Community Links & Inclusion Worker - Mental Health Service , Doncaster

Summary of Role:

We are recruiting on behalf of Creative Support for someone with previous experience of sessional or community work to join our existing Mental Health Floating Support Service. The role will include designing and facilitating drop-ins, providing support and advice, and providing peer support opportunities as a preventative pathway. The role will see you promote inclusion, independence, recovery and well-being, through developing new and innovative ways of supporting people, to enable them to sustain their own tenancies and quality of life, and help them move from housing related support. This will be conducted at the office Hub and other locations throughout Doncaster. The service operates a three-tier model to support service users from a one-off piece of work, through to those requiring intense support for a period of 12 months. It is open to those with any form of mental health need. 

You will work across all three tiers to ensure that the service meets its contract specifications, and to ensure that positive outcomes are demonstrated to support people requiring tenancy related support. You will enable service users to overcome their issues and develop the life skills which will allow them to regain independence.

This will be done through developing volunteering opportunities, and coaching individuals so they are ready for a volunteer role to develop their skills and lead to greater independence.

You will work within the team, to provide highly responsive Community Links and manage the Tier 0 offering. Tier 0 is an additional support offering which, through the means above and ad-hoc one off pieces of work, will support service users moving from floating support into the Community Links service, to achieve outcomes across key life areas including:

• Improved mental health
• Tenancy sustainment
• Maximisation of independent living skills
• Improved engagement with the landlord/accommodation providers
• Better money management/debt and arrears reduction
• Improved safety within the home e.g. reduction in hoarding and safer living conditions
• Reduced homelessness and threat of homelessness
• Better management of substance misuse issues
• Volunteering opportunities

You will have experience of working to build social capital, recruit peer support workers, develop peer support networks, link with mentors, and build volunteer schemes (including befriending schemes and facilitating co-production). You will also develop and maintain effective partnerships, working with other community/service user groups across the Doncaster area, to develop and maintain collaborative links and drop-ins with local agencies and community groups. You will do this to support service users to enhance their quality of life and enable them to enjoy opportunities for personal development, while allowing them access to universal services and social inclusion within the wider community. You will be responsible for managing and reporting on our Social Value Targets for the service.

The role will also require you to run skills workshops, to increase independence and the ability to sustain a long term tenancies.

You will work closely with community groups to make the best use of available resources across Doncaster.  You will develop opportunities for volunteering, supported employment, paid employment, education and leisure opportunities. You will look at innovative ways to improve health and wellbeing for individuals by working in partnership with a range of other agencies, community groups and through peer support.

You will also develop the Tier 0 offering which will, in addition to the above, offer an ad-hoc “drop-in” for service users.

Qualities Required:

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience working with individuals with Mental Health needs
• Relevant Qualification (RMN, DipSW, NVQQ) or degree
• To have a clean driving licence and access to a car

• Experience of developing and co-ordinating volunteering roles, preparation for volunteering and community links
• Experience in designing and delivering workshops, peer networks and group sessions
• Ability to articulate and communicate a progressive vision for the delivery of generic housing related support services
• Ability to engage with service users, to develop and sustain warm and trusting relationships
• Good verbal communication skills and ability to listen sensitively to others
• Ability to demonstrate significant understanding of the needs of people with a range of support needs including mental health issues, learning disability, drug/ alcohol issues, homelessness, offending history etc and to be familiar with current views of good practice
• Good written communication skills / reporting writing
• A high level of customer focus and the ability to lead and manage a team to provide excellent customer service
• Ability to demonstrate initiative, self-motivation and resourcefulness
• Ability to liaise in a professional manner with other agencies and to work in a positive way with the families and friends of service users
• Understanding of the person centred aims and principles of Creative Support and ability to put these into practice
• Ability to demonstrate respect for difference and diversity
• A non-judgmental, accepting approach to working with people who lead chaotic lifestyles and the ability to cope in a mature way with conflict, distress and challenging behaviours which may include service users who self-harm, experience suicidal ideation or make poor risk choices
• Ability to work in a calm, patient and tolerant manner at a pace appropriate to the needs of the individual
• Ability to enable people to enjoy developmental opportunities without being exposed to unacceptable risks
• Ability to support and supervise junior staff and provide on the job coaching
• Knowledge of helpful approaches, strategies and interventions in working with people with mental health needs and / or learning disability/ drug & alcohol issues/ offending behaviours etc.
• The ability to serve as a professional role model to colleagues
• Demonstrable skills in working effectively with people who have a range of needs including mental health needs, offending history, drug/ alcohol issues etc.
• Ability to carry out a comprehensive assessment of an individual’s care and support needs, including risk assessment. Ability to devise effective individual care plans and risk management plans
• Good knowledge of the principles of re-ablement and good practice tools and the ability to motivate a team to ensure the re-enablement  model of support is embedded into the working culture of the service
• Knowledge of contract monitoring, management and performance issues
• Excellent knowledge of relevant legislation and good practice guidance related to the role
• Full understanding of the core areas of practice, including safeguarding, the re-ablement model of support  and principles of dignity
• To demonstrate empathy and unconditional positive regard towards people with a range of needs including mental health needs, drug/ alcohol issues, offending history etc.
• Experience of staff supervision
• Experience of liaising and joint working with other agencies and professionals
• Experience of supporting people with complex needs from one or more of the following key areas: mental health needs, drug/ alcohol issues, offenders etc
• Experience of consulting with service users and responding to their views in service development and delivery
• Experience of evaluating, monitoring and reviewing services
• Life experience and confidence in relating to people from a wide variety of backgrounds
• Experience of meeting Housing Related Support requirements including completing SP workbooks and preparing for  reviews
• Willingness to work flexible hours according to needs of agency and service users
• Willingness to attend training courses or events and to deliver training to support staff        
• Willing to accept feedback and guidance and to be accountable to colleagues and managers    

Hours of Work                             

Full time, hours are 37.5 per week. To be worked flexibly on a rota which will include evenings, weekends and public holidays according to the needs of the service.

Benefits of working with Creative Support:

A one-off bonus of £100 upon successful completion of the 4-month probationary period.

Competitive pay and a pension with company contribution and 25 days annual leave plus 8 statutory bank holidays

Company paid enhanced DBS for all staff

Free employee support programme

All our staff are supported 24/7 by our out-of-hours teams

Support to complete the nationally recognised Care Certificate and Social Care Diploma