Community Links Advisor in London

We are Hestia. We make a difference. At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence.

The Community Links Advisor provides high-quality, person-centred support to individuals experiencing mental health challenges within their homes and local communities. Using a trauma-informed, recovery-focused approach, they work collaboratively with service users to develop SMART support plans, promote independence, and enhance wellbeing. The role involves facilitating access to health services, community resources, and social networks, supporting engagement in meaningful activities, and helping individuals overcome barriers to recovery. Advisors maintain regular contact with service users, update risk assessments, deliver psychoeducational and peer support sessions, and liaise with external agencies. They also play a key role in safeguarding, service co-production, and promoting best practice, while ensuring all work aligns with Hestia's values, policies, and health and safety standards.

You will need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don’t have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you’re willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

We are seeking a dedicated and empathetic individual to join the team, ideally holding an NVQ Level 4 in Care or equivalent, or possessing a minimum of two years’ experience working in a mental health setting. Lived experience of mental health challenges, particularly with completed Peer Support training, is highly desirable. The ideal candidate will bring a broad range of life experiences that support an enabling and positive perspective for others. They will have a sound understanding of the issues facing mental health service users, alongside practical knowledge of recovery principles, co-production, care planning, risk assessment, and familiarity with recovery tools and the Mental Health Act (1983, amended 2007). Experience of liaising with external agencies and partners is essential. Strong written and verbal communication skills are required, along with group facilitation experience and the ability to train, mentor or coach others. The role demands someone who is self-motivated, capable of working both independently and as part of a team, and who can quickly assess situations and act using sound judgment. Applicants should demonstrate the ability to remain calm and professional in emergencies, manage stress effectively, and maintain therapeutic boundaries while fostering positive relationships with service users and carers. Good IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office and electronic case management systems, are essential. A deep appreciation of local community resources and the ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of individuals and services is important. Candidates must be dynamic, resilient, adaptable, and committed to being a positive role model within a recovery-oriented, person-centred environment.

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect. Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do! Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based. Don’t be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it’s all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.