Community Mental Health Support Worker (Newcastle Upon Tyne)

Due to the success of our Community Mental Health Support Service, we are now recruiting new Community Mental Health Support Workers to join our Newcastle Upon Tyne team.

Please note, this a fixed term, part time (22.5 hours per week) role.

As a Community Mental Health Support Worker, possess strong interpersonal skills, and a passion for supporting people in their recovery. Previous work experience is not essential.

The Community Mental Health Support Service provides a rapid response to people who, following contact with their GP Surgeries, NHS teams or external partners and are assessed as not in need of an urgent statutory response but who nevertheless are in emotional and psychological distress and may require an immediate response to their personal need.

As an inclusive service, people can also self-refer themselves to us and receive the same support.

You will be line-managed by a Community Development Worker in your own PCN (Primary Care Network) team and be working with individuals who are often facing social/practical/emotional challenges. To support their recovery, you will be giving in-the-moment support, your person-centred approach will support them to reduce and manage their social isolation, and promote community activity attendance, support our own activities for people to attend that promotes their mental health wellbeing. There will also be opportunities to support people to implement their own Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) and so develop their knowledge, skills, resilience and confidence to withstand future life challenges. You will be expected to effectively manage your caseload and use Microsoft Office systems and inhouse data bases to maintain accurate records.

To be successful in this role, you will need to be able to work effectively as part of a team, with a good up to date knowledge of the issues affecting our clients, possess good interpersonal skills and have the ability to effectively manage your own workload. You will provide support focused on active, empathic listening, helping the person to problem solve and to link into services and other local support resources.

We are a skilled staff team, with local knowledge, able to listen to what is important to the individual, help the person explore the solutions available and prioritise the actions needed to resolve their difficulties. Our team players are passionate about empowerment, working alongside individuals to promote their independence and leave us more equipped to tackle future problems before they reach crisis point. If people skills, problem solving and delivering person-centred support are your strong attributes, this may be the perfect role for you.

Please note, working hours could include weekdays, weekends and evenings if required. You will be agile working including working from various community hubs in Newcastle Upon Tyne with some home working.

About you

We would love to hear from you, if you possess the following:

• Awareness of mental health issues and how they may impact individuals, gained through your lived experience
• Experience of demonstrating empathy
• Ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines in order to meet service provision criteria
• Very good interpersonal skills
• Ability to work in a team, establishing and maintaining effective working relationships
• Flexibility in working hours, as this role covers weekdays, weekends and evenings

What we offer in return

We are proud to have been recognised and certified as a Great Place to Work, which speaks volumes on how much we value our staff members. In return for the hard work and dedication from our teams, we offer the following benefits:

• 30 days Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays (rising to 32 days at 5 years’ service) and with the option to purchase or sell days
• Enhanced Pension
• Wagestream - ability to release earnings, giving you instant access to your pay
• Refer a Friend payment, Cycle to Work & Enhanced Car schemes
• Vitality Wellbeing Programme including Employee Assistant Programme, GP and priority physiotherapy access and shopping discounts with the opportunity to sign up for a Blue Light Card
• Free Will Writing and Confidential Financial Advice
• Fully funded flu vaccines & eye tests
• Technology salary sacrifice scheme for home appliances, tablets, mobiles, TV’s, fitness trackers and more
• A supportive culture that values work-life balance including agile working and the option to apply for flexible working from day one, career breaks, and up to a week’s special leave a year to help you manage unexpected life events
• Family friendly policies including Enhanced Maternity, Paternity and Adoption pay
• Volunteer Programme
• Enhanced Life Assurance Scheme