About the role

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.

Purpose of the role

Taking responsibility for the North West of England, you will reach out and work directly in local communities to develop sustainable kinship peer support groups.  

You’ll need to think strategically – mapping areas and utilising resources to be effective and efficient in managing your time and building local connections.

Using community engagement techniques like coffee mornings, community events and linking with our training and support service, you’ll build local connections and relationships.

As you develop a group and recruit support group leaders, you’ll provide standardised training and help the group to navigate forming and storming – providing reassurance and support to empower the group.

Once the group is stable, you’ll transition the support group leader/s over to the ‘Hub’ team to build confidence and knowledge to run their group independently.  You’ll also support online groups and special interest groups to transition to independence. 

You’ll ensure targets are met and that kinship carers receive a good experience.