Recovery Worker - Peer Supporter Lead (HMP Wormwood Scrubs/HMP Brixton)

Are you passionate about recovery, peer support and helping people make positive changes in their lives?

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Recovery Worker – Peer Supporter Lead to join our Substance Misuse Service at HMP Wormwood Scrubs.

Working as part of an integrated healthcare team, you will play a key role in developing and delivering peer-led support within the prison. You will use a recovery-orientated and trauma-informed approach to help people affected by drug and/or alcohol use engage with treatment, recovery and wider health and wellbeing services.

What you’ll be doing

• Recruit, train and supervise peer supporters and mentors within the prison.
• Develop and support peer-led interventions, activities and initiatives.
• Enable peer supporters and mentors to work effectively across the prison wings.
• Encourage and motivate service users to take greater responsibility for their health, wellbeing and recovery.
• Support engagement with substance misuse treatment and recovery pathways.
• Provide appropriate signposting, information and support to service users.
• Work closely with substance misuse, healthcare and prison staff to provide joined-up support.
• Develop strong working relationships with healthcare providers and wider prison services.
• Support peer supporters to promote recovery, positive wellbeing and engagement amongst their peers.
• Contribute to service development and the ongoing development of peer support within the prison.
• Work across key areas of the service, including Early Days in Custody, unscheduled care, planned care, release and resettlement.
• Help strengthen links between service users, the substance misuse service, prison and wider healthcare services.
• Support a recovery-focused environment where people feel encouraged and empowered to make positive changes.
• Work flexibly, including some evening and weekend shifts on a rota basis.
• Be willing to undertake some cross-deployment at HMP Brixton.

What we’re looking for

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience of working in substance misuse, recovery, health and wellbeing, peer support or a related area.
• Is passionate about supporting people to achieve positive change and sustain recovery.
• Understands the value of lived experience and peer-led approaches.
• Can build positive, professional and trusting relationships with service users.
• Has strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Is confident supporting, motivating and encouraging others.
• Has experience of providing one-to-one or group-based support.
• Can recruit, train, motivate and supervise peer supporters or volunteers.
• Understands the importance of trauma-informed and recovery-orientated practice.
• Can work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Is able to build positive relationships with healthcare professionals, prison staff and external partners.
• Has good organisational skills and can manage competing priorities.
• Can maintain appropriate professional boundaries and work within confidentiality and safeguarding requirements.
• Is resilient, adaptable and able to work effectively in a challenging environment.
• Is committed to equality, diversity and treating people with dignity and respect.
• Is willing to work flexibly across the service, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Is willing to support the service through cross-deployment at HMP Brixton.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in developing peer-led recovery support within a prison setting.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Make a meaningful difference to people affected by substance misuse.
• Develop and lead innovative peer support initiatives.
• Use lived experience to help create positive change, where appropriate.
• Work alongside healthcare and prison professionals as part of an integrated team.
• Support people to build confidence, improve their wellbeing and engage with recovery.
• Contribute to the continued development of peer support across the prison.

If you are passionate about recovery, believe in the power of peer support and want to make a real difference to people's lives, we would love to hear from you.

All prison-based roles are subject to enhanced DBS checks and HMPPS security vetting. These checks can take up to 5 months to complete. Any offer of employment will be conditional upon the successful completion of both checks.

Please note if you have lived overseas within the last 5 years then checks may take longer.