Change Mental Health is a leading national mental health charity providing unique support to people with severe and enduring mental ill health. With over 50 years’ experience across Scotland, we believe people affected by poor mental health and illness deserve the highest quality of support in the community and that every person has the right to be valued and to share in the opportunities, challenges, and joys of everyday life.

We are excited to be expanding our Community Link Worker Service to over 60 GP practices across Highland and North Scotland, resulting in a number of vacancies throughout the area.

The Community Link Worker service collaborates with 62 selected GP surgeries across Highland – supporting adults over the age of 18 through social prescribing. Referrals are received from the GP to our Community Link Workers when there might be a concern caused by social factors, rather than a medical problem. The service focuses on improving health outcomes for people experiencing stressors in their lives due to social problems, which could lead to poor mental health.

As a Senior Community Link Worker, you will have a developmental role as well as providing on-going support. You will be responsible for developing positive, working relationships between the Community Link Worker team, Primary Care and local community resources. You will work to ensure that people referred from Primary Care to the Community Link Worker service benefit from community resources which can contribute to improvement of their mental and physical health outcomes. You will contribute to community development in your local area of work by working with community organisations

You will carry case loads for on-going work with specific individuals for developing and reviewing personal support plans, and provide oversight of personal support plans designed and implemented by Community Link Workers. Working closely with Community Link Workers in a guidance and/or support and supervision role, you will promote good working practice and staff development.

Part of the role will be to ensure that the Community Link Worker service provides an environment where people can improve their health outcomes, establish improved connections in their communities and enhance their quality of life.

Locations:

We are recruiting for 5 posts throughout the Highlands, please include your preference of district from the list below in your cover letter when applying for the role.

Mid and East Ross(Full-time (35 hour working week), GP Practice areas:

• Fortrose
• Munlochy
• Cromarty
• Beauly
• Drumnadrochit

Lochaber(28 hours per week), GP Practice areas:

• Acharacle
• Fort Augustus
• Ballachulish
• Mallaig

Sutherland(26 hours per week ), GP Practice areas:

• Armadale by Thurso
• Lochinvar
• Tongue
• Lairg
• Kinlochbervie

Skye, Lochalsh and Wester Ross(26 hours per week), GP Practice areas:

• Applecross
• Gairloch
• Torridon
• Lochcarron
• Ullapool

Remote (Isle of Eigg),Full-time (35 hour working week).

Key Responsibilities:

• Working closely with the Project Manager and Locality Manager to achieve strategic outcomes
• Working closely with colleagues in Primary Care
• Working to develop improved, working links between Primary Care and local community resources
• Linking service users to appropriate resources in the local community
• Compiling and reviewing service user personal support plans ensuring outcomes are being achieved, including ensuring people are connected to their community
• Oversight of personal support plans developed and implemented by Community Link Workers
• Overseeing Community Link Worker workloads
• Ensuring continuity of service within the context of change MH values and strategic outcomes
• Ensuring that careful and ongoing review systems are in place and maintained
• Building positive working relationships with Primary Care and other local partners to better support our service users and to promote the work of the Community Link Worker service
• Collating information and prepare agency reports for line management as required
• Contributing to Research and Development at a local level in support of National objectives to promote service improvements
• Travelling throughout the geographic region covered by the service as required

Essential Criteria:

• Educated to SVQ 3 level or have experience working in the social care sector.
• Work well in a team setting but can also work autonomously
• Have a sound theory base of social care interventions including risk assessment
• Have a value base consistent with the aims and objectives of Change Mental Health
• Able to apply an analytical approach to problems in order to find solutions
• Competent in planning and reviewing development plans and taking appropriate action if needed
• Good Standard of I.T skills
• An understanding of the importance of providing professional support and supervision to practitioners
• Sound knowledge of Health and Social care policy in Scotland and can apply this to my role
• Desire to develop my knowledge and skills and attend training as required
• Ability to travel throughout the geographic region covered by the service as required

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of working with people affected by mental or physical health issues
• Experience of community-development work
• Experience of working in a SSSC Registered Service
• A learning and development portfolio which evidences my skills and knowledge

General Duties:

• Act in accordance with Data Protection legislation. Ensure all records, personal, staff and client data are managed in line with Data Management and Information Governance policies
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements such as provisions set out in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• As with all employees, workers and volunteers; to encourage people to join Support in Mind Scotland as a member, donor or activist
• To act in accordance with the charity’s Health & Safety and Safeguarding policies and to notify your line manager promptly if there are any concerns
• To participate in regular supervision and appraisal and undertake any relevant training as appropriate to the role
• To work in accordance with the charity’s national policies and local operating procedures and those of external regulators or professional bodies.

This job profile and list of duties is not exhaustive and serves only to highlight the main requirements. The line manager may stipulate other reasonable requirements and projects commensurate with the general profile and grade of the post.

All successful candidates will require a PVG Membership. Please be aware that it is classed as an offence if you apply for this role and are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children or vulnerable adults.

Benefits

• 24/7 access to an award-winning Employee Assistance Programme providing free legal, financial, and medical advice as well as support with life’s challenges
• A 35-hour working week, enhanced sick pay & season ticket loan
• A great work life balance with flexible and blended working environment
• Access to purchase a Blue Light Discount Card
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Enhanced sick pay and leave entitlements
• Generous 37 days’ holiday
• Paid Mental Wellbeing Days
• Professional development including funded opportunities

Change Mental Health is a leading national mental health charity providing unique support to people with severe and enduring mental ill health. With over 50 years’ experience across Scotland, we believe people affected by poor mental health and illness deserve the highest quality of support in the community and that every person has the right to be valued and to share in the opportunities, challenges, and joys of everyday life.

We are excited to be expanding our Community Link Worker Service to over 60 GP practices across Highland and North Scotland, resulting in a number of vacancies throughout the area.

The Community Link Worker service collaborates with 62 selected GP surgeries across Highland – supporting adults over the age of 18 through social prescribing. Referrals are received from the GP to our Community Link Workers when there might be a concern caused by social factors, rather than a medical problem. The service focuses on improving health outcomes for people experiencing stressors in their lives due to social problems, which could lead to poor mental health.

As a Community Link Worker, you will work directly with people referred to the Highland Community Link Worker Service from their GP Practice who require immediate or on-going emotional, practical or vocational support in order to deliver the best possible health outcomes.

This post works directly with people using the service to develop and review personal support plans. You will work closely with other members of the Community Link Worker team, colleagues in Primary Care and representatives of community-based groups and organisations, to achieve outcomes as defined by your line manager.

Within the Community Link Worker team there is a clear line management structure which supports and shapes the practice. The post will contribute to an environment where people can improve their health outcomes, establish improved connections in their communities, and enhance their quality of life.

Locations:

We are recruiting for 8 posts throughout the Highlands, please include your district preference from the list below in your cover letter when applying for the role.

Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey(Full-time - 35 hour working week), GP Practice areas:

• Aviemore
• Grantown-on-Spey
• Kingussie
• Newtonmore

Inverness(8.75 hours per week), GP Practice areas:

• Foyers

Mid and East Ross(21hours per week), GP Practice areas:

• Fortrose
• Munlochy
• Cromarty
• Beauly
• Drumnadrochit

Lochaber(28 hours per week), GP Practice areas:

• Acharacle
• Fort Augustus
• Ballachulish
• Mallaig

Sutherland(1 position at 18 hours per week / 1 position at 21 hours per week), GP Practice areas:

• Armadale by Thurso
• Lochinvar
• Tongue
• Lairg
• Kinlochbervie

Skye, Lochalsh and Wester Ross(21 hours per week), GP Practice areas:

• Applecross
• Gairloch
• Torridon
• Lochcarron
• Ullapool

Skye, Lochalsh and Wester Ross(28 hours per week), GP Practice areas:

• Carbost
• Dunvegan
• Glenelg
• Kyle
• Broadford

Key Responsibilities:

• Work as part of a team building positive working relationships
• Work closely with colleagues in Primary Care
• Coordinate and refer service users to resources in the local community and to statutory and non-statutory services as appropriate
• In partnership with service users, design, implement, and review outcome focussed development plans to enable service users to achieve their identified goals
• Employ a number of appropriate intervention strategies including positive communication skills
• Ensure ongoing risk assessment is integral to my practice to ensure the wellbeing of service users
• Utilise group work skills which bring people together in a safe environment
• Awareness of appropriate professional boundaries including confidentiality
• Understanding of the requirements of Health and Safety in the workplace and follow Change Mental Health policies
• Ensure that careful and ongoing review systems are in place and maintained

Essential Criteria:

• Educated to SVQ level 2 or have relevant experience working in health and social care
• Able to plan and prioritise workload
• Professional self-awareness and able to seek support and advice from my line manager appropriately and participate in supervision and support meetings positively
• Able to liaise confidently with statutory and non-statutory agencies
• Empathetic
• My personal and professional value base is consistent with the aims and objectives of Change Mental Health
• Demonstrate genuine regard for service users and their families
• Have good I.T. skills and can produce accurate case notes
• I am enthusiastic to develop my knowledge and skills
• Full, clean, driving licence and access to a vehicle

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of working with people affected by mental or physical health issues
• Experience of community-development work
• Experience of working in a SSSC Registered Service
• A learning and development portfolio which evidences my skills and knowledge

General Duties

• Act in accordance with Data Protection legislation. Ensure all records, personal, staff and client data are managed in line with Data Management and Information Governance policies
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements such as provisions set out in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• As with all employees, workers and volunteers; to encourage people to join Change Mental Health as a member, donor or activist
• To act in accordance with the charity’s Health & Safety and Safeguarding policies and to notify your line manager promptly if there are any concerns
• To participate in regular supervision and appraisal and undertake any relevant training as appropriate to the role
• To work in accordance with the charity’s national policies and local operating procedures and those of external regulators or professional bodies

This job profile and list of duties is not exhaustive and serves only to highlight the main requirements. The line manager may stipulate other reasonable requirements and projects commensurate with the general profile and grade of the post.

Please note that all successful candidates will require a PVG Membership. Please be aware that it is classed as an offence if you apply for this role and are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children or vulnerable adults.

Benefits

• 24/7 access to an award-winning Employee Assistance Programme providing free legal, financial, and medical advice as well as support with life’s challenges
• A 35-hour working week, enhanced sick pay & season ticket loan
• A great work life balance with flexible and blended working environment
• Access to purchase a Blue Light Discount Card
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Enhanced sick pay and leave entitlements
• Generous 37 days’ holiday
• Paid Mental Wellbeing Days
• Professional development including funded opportunities

Health in Mind

With your mental health at heart

This is an exciting opportunity to become part of our growing Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Team within the Scottish Borders. Funded by the Scottish Borders Council this post will work to promote and deliver a robust and dynamic mental health Peer Connecting Service within the Scottish Borders.

We are looking for an enthusiastic Support and Development Worker to join our Peer Connecting service. In this role, you will work alongside the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Team Leader and the Borders Team to promote and deliver our mental health Peer Connecting services across the Scottish Borders.

Peer Connecting facilitates matching people seeking mental health and wellbeing support with a peer volunteer. Our Peer volunteers guide their matches through tools and techniques to help people to make the changes they want to make. Peer volunteers draw on their own lived experience and Health in Mind training to achieve this.

Your role will be to recruit, train and supervise volunteers for both 1:1 and group work. You will be responsible for facilitating a robust training program for volunteers and people you are working with and where applicable supporting them through the Peer Volunteer Award (PDA).

If you have experience of supporting people to improve their mental health and wellbeing, personal experience of self-managing your own mental health or experience managing volunteers, we’d love to hear from you!

Travel is required across the Scottish Borders as part of the role. A good understanding of the locality and community is desirable. Flexibility in working hours will also be expected to meet the needs of people we work with. Evening and weekend work may be part of the role.

Health in Mind

With your mental health at heart

Development Worker Engagement Pathways - Scottish Borders Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Services

We are offering a new permanent post for a Development Worker – Engagement Pathways to lead and develop our pathways into services for people. This includes enquiries, initial conversations including risk assessment, baseline outcome measures, reviews and endings.

This opportunity requires excellent communication and organisational skills, where the successful candidate will be required to support the journey of people through our services within the Scottish Borders.

You will be key to maintaining quality within this area of service delivery. You should have experience of working together with people experiencing mental health problems to support them to achieve their aims related to mental health and wellbeing. You should also have experience of developing systems and processes and sharing your learning experiences across teams.

If you have experience in these areas and are passionate about enabling people to fulfil their potential, we’d love to hear from you!