Peer Mentor - Creative Arts

Introduction

The Wallich is a homelessness charity delivering innovative housing and support services to homeless and vulnerably housed people. The Organisation formed in 1978 in Cardiff and now supports around 8000 people a year across Wales. Our work falls into four principal areas:

1. Residential supported housing projects, including direct access hostels, emergency night shelters and accommodation for people with specific issues such as substance misuse, youth services etc.

2. Floating (Tenancy) support projects in which we support people who have tenancy difficulties, sometimes with a contributing health or other need, and are in danger of losing their homes.

3. Prevention or intervention projects supplied through Homelessness Prevention Grant funding which are a broad range of services that prevent homelessness or make life better for homeless people.

4. Participation and Progression services, which are embedded in all our projects enhancing support through providing opportunities for Service Users to take an active part in their community. These services include those designed to enable people to move into meaningful activities including employment and training opportunities.

The Wallich’s values are of empowerment and treating people with dignity, respect and unconditional positive regard. The Wallich is committed to providing services that are trauma informed and delivered with Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE) at the heart of its support. A PIE is an approach to supporting people out of homelessness whilst making significant and positive progress in overcoming trauma, substance misuse and mental illness. It also considers the psychological needs of staff: developing skills and knowledge, increasing motivation, job satisfaction and resilience. At the heart of what we do are the people we support, who are actively and meaningfully involved in their own support and encouraged to participate in the design, development and delivery of services.

Project Description

At the core of the support we offer is client involvement, giving our service users the opportunity to shape and guide the work of both their local projects and the organisation in general. The Participation and Progression Team delivers learning and development programmes, involvement activities and develops employment opportunities for service users.

Increasingly, we are developing activities and working in partnership with organisations’ involved in the Arts, Culture, Heritage and Sports Sectors for the benefit of the people we support and are committed to increasing these opportunities by developing bespoke projects and activities.

The postholder will support the Creative Arts Coordinator to deliver these activities and programmes across Wales. They will also help to deliver a Paul Hamlyn Foundation “Explore & Test” project. This project will centre on promoting creative arts engagement with our residents and service users alongside specialist arts practitioners.

Purpose of Role

The postholder will work alongside the Creative Arts Coordinator to encourage and support Service User’s to engage in creative arts activities and programmes. In addition, postholders will be required to support the Coordinator in the day to day running of the project.

This role is subject to an Enhanced DBS Disclosure and is ringfenced for ex-service users as lived experience of homelessness and/or the associated challenges is essential to this role.

No Agencies.

We do not accept unsolicited agency referrals for this position and do not consider any applicants, to have been introduced to us via agency.

Main Duties, Responsibilities and Person Profile

1. To ensure that Service Users are aware of the mission, aims and objectives, policies and procedures of Creative Arts and that all are being treated fairly and with equal opportunity

2. Provide encouragement and peer support to enable Services Users to participate effectively in creative art activities and programmes

3. Provide support in a range of general and financial administration duties relevant to the project.

4. Support the facilitation of regular workshops/activities

5. Support the planning of seasonal art activities

6. Maintenance of relevant databases

7. To maintain accurate and up to date records

8. Signposting Service Users to relevant services when required

9. Professionally represent the organisation internally and externally and report any issues arising to the Coordinator

10. To work in line with all guidelines, policies and procedures

ORGANISATIONAL VALUES AND POLICIES

All role holders within The Wallich are expected to live the organisational values and to demonstrate throughout the work they do, and the manner in which they do it, these values. In addition, all role holders are expected to either be compliant with, or act as a role model for, organisational policies and requirements.

The Wallich values are:

Courageous – We speak truth to power, we challenge ourselves and each other. We fearlessly pioneer new initiatives. We and our service users have the courage to drive change

Determined – We will not stop. We will continue to strive to make changes, not only for our charity but for the people we support. We will not lose passion or focus, even when it’s hard.

Authentic – We are genuine in our intentions, working on the front line with the people who need us. We walk the path alongside people and use peer experience to inform everything we do.

Compassionate – At all times – always. No matter how many times someone comes to us for help, we will listen, be empathetic and greet them with kindness.

Community – Everybody deserves to belong somewhere. As a team we are family and we embrace partnership. We strive for inclusion and acceptance of those affected by homelessness.

Please find full person specification in the link below. Please refer to this document when completing your application.

Interviews to be held on 08/12/2021.

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