Peer Support and Information Advisors

About INVOLV

At INVOLV, everything revolves around participation in healthcare, social services, and research. We are a knowledge center, provide organizational consulting, and offer training. We do this for and with patient and client organizations, but community participation has also become an integral part of our work. Of course, participation isn’t something you do alone, so we also focus on our partners, such as researchers, government agencies, and healthcare organizations.

The freedom to shape your ambitions

The importance of patient and client participation is growing, and our role is expanding, both nationally and regionally. We are expanding our team to focus on the core tasks of patient and client organizations dedicated to participation: peer support, information provision, and advocacy. We are seeking two new colleagues to join this team of experienced and dedicated advisors: a Peer Support Advisor and an Information Provision Advisor.

Both roles are varied; one day you might host a webinar on a learning platform, and the next you might be advising the board of a patient organization. You’re someone who’s eager to explore and grow. You’ll have a lot of freedom to shape the role, but you’ll also have the support of your team members.

Pioneering and further development

You are responsible for our services related to connecting with peers or providing information:

• A publicly accessible resource for anyone interested in (various forms of) peer support or information services. To this end, you will develop educational materials and toolkits and deliver presentations and webinars. This aspect involves pioneering work and is undoubtedly the core focus of the role.
• Training and consulting services for PG organizations. This part of our offering is already largely developed, and the training sessions are primarily delivered by external trainers. You will coordinate these efforts, contribute ideas on the design and follow-up opportunities for the training sessions, and advise PG organizations.

In addition to patient and disability organizations (for training and advisory services), the target audience for our publicly accessible offerings includes a wide range of organizations and initiatives. These include, for example, regional drop-in centers, learning platforms, recovery academies, and other venues where peer support and information provision play a key role.

Two strong personalities who are deeply committed to care recipients

Participation means involvement and engagement. We believe that participation is the key to better care, well-being, and research, and that it leads to a better quality of life for people with disabilities or medical conditions. We’re very curious to hear how you can help us make participation the norm. What matters most to us?

• You stay up to date on trends and developments in your area of expertise and know how to apply this knowledge to INVOLV’s day-to-day operations.
• You serve as a sounding board and go-to person for your colleagues.
• You will build a network of relevant partners, both strategic and operational, at the national and regional levels.
• You are socially conscious and care deeply about care recipients.
• Experience with peer support and providing information within the community of people living with a condition is definitely a plus.
• You must have at least a college-level education and be able to work independently.
• You are proactive, analytical, creative, enterprising, and self-motivated. In short, you have what it takes to be a pioneer!
• Digital skills and, preferably, familiarity with online communities.

Peer Support

In peer support, patients, clients, or their loved ones share knowledge and experiences with one another. It is a valuable complement to professional care. Peer support is therefore a key activity of virtually all patient and client organizations. Healthcare professionals should recommend it more often, because it works. Peers themselves experience recognition and support. Peer support adds value for both the participants and society. The effect is even greater when combined with activities where you actually spend time together with your peers. But there are other parties that benefit from peer-to-peer contact, such as health insurers, municipalities, and employers.

Provision of Information

Members of a patient organization need information about their illness or condition. Not just from doctors, but especially from people with lived experience. What does it mean to live with a (chronic) condition? Providing information is therefore an important task for patient organizations. This can involve medical information in line with the latest scientific findings, but also sharing personal experiences through various channels. Specifically for the region, we are considering how information provision applies to the questions that are currently being asked. This is pioneering work and will be both strategic and practical. Consider, for example, developing a format to enable the referral function (social map) for the health centers.

And what else do we have to offer you?

• As a consultant, you have many contacts, both internal and external.
• You'll have a lot of autonomy, freedom, and the ability to make your own decisions.
• A position of great social importance.
• The option and resources to combine working at the office in Utrecht with working from home.
• Initially a one-year contract, with the option to extend.
• A competitive salary; INVOLV follows the Collective Labor Agreement for Social Work in the Netherlands, pay scale 11.
• Excellent benefits package, including a pension plan and extensive educational opportunities.

Are you our new colleague?

Are you our new peer support advisor? Or would you prefer to be an information services advisor?

Please send your cover letter and resume tovacature@involv.nl byDecember 2, 2024. We plan to schedule the first interviews during theweek of December 9. For more information, visit this website or contact Martine Versluijs (m.versluijs@involv.nl). 

We do not welcome sales calls!