For individuals who have navigated the complexities of mental health challenges and want to channel that journey into a meaningful career, standard healthcare roles can sometimes feel distant or overly clinical. This distinct vacancy flips the narrative by explicitly valuing your personal history as your primary asset. It is a rare opening in Wales where your past challenges are transformed into a vital tool for guiding older adults through their recovery journeys.
Operating within the Mental Health Services for Older People clinical nurse specialist team and the local Recovery and Wellbeing College, this position embeds you directly into a highly integrated team. You will be joining an environment focused on expanding trauma informed and healing care, meaning your insights will actively help shape how treatments are delivered. The workplace structure is highly supportive, pairing you with dedicated clinical leads to ensure your own well-being remains protected while you support others.
While many international healthcare opportunities require extensive clinical degrees, this role offers a refreshing route for those with practical experience and a commitment to social inclusion. The provision of explicit Health and Care visa sponsorship means that qualified overseas applicants can secure a stable position in the UK without facing the typical financial hurdles of the immigration system.
Job Overview
| Metric | Details |
| Job Title | Peer Support Worker Psychosis |
| Employer | Cardiff and Vale University Health Board |
| Location | Penarth, United Kingdom |
| Salary | £28,819 to £31,626 a year per annum pro rata |
| Contract Type | Permanent |
| Hours | Part-time |
| Visa Sponsorship Status | Visa Sponsorship Available |
| Closing Date | 22 June 2026 |
| Interview Date | Not specified |
What You’d Actually Be Doing
- Providing structured peer support and practical assistance to an allocated caseload of service users to help them regain control over their lives.
- Sharing personal recovery stories and wisdom gained from your own experiences to inspire hope and model resilience for older adults.
- Participating in care planning alongside multi disciplinary teams to review physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being needs.
- Facilitating educational sessions at the Recovery and Wellbeing College to deliver peer led recovery principles to service users and carers.
- Engaging marginalised individuals who may feel reluctant or anxious about working with traditional statutory mental health services.
- Adopting culturally sensitive approaches to ensure every service user is treated with complete dignity and respect across the pathway.
- Attending regular clinical supervision with the Clinical Nurse Specialist for Psychosis to maintain safe boundaries and personal well-being.
Who They’re Looking For
Must-haves
- Lived experience of using secondary mental health or addiction services, either as a service user yourself or as a primary carer.
- An NVQ Level 4, an official diploma, or equivalent relevant experience in a care setting.
- Proven experience working in a recovery focused and socially inclusive manner to help others achieve personal goals.
- Foundational knowledge of psychosis and related conditions, including their specific impact on older populations.
- An approachable personality with the natural ability to engage constructively with older individuals in distress.
Nice-haves
- Additional specialized training or certified experience in formal peer support delivery methods.
- Evidence of ongoing personal development or completed health and social care coursework.
- The ability to speak the Welsh language, though English-only speakers are also welcome to submit applications.
If you are worried that you do not hold a formal university diploma, do not hesitate to apply, because the health board treats equivalent lived and professional experience with the exact same weight as academic certificates.
What Most Applicants Get Wrong
1. Obscuring their lived experience behind clinical jargon
Many candidates make the mistake of writing a standard, detached medical application, thinking it looks more professional. For this role, your personal journey of recovery is your greatest qualification, so failing to openly reflect on how you managed your own mental health challenges will make your application look generic.
2. Ignoring the specific needs of older populations
Applicants frequently write about mental health support in general terms without tailoring their answers to older individuals. This team works specifically with adults over 65, so failing to discuss the unique social isolation, physical vulnerabilities, and generational barriers faced by older people experiencing psychosis will weaken your application.
3. Failing to demonstrate boundary management
Some candidates focus so much on sharing their story that they forget to prove they can maintain professional boundaries. The interview panel needs to know you can share your history safely without blurring lines or risking your own mental health, so failing to mention supervision or boundary management will result in rejection.
How to Apply (and Actually Get Noticed)
- Access the online application portal and ensure your personal statement clearly explains your lived experience with secondary mental health services.
- Highlight your specific skills regarding older people and explain how you would make psychosis concepts accessible to them.
- Detail any community or care work where you have successfully promoted social inclusion, recovery, or goal setting.
- Submit your completed digital application before the formal closing date on 22 June 2026, keeping in mind that the listing may close early if volumes are high.
Visa and Eligibility
This position qualifies for the Health and Care worker visa pathway, meaning Cardiff and Vale University Health Board can issue a Certificate of Sponsorship to eligible international applicants. Because this role sits under the preferred healthcare tier, successful international applicants will benefit from reduced application fees and an exemption from the annual Immigration Health Surcharge. You will need to clear a comprehensive Disclosure and Barring Service check, and anyone who has lived abroad for a year or more within the last decade must provide official criminal record certificates from those nations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to the most common questions people ask about this Peer Support Worker Psychosis role at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, including eligibility, interview format, visa requirements and what to expect from the application process.
Is UK visa sponsorship available for this peer support worker position?
Yes, this role offers official sponsorship under the Health and Care visa pathway for qualified international workers. Overseas candidates are welcome to apply and will be considered alongside domestic applicants.
What is the exact salary for this Band 4 mental health role?
The salary ranges from £28,819 to £31,626 a year per annum pro rata depending on your previous experience. It follows the standard NHS Agenda for Change pay scale guidelines.
Do I need a university degree to apply for this vacancy?
No, you do not need a degree as long as you have an NVQ Level 4, a relevant diploma, or equivalent practical care experience. The hiring team values frontline experience and lived history very highly.
What does lived experience mean in the context of this job?
It means you must have personal experience using secondary mental health or addiction services, either as a service user yourself or as a direct carer. This background is a primary eligibility requirement for the position.
Which specific age group will I be supporting in Penarth?
You will be working within the Mental Health Services for Older People team, which focuses on providing care to individuals aged 65 years or over. Your focus will be helping them manage psychosis and emotional distress.
Can I submit my application forms in the Welsh language?
Yes, you are fully entitled to submit your application in Welsh, and it will not be treated any less favourably than an English submission. The health board welcomes both English and Welsh speakers.
What is the deadline to apply for this healthcare post?
The official closing date for all applications on the tracking system is 22 June 2026. However, the health board reserves the right to close the vacancy within 24 hours if high volumes are received, so early submission is advised.
Official Application Link
You can submit your formal application directly by visiting the platform for the Peer Support Worker Psychosis at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board job listing.
