Website Together for Mental Wellbeing
Full job description
Description
Too many people pass through the criminal justice system without their mental health needs being recognised. With more than 70% of the prison population experience some level of mental distress, it’s crucial that specialist services exist to ensure that people get the care and support they need to break the cycle of offending. This is where you come in.
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Award winning London Liaison and Diversion services across London. This role links closely with our L&D service which aims to identify and work with people going through the criminal justice system who have mental health needs and other vulnerabilities to support their access to appropriate services in the community.
We currently recruiting in our Community L&D service South cluster team based in Wimbledon Magistrate’s Court.
Key functions include:
Offer short-term (often up to three months), outreach support through:
- Referring people to relevant services,
- Accompanying them to appointments
- Engaging them in 1:1 work to support their wellbeing and become well-equipped to achieve their personal goals.
- Contributing to the management of risk for the person, including raising safeguarding concerns for risk to self, others or from others
About you
The successful candidate must have experience of working in criminal justice system and delivering mental services, and have good knowledge and understanding of peer support and service user leadership. You will need to have excellent interpersonal skills that will enable you to challenge, motivate, influence and inspire your colleagues at all levels.
This is an excellent opportunity to be part of a highly skilled multi-disciplinary team. You will also benefit from being part of a dynamic growing organisation, committed to the development of its workforce.
“Our team consists of people with a breadth of clinical experiences, we work to make a difference to truly vulnerable people and we pride ourselves on partnership working” – current team member.
The above are a full time (37.5 hrs a week) posts, but we can consider part-time arrangements.
We are committed to fair chances for all and making sure everyone can access the support they need to make positive changes in their recovery journey. You really can make a difference by believing in our service users and their ability to make changes, when they do not always believe in themselves. The Criminal Justice service has multiple projects working within courts, prisons, probation and the community, aiming at providing mental health support in all these stages of the criminal justice system. We’ve seen impressive growth over the last two years extending our remit of work and this is something we’re highly motivated to continue.
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
Essential
- A minimum of two years’ experience working in a mental health setting.
- Skills in engaging individuals with mental health and complex social care needs.
- The ability to work in a flexible way to meet service users’ needs. Ability to manage a diverse range of service users including those with protected characteristics, and a variety of social care and mental health needs.
- The ability to demonstrate clear boundaries in client work.
- The ability to form effective inter-agency relationships, e.g. health, probation, social services etc. as well as ability to work independently in an autonomous and self-motivated manner.
- Excellent communication skills, with a range of agencies and stakeholders.
- The ability to maintain own safety and use outreach work protocols as agreed with line manager.
- The ability to manage complex and difficult situations.
- An understanding of the clinical and social care needs of adults, with different gender identities and those from underrepresented groups including minority ethnic groups, who present with various vulnerabilities, including mental health needs.
- An understanding of risk assessment and management strategies, including safeguarding principles and processes.
- An understanding of psychiatric symptomatology and treatment interventions as well as an understanding of mental health service provision within the community.
- An understanding of the social care needs system (for example employment, benefits and housing services).
- Administrative and goals setting skills.
- A developed sense of how the Equality Act is applied in mental health work and the criminal justice system. An understanding of mental health legislation, particularly the Mental Health Act 1983 and related contemporary policy issues.
- Ability to work well in a team.
- Ability to build and maintain effective professional networks.
Desirable
- An understanding of the criminal justice system and the challenges defendants and practitioners face, including accessing and providing support to vulnerable individuals in criminal justice settings.
Benefits
The benefits of working for Together
Download the PDF to find out more about what you can get out of working for us.
Benefits of Working for Together
At Together we value and encourage diversity and inclusion within our workforce. We are committed to creating a workplace where you can be your authentic self, welcoming applications from people from diverse communities and backgrounds who share our values. As an employer, we are committed to making any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.
Successful candidates will require an enhanced DBS check. To find out more, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service. Together is committed to equal opportunities and non-discriminatory practices. Charity No. 211091
About Together for Mental Wellbeing
Together for Mental Wellbeing is a national charity that supports people with mental health issues to lead fulfilling and independent lives.
We value people as experts in what works best for them, and each individual we work with influences and shapes the support they and others receive from us.
Founded in 1879, today we work with approximately 4,500 people every month – at around 70 locations across England.
Our services include support in the community, accommodation-based support, advocacy, and criminal justice services.
To apply for this job please visit together-uk.pinpointhq.com.
