recording all recruitment, contact information and volunteer case management in Salesforce in line with service framework and data protection requirements

• proven experience in reaching and establishing strong relationships with hidden or underserved communities in person
• significant experience developing peer support communities
• proven experience of recruiting, managing, training and supporting volunteers in community settings with an emphasis on understanding and working with vulnerable volunteers
• proven experience of ensuring outcomes and impacts of services are evidenced through high quality data collection
• evidence of developing and delivering training/support to volunteers, based on needs of service users (in this case kinship carers)
• strong facilitation skills and essential experience of peer support or user led groups with charity beneficiaries
• proven experience of using a customer relationship management system effectively (we use Salesforce)
• in-depth understanding of safeguarding particularly around vulnerable families
• excellent communication and engagement skills, with good attention to detail

• lived experience of kinship care
• understanding of children’s social care
• digital community building, using Facebook and WhatsApp
• full, clean driving licence/own car