Nhs Equality Diversity jobs

Basildon MIND

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:

Healthy Minds Service -Peer Community Connector

Salary:

£26,128

Location:

Mid and South Essex

Hours:

1 x 37.5 hours per week, permanent

(the post holder will be expected to work flexibly to meet service need)

Annual Leave:

35 days inclusive of bank holidays

Line Management:

Healthy Minds CC Manager

Accountable to:

Contracted Staff Manager

Chief Executive Officer

Board of Trustees

Summary:

Healthy Minds is a flexible, accessible, and person-centred community mental health and wellbeing service that promotes early intervention, resilience, and social connection for adults with emerging or non-clinical mental health needs, reducing the risk of escalation and supporting individuals to manage their mental health effectively within their community.

The aim of the service is to support self-management with the intervention being related to identification of the local offers which support personalised goals – reducing health inequalities by addressing the wider determinants of health such as debt, poor housing and physical inactivity.

At the core of peer support is the value placed on the use of lived experience of mental health difficulties (including the experience of caring for someone with experience of mental health difficulties) and seeing this as a form of expertise. Support and on-the-job training will be provided to use lived experience to foster hope, resilience and recovery.

Our Charity Values are at the heart of everything we do:

· We are stronger together

· We never stop learning

· We put people first.

· We speak up for what is right.

· We demand better, for mental health.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Training

· In house training will be provided as part of the induction Undertake accredited Peer Support Worker training.

Communication

· To effectively engage people using face-to-face and digital means, making home visits where appropriate within the organisation’s policies and procedures.

· To positively promote the understanding that the service user is in control of the pace of their recovery journey and its route.

· To provide information in a way that service users can understand so that they can make informed choices about their recovery and the options available.

· To inspire hope and belief that recovery is possible in others, demonstrating resilience and promoting recovery.

· To model/mentor a recovery process and demonstrate self-management skills and techniques, using own experience of recovery.

· To skillfully use personal experience of recovery to help motivate service users.

· To develop effective, positive, and respectful working relationships with service users, carers, and professionals.

· To raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing and break down stigma and fear among members of the community through promotional events and networking/ engagement with other voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) and statutory organisations.

Interventions

· To manage a caseload of service users, allocated by Senior CCs or Manager.

· To give service users time to tell their stories and focus on ‘what matters to me’.

• To provide non-judgmental support, respecting diversity and lifestyle choices.
• To adopt a preventative, recovery-focused approach that promotes independence and resilience.

· To help service users identify the wider issues that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness and caring responsibilities.

· To work with service users to co-produce a simple personalised wellbeing plan (including crisis/safety planning) – based on the person’s priorities, interests, values and motivations.

· To deliver approaches which engage with service users in a boundaried manner, to enable them to access an appropriate range of support.

· To signpost service users and / or facilitate referrals to community-based services and activities, including peer support, health, social, leisure, employment and training opportunities.

• To provide emotional, social or practical help to enable confidence building and action towards the personalised goals e.g. making contact with services and/or supporting someone to get to the first session.

· To empower and enable service users, in a non-directive, non-prescriptive way, to discover and make use of their own strengths; building coping strategies and meaningful social connections.

• To ensure all relevant information about service user’s support or level of risk that gives cause for concern is escalated to the Healthy Minds Manager and Safeguarding Lead.
• To establish that service users have been contacted by/engaged with community support (as per wellbeing plan) and review progress where possible, using the agreed outcome measurement tool, prior to discharging from caseload.
• Compile case studies and service user experiences and gain appropriate consent for use.

Quality

· To maintain accurate electronic case records and administrative systems.

· To work effectively on own initiative and as part of the integrated mental health team with guidance from Senior CCs and Manager.

· To ensure the effective delivery of activity and quality standards to meet service specifications.

· To assist in the monitoring of the quality of the service and the outcomes required by the service.

· To encourage service users, carers and other stakeholders’ involvement in raising awareness, service design and evaluation.

· To present a positive image of Healthy Minds and Thurrock and Brentwood Mind.

Risk Assessment

· To understand the range of risks potentially faced by service users.

· To act responsively and responsibly to manage service users’ crisis situations; signposting/referring to NHS crisis pathway 111 option 2.

· To champion safeguarding, addressing and escalating concerns and informing Manager of high risk.

Standard Clauses

· To work in accordance with Basildon’s Mind’s Aims and Objectives.

· To contribute to the development of best practice with the service.

· To undertake training as necessary to promote the development of skills and knowledge.

· To receive supervision, appraisal and to attend regular staff meetings.

· To maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and procedures in relation to Mental Health and Primary Care Services.

· To promote awareness of and commitment to the Organisation’s Equality and Diversity Policy in relation to employment and service delivery.

· To ensure compliance with Southend, Essex and Thurrock (SET) Safeguarding guidance and procedures.

· To ensure full compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, the Organisation’s Health and Safety Policy, delegated responsibilities, and all locally agreed safe methods of work.

· All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed for both service users and staff is kept accurate,

confidential, secure and in line with Data Protection 2018, and the UK GDPR and Physical and Environmental Security and Confidentiality Policies

· Actively support and promote Basildon Mind’s fundraising activities as part of day-to-day activities.

· It is the responsibility of all staff that they do not abuse their official position for personal gain, to seek advantage of further private business or other interests in the course of their official duties.

· This Job Description does not provide an exhaustive list of duties and may be reviewed in conjunction with the post holder in light of service development.

Equal Opportunities: The post comes under the terms of Mind’s Equal Opportunities Policy.

Person Specification

Peer Community Connector

Essential

Desirable

Education/ Qualifications

Good English, numeracy and digital skills, supported by relevant education or equivalent experience

Completion of the Accredited Peer Support Worker Training, or ability to obtain

Level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent qualification

Experience

Expert by experience – lived experience of mental health challenges

Experience of using a range of self-management and/or recovery tools and techniques

Ability and willingnessto use lived experience for the benefit of others and be a positive role model for recovery

Experience of using personal story in a recovery-focused way for the benefit and learning of others

Experience of supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity

Working as part of a team

Managing a caseload

Risk assessment and management

Working in the voluntary/ community and statutory sector

Skills, Abilities & Knowledge

Ability to communicate effectively and clearly with people of all levels both verbally and in writing

Understanding and empathy for people with mental health needs, the issues they face and the impact of social factors

Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries, including an understanding of the principles of confidentiality

Ability and resilience to work honestly and sensitively with people who are distressed /emotive issues

Ability to commit to undertaking training and transferring the knowledge and skills learnt to everyday working practice

Ability to keep accurate case notes

Effective administrative, organisational and problem- solving skills

IT literacy using a range of current and relevant packages and proficiency communicating via digital means e.g. telephone, email, text, Zoom and Microsoft Teams

Ability to work effectively in collaboration and partnership both within and outside the organisation

Knowledge of what is available within Mid and South Essex to support people in their recovery - voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) and statutory organisations

A strong awareness and understanding of when it is appropriate or necessary to refer people back to other health professionals/ agencies, when what the person needs is beyond the scope of the role – e.g. when there is a mental health need requiring a qualified practitioner

Local Area

Co-ordination and Asset Based Community Development

Understanding of safeguarding issues and procedures, risk management and health and safety

Knowledge of current legislation including the Care Act, Mental Health Act and Equality and Diversity principles

Understanding of the Five Ways of Wellbeing

Other Requirements

Commitment to ‘living our values’ in everyday work (see above)

use of own vehicle for business purposes and willingness/ ability to travel within Mid and South Essex as required by service/ requirements of post

Flexible working to meet the needs of the service

Commitment to openness, honesty, inclusiveness and personal integrity when dealing with others

Enthusiastic and motivational, with a strong ‘can do’ attitude

Commitment to reducing health inequalities and ensuring accessibility for people from all communities

Self-awareness and understanding of own strengths and limitations and impact of personal style and approach on others

Compassionate, caring, trustworthy, reliable, and passionate about mental health

Pay: £26,128.00 per year

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (preferred)

Work Location: In person