Community Mental Health Support Worker in Washington

Location: Sunderland and Washington (hybrid role, will also be home working)

Contract: 12 month fixed-term, full-time (37.5hrs per week)

Everyturn Mental Health are looking to recruit dedicated and compassionate Community Mental Health Support Workers to join our expanding team across Sunderland and Washington. This is an exciting opportunity for individuals with a background in mental health support, particularly recent psychology graduates or those with previous experience as a Link Worker, Case Worker, or Social Prescriber. Candidates must be able to travel to and around Sunderland and Washington.

This role is not suitable for someone from a personal care background; we specifically want to hear from candidates with experience of working 1:1 in a mental health setting. The role involves supporting people over the phone, in their home, GP Surgery or in community settings such as cafes or community hubs.

This role is not eligible for sponsorship as it does not meet the requirements as set out by the UK Visa and Immigration Service.

As a Community Mental Health Support Worker you will deliver a non-clinical support service embedded in primary care settings across Sunderland and Washington, offering regular mental health check-ins, support with antipsychotic medication use, and early identification of deterioration in mental wellbeing. You will work collaboratively with Primary Care Mental Health Practitioners (PCMHPs) and other professionals, helping individuals develop personal contingency plans to promote stability and reduce avoidable crisis or escalation.

You will support and encourage the development of lasting behaviour changes which underpin improved mental and physical wellbeing. Working closely with individuals to support and encourage the development of strategies to enable them to better manage their mental health and wellbeing, help them to connect to others in their local community to overcome loneliness and isolation and support to deal with practical issues such as housing, benefits and employment by signposting to other appropriate organisations/agencies.

• Provide regular, structured mental health support on a one-to-one basis
• Identify early signs of mental health deterioration and take appropriate action
• Support individuals in managing medication, where appropriate
• Work collaboratively with primary care colleagues and local services
• Help individuals build coping strategies and contingency plans
• Encourage engagement with the local community to reduce isolation
• Signpost to relevant support services for practical issues such as housing, benefits, and employment

We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate the following:

• Have experience of supporting people with their mental health
• Triage, Administration and Data Management - The postholder will be responsible for effective triage of patients ensuring that information is accurately assessed, recorded and prioritised. This includes maintaining high-quality administrative support such as updating records, coordinating appointments, and managing workflow processes.
• The role also involves accurate and timely data entry, monitoring and reporting, ensuring all information is handled in line with organisational policies, governance standards and data protection requirements.
• Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop good working relationships at all levels, both internally and externally
• Knowledge of recovery, stigma and discrimination in the context of mental health
• Have a creative approach to problem solving
• Are experienced in collaborative working
• Are passionate about helping others realise their potential
• Are self-motivated and have good communication skills
• Are able to work to deliver required performance targets

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 the option to purchase or sell days
• Enhanced pension
• Wagestream - ability to release earnings, giving you instant access to your pay
• Smart Clinic Wellbeing Programme, including Employee Assistant Programme, GP and priority physiotherapy access and counselling sessions
• Shopping discounts with the opportunity to sign up for a Blue Light Card
• Enhanced life assurance scheme, payment being three times your annual salary
• Plus, many more great benefits on offer!

Here at Everyturn Mental Health we champion equality, diversity and inclusion within the organisation by ensuring our opportunities are open to all and our approach is inclusive. We positively encourage applications from candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion/belief, marital status, or pregnancy/maternity.

We welcome you to be yourself at work and have a range of Colleague Networks for members and allies of the LGBTQ+; Black, Asian and minority ethnic; menopause and neurodivergent communities.