Merton Peer Support Service

Contact details

Location

Please note this is a community based service without a set location.

People using the service are able to choose how they access support and whether that is in person, online via video chat, or on the phone. It should be noted though that this does not extend to meeting people in their homes. Together staff will meet people in the community in Merton in public places such as libraries or coffee shops and those meetings will be specifically to provide one to one support.

Email: merton-referrals@together-uk.org
Opening times: Monday – Friday between 9am – 5pm

Services offered:

Community support
1-2-1 Peer Support
Group Peer Support

Merton Peer Support Service provides peer support offering emotional support and promotes access to information and practical advice for people experiencing mental health difficulties.

South West London and St. George’s Mental Health NHS Trust is working in partnership with Together for Mental Wellbeing, Off the Record and Jigsaw4u to deliver the Merton Peer Support Service for people living in the Merton borough.  The Merton Peer Support service will form a part of the Integrated Recovery Hub (IRH) to support with the delivery of increased timely access to a wider range of holistic mental health and wellbeing interventions. The service will work closely with service users, the multidisciplinary team (MDT) and partner organisations to facilitate access to and deliver appropriate peer support when such needs are identified.

The key aim of the service is to deliver 1-2-1 and group peer support to people experiencing emotional distress and who would benefit from and want to engage with peer support interventions to aid their recovery goals and longer-term wellbeing. A key component is that these staff use their own direct lived experience of mental health difficulties to support other people. They will work collaboratively with people within their service, focusing on the person’s strengths and personal resources to offer educational, emotional and practical support towards goals that are defined by the person.

The service will provide 1-2-1 and group peer support. Peer Support activity might include:

1-2-1 Peer Support

  • Meeting with a Peer Support Worker, talking through emotional challenges, sharing coping mechanisms and potentially creating a holistic wellbeing plan to take beyond the scope of mental health services and/or into a sustained caring role.
  • We provide up to 12 sessions of weekly or bi-weekly 1-2-1 peer support either in the community, online or via phone. Those are regular planned sessions and will be offered by the Peer Support Worker

Group Peer Support

  • A variety of peer and social support groups, workshops and activities are available that provide a safe environment to support improvements in emotional and physical wellbeing, tackle isolation, enhanced caring roles where appropriate and increase the outcomes of the peer support service.
  • Group peer support is delivered by Peer Support Volunteers which will consist of either general Peer Support groups with a pre agreed topic, at regular consistent day/time and will be held for up to 6 weeks.
  • In addition, the service will offer Self-Management Peer Support Groups. These groups are led by Peer Supporters who are both participants of the group as well as facilitators of the group. The group support each other through developing peer relationships and sharing experiences on managing wellbeing.

 

The peer support service offers a blended approach to delivery, according to the person’s individual needs, the service user could benefit from the following:

  • A person-centred, strength-based approach that is responsive to what the individual themselves identifies will support their recovery
  • Service flexibility, including consideration of weekend or early evening support when needed.
  • A time-limited, outcome-focused 1-2-1 intervention to support personal outcomes so people can live their lives as independently as possible.
  • Appropriate length of group-based support to address intended specific outcomes.
  • Access to local services to promote community inclusion and connectedness, enabling sustainable recovery and support.
  • Practical support to help people access the right services and support based on needs, preferences, and the options available.

Resources

Making a referral

The team at SWLStG will identify referrals and the referral form can be sent to merton-referrals@together-uk.org.

In partnership with:

 

About Off The Record

Off the Record is an award-winning children and young people’s mental health charity working across the boroughs of Croydon, Merton and Sutton. Our vision is ‘showing up for children and young people’s mental health in South West London’. Information about all of our work is on our website Off the Record Youth Counselling.

In addition to our open-access services, we are pleased to be partners with SWLSTG and other voluntary sector partners, in both Merton and Sutton, in the mental health transformation programme delivering peer support for young people aged 18-25.

www.talkofftherecord.org

 

About Jigsaw4u

Jigsaw4u is a South West London community wellbeing charity established in 1997. We have over 27-years experience of ‘helping put the pieces back together’ through supporting individuals, families and communities experiencing complex social and emotional difficulties.

Jigsaw4u’s Carers Peer Support Service supports Merton carers through emotional support and access to information, opportunities and practical advice. Working alongside other VCSE peer support providers in the Borough, Jigsaw4u work on improving pathways and coordinating services for carers experiencing mental health challenges, often as a direct result of caring. You can read more about our work at:

www.jigsaw4u.org.uk

Volunteer with Merton Peer Support Service

Please note before applying to volunteer with Merton Peer Support Service please read the Volunteer Peer Supporter Role Description

If you would like to volunteer with Merton Peer Support Service please fill out the form below to submit an application and the team will get back to you about opportunities:

Merton Peer Support Service Volunteer Application Form
Pease tell us your availability or times (if applicable):

Your References

If applicable for the role you are volunteering for, please give the details of two people who we can contact for a reference. They can be an employer, someone who knows you in a professional capacity, for example a support worker, college tutor etc. or someone who knows you well, for example a friend.
Please indicate if we may contact Referee 1 before our first informal meeting:
Please indicate if we may contact Referee 2 before our first informal meeting:

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

Successful applicants may be subject to an enhanced DBS check or an enhanced DBS check against the barred lists if their work involves carrying out certain activities for children and adults. This will include details of cautions, reprimands or final warnings, as well as convictions. Due to the nature of the post for which you are applying, it is regarded as ‘exempt’ from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 by virtue of the (Amendment) Order 2001. As a result, successful applicants are not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are ‘spent’ under the provisions of the Act and, in the event of employment; any failure to disclose such convictions could lead to dismissal or disciplinary action by the employer. If you are offered a volunteering role, prior to you undertaking that role, if applicable, you will be asked to complete a criminal record declaration. Any information given will be treated as confidential and the declaration of a criminal record will not necessarily prevent your offer from being confirmed. To find out more, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service.

Data Protection

Together takes our responsibility to look after volunteers’ personal information seriously. We will respect your privacy and follow the principles of the Data Protection Act when handling information about you. We will only ask for relevant and necessary information from you, will keep it securely, limit access to it and will not pass on information without your consent, unless we are legally obliged to. Please read and sign the following statement, so that we have your permission to hold information about you at Together.
I understand and agree that information that I have given to Together about myself may be stored, in manual or electronic form and used by Together and/or carefully vetted third parties who may process personal data on behalf of Together in connection with the work of the organisation

Equal Opportunities Statement

Together welcomes diversity in the people we provide a service to and in our workforce. Diversity is not just seen as something to aim for but as something to be valued and an asset in delivering services to different people. Together recognises that certain groups and individuals are discriminated against in society and is committed to ensuring that equality of opportunity becomes an integral feature of all our activities. Together aims to eliminate discrimination on grounds of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, AIDS/HIV status, disability, age and history of mental-health and addiction problems. All volunteers are required to comply with Together’s equal opportunities policy. All Together volunteer appointments will be made in accordance with the equal opportunities policy.
Where did you see this job advertised?

Diversity Monitoring Information

We ask our staff, volunteers and service users to complete our Diversity Monitoring Form to enable us to monitor the effectiveness of our approach to equality and diversity and therefore ensure that we deliver the best possible service outcomes. Information that you provide will be used solely to help us monitor our performance. In accordance with the Data Protection Act, all information will be treated in the strictest confidence.
What gender are you?
Is your gender identity the same as the gender you were assigned at birth?
How would you describe your faith / belief / religion?
What is your sexual orientation?
How do you describe your ethnic origin?
Do you consider yourself to have a disability according to the terms given in the Equality Act 2010?
You are disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
If yes, please select the type of impairment that applies to you (you may select more than one):