Part Time Seeking Safety Peer Support Worker

Location: Sophia Housing, 25 Cork St, Dublin 8 with travel to other projects as required

Hours per week: 1 day per week (7 hours)

Contract: Fixed term - 12 months

Salary: €14.60 per hour

Reports to: Area Manager

Purpose of role: 

To work with and support Sophia Housing in delivering the Seeking Safety programme. You will bring your skills and experience as a Peer Support Worker, having had similar life experiences to Seeking Safety group members, to enhance and strengthen this programme.

Background

The Seeking Safety Ireland project has been supported by the Department of Health. The commitment is to develop and implement a cross sectoral, interagency Irish adaptation of the Seeking Safety model to support hard to reach people who experience both mental health and substance use issues, paying particular attention to those experiencing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Research has shown both internationally and here in Ireland that co-production, co-delivery and a fully integrated approach is the most beneficial way to support individuals in our services.

Seeking Safety works from the premise that people who have the dual diagnosis of PTSD and Substance Use are more likely to use ‘hard drugs’ of cocaine, crack and heroin, will have a variety of life problems and will have an enduring relationship with both diagnoses. Also, they are unlikely to have the life skills to create the safety they need for the impacts of PTSD to reduce and the need for the painkilling task of substance use to decline.

Seeking Safety Peer Worker

The Seeking Safety Peer worker will help in the delivery of the Seeking Safety programme with the Seeking Safety Project Worker. The Peer Worker will be trained in Seeking Safety and so will not need to know about how to run a Seeking Safety programme in order to apply for this role. You do, however, need to be an experienced Peer Worker who is consistent in their approach and displays a level of self-reflectiveness.

The Role

The Seeking Safety Peer Support Worker will work in partnership with the Seeking Safety Project Worker to support participants impacted by the dual diagnosis of addiction and mental health issues to engage in a facilitated psycho-educational programme based on the Seeking Safety model.

The Peer Support worker will

• Provide peer support to group participants who engage in the programme
• Help to establish an environment that is inclusive and safe
• Work with the Seeking Safety Project Worker to assist the group facilitation of the programme for participants impacted by the dual diagnosis of addiction and trauma
• Assist with the paperwork associated with this programme intervention
• Review and critically reflect upon outcomes and learning to share with relevant stakeholders.
• Work as part of the team in Sophia Housing, if required assisting with other work that may emerge in your time as Peer Support Worker.

Essential Criteria

• A relevant qualification in a health, education, or related field from Level 3 on the QQI framework.
• Have a strong commitment to mental health and recovery
• Informed by lived experience of trauma/mental health and /or addiction challenges.
• Experience of working with individuals and groups in addiction and/or mental health/trauma as a Peer Support Worker.
• Experience of working with women-only groups.
• Excellent interpersonal and facilitation skills.
• A team player who has some experience of efficient computer/recording skills

Other

• Availability for flexible rostered working hours is essential.
• Garda Vetting will apply.

The post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and contribute to the development of the post while in office.

Application Process:

Please forward a Cover Letter and CV to Recruitment@sophia.ie

The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday, 15th November 2024