Assistant Peer Support Co-ordinator

Job title: Assistant Peer Support Co-ordinator

Salary: C1 £29,542 - £32,046

Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract: Full time, Permanent

Location: Various

As an Assistant Peer Support Co-Ordinator, you’ll thrive on helping people living with dementia and their carers connect, share experiences and shape support that makes a meaningful difference.

It’s not about simply running groups. It’s about building trusted relationships, creating inclusive opportunities and helping peer support networks flourish across Leeds.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council valuesand ambitions.

About you

As an Assistant Peer Support Co-ordinator, you will bring to the role:

• experience of directly supporting people/or their carers with lived experience
• an ability to communicate sensitively, build effective relationships and demonstrate person-centred practice
• an understanding of safeguarding and how to support people living with dementia in ways that respect their rights, needs and preferences
• strong organisation skills, initiative and the ability to take responsibility for allocated activities

About the role

As an Assistant Peer Support Co-ordinator, you’ll work alongside the existing Assistant Peer Support Co-ordinator to establish, facilitate and sustain peer support networks for people living with dementia across Leeds.

You will co-facilitate groups, lead them independently when required and involve people living with dementia and their carers in developing, running and evaluating the service.

The role is integral to our Adult Social Care Peer Support Service. You will support day-to-day delivery, undertake appropriate assessments, provide information and signposting, maintain accurate records and contribute to monitoring and quality assurance.

You will also work with our partners and organisations across the city, recognise and report safeguarding concerns, undertake lone working and respond appropriately to challenging situations.

The role is normally worked Monday to Friday. Occasional work outside normal office hours may be required to represent the service at dementia-related events.

As an Assistant Peer Support Co-ordinator, you'll join a well-established and highly regarded Peer Support Service that has been supporting people living with dementia and their carers across Leeds for over 16 years. The service has recently undergone a reorganisation, creating an exciting opportunity to help shape its future direction and contribute to the development of new and innovative ways of supporting people affected by dementia.

The role is integral to our Peer Support Service, which focuses on helping people living with dementia remain connected, build confidence, maintain independence and continue doing the things that matter most to them. Working alongside the existing Assistant Peer Support Co-ordinator, you will play a key role in delivering a diverse range of support that promotes wellbeing, reduces isolation and creates opportunities for people to support one another through shared experiences.

Our current offer includes:

• peer support networks that enable people living with dementia to connect with others, share experiences and learn from each other with professional support and facilitation;
• strengths-based support that focuses on people's abilities, aspirations and personal goals;
• helping people build confidence, develop new skills, achieve their ambitions and celebrate success;
• accessible wellbeing, cultural, leisure and sporting activities within local communities across Leeds;
• co-produced activities and opportunities that are designed alongside people living with dementia and based on what matters to them;
• support for carers, family members and friends through information, advice, shared learning and opportunities to connect with others in similar situations.

This is also a particularly exciting time to join the service as we look to expand and develop our offer further. We are exploring opportunities to introduce Cognitive Stimulation Therapy programmes and other innovative dementia-focused initiatives that enhance wellbeing, independence and quality of life. As Assistant Peer Support Co-ordinator, you will be involved in supporting the design, implementation and evaluation of new services and activities, helping to ensure they are co-produced with people living with dementia and responsive to the changing needs of our communities.

You will have the opportunity to contribute ideas, influence service development and help shape the future of dementia support in Leeds, making this an ideal role for someone who is passionate about person-centred practice, innovation and improving outcomes for people living with dementia and those who support them.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefitsto help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidancefor further advice on completing your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Debbie Marshall, Peer Support and Community Wellbeing Manager 07891 271980 or email Deborah.Marshall@leeds.gov.uk

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s or Adults’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Special conditions this post is subject to a higher-level check with the Disclosure and Barring Service. Please note that a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining employment; this will depend on the circumstances and background to any offence.

Job purpose

Responsibilities

The post holder’s primary responsibility is to assist the Peer Support Co-ordinator to; establish, facilitate and support a range of peer support networks for people living with dementia in the communities of Leeds.

To assist in delivering a key objective of the National Dementia Strategy by close working with partner agencies to ensure the networks continue to flourish and that meaningful peer support is embedded across health and Social Care services.

A key part of the role will be to consult with and involve people with dementia and their carers in the development, running and evaluation of the service on an ongoing basis.

The Assistant Peer Support Co-ordinator will take responsibility for specific tasks and activities within the service and will demonstrate initiative in dealing with factors outside allocated tasks which may affect the outcomes. The Assistant Peer Support Co-ordinator will report to and take direction from the Peer Support Manager.

• Deliver and develop Peer Support Networks by establishing, facilitating and sustaining peer support groups and networks for people living with dementia, supporting networks through difficulties, promoting positive outcomes, and consulting with people living with dementia and their carers to shape and influence service delivery.
• Provide person-centred support and risk management by adopting a holistic approach, identifying and reporting concerns, responding appropriately to crises and challenging situations, undertaking lone working where required, and ensuring safeguarding concerns, abuse or neglect are recognised, monitored and reported.
• Support carers by providing information, advice and signposting to carers where appropriate
• Work with volunteers to support service delivery whilst ensuring they understand their roles and responsibilities.
• Maintain records, data and quality standards by completing referrals, assessments and other customer records, maintaining information systems, collecting and monitoring service data, preparing reports, and completing documentation required by the service's quality assurance framework.
• Work collaboratively and contribute to service improvement by working in partnership with other organisations
• Support the development and embedding of peer support across the Council and City of Leeds
• Keep up to date with relevant internal and external developments and contribute to continuous service improvement.
• Undertake operational responsibilities by managing day to day service delivery to meet customer needs, carrying out tasks allocated by the Peer Support Manager.
• Undertake financial transactions in accordance with Leeds City Council Financial Regulations, and working within all Council policies, procedures and systems, including Equality and Diversity requirements and any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post.

Qualifications Commitment to undertake a Level 3 Adult Care Worker Apprenticeship within 12 months of commencement of the post

Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the following essential requirements.

• Ability to communicate and build effective relationships with people with dementia and their carers
• Understanding of and a commitment to achieving quality outcomes for People living with Dementia and their carers
• Ability to demonstrate person centred and strength based working.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Ability to develop and sustain existing partnerships with a variety of stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes for people with dementia and their carers
• Ability to take responsibility for specific tasks & activities allocated by the Peer Support Manager.
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing complex and sensitive information effectively, accurately and concisely.
• Demonstrate functional skills in literacy and numeracy at Level 2 or equivalent.
• Be self-motivated and proactive.
• To have good organisation skills.
• Ability to manage challenging situations appropriately.
• Ability to show empathy and patience when supporting customers.
• Ability to work unsupervised and on ones own initiative on a daily basis.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of confidentiality and the needs and wishes of customers as appropriate.
• Demonstrate an awareness of the needs associated with vulnerable adults.
• Demonstrate an understanding of diversity issues within local communities.
• Prepared to work outside normal office hours if required and to be able to work to tight deadlines

Essential behavioural and other characteristics

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council values and behavioursand codes of conduct
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Leeds Ambitionsof health and wellbeing, inclusive growth, thriving strong communities, and a resilient sustainable city
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures
• Carry out duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing
• Participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding equality and diversity of Leeds City Council
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters

Desirable requirements Candidates are not required to meet all the following desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.

• An understanding of the Authority, its function and organisation.
• Of issues affecting People living with Dementia and their carers.
• Of the services and support networks currently available to people living with dementia and their carers.
• Of the objectives of the National Dementia Strategy.
• Of how voluntary sector and community groups are organised and co-ordinated.
• Of how to support people living with dementia in a way that safeguards their rights, needs and preferences.
• Of assistive technology and how it can be used to support people living with dementia.
• Understanding of performance & quality assurance.