Community Connector (Mental Health Resilience Worker)

Mind BLMK works across our communities to support positive mental health and wellbeing. Working closely with a range of partners, we offer a number of activities from our wellbeing centres and local venues to make a difference to the mental health and wellbeing of people inBedfordshire, Luton andMilton Keynes , and our aim is to make sure that no-one has to face a mental health problem alone.

Community Connector (Mental Health Resilience Worker)
Post no: 654
Working base: Dunstable CMHT (Community Mental Health Team) LU5 Occasional cover at Leighton Buzzard
Contract type: Permanent
Salary: £26,600 per annum
Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Thank you for your interest in this exciting role as a Community Connector.

About the Service

We work under the supervision of the NHS Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT) across Central Bedfordshire, Luton and Bedford, employed and managed by Mind BLMK, who receive funding for this transformational offer. We are privileged to be able to work holistically with people who are under the CMHT, struggling with a range of mental health issues.

Our service users are people with a range of mild/moderate/severe mental health diagnosis of anxiety, depression, paranoid schizophrenia, bipolar, EUPD, BPD, substance misuse including alcohol and people with suicide ideation. Often people present with high risks and once we take them onto our caseload we support them in managing their symptoms to reduce risk and to enable them to access wellbeing tools and services, leading to improved mental wellbeing and a better quality of life.

About the Role

Community Connectors work as part of an integrated, blended mental health offer to support people, for approximately a 6 – 12 week duration, with emotional, social and practical needs to access a range of local, non-medical and non-clinical services, to improve confidence, social inclusion and independence.

This role will involve working as part of a multi-disciplinary team with statutory, third sector and NHS colleagues to support clients who are suffering from moderate to severe mental health difficulties. You will need to have experience working with those suffering with mental health illness as well as being able to demonstrate in depth knowledge of the services, support networks and local resources that may assist in improved outcomes for those dealing with complex and enduring mental health issues.

The ability to be adaptable, work independently and the resilience to work in some challenging environments are key attributes for this role.

A typical day in the life as a Community Connector:

• 9.15 11.30: Attend MDT discuss a number of patients and treatment. This is a weekly meeting at each CMHT for reviews of those under the CMHT and includes people who are currently on the mental health wards and individuals under a section.
  Discuss any high risk cases and next steps.
  Discuss those who are ready for discharge.
• 11.30 12:15: Add notes to database – that have been taken during the meeting reporting on the discussion and outcome for patients (this includes identifying next steps for professionals and tasks which the admin team need to follow up on).
• 12.15 13.15: First Initial assessment with a new service user introductions and getting to know them.
  Discuss goals and what recovery means to them.
  Carry out a dialog+ (diagnostic tool).
  Clarify areas for signposting and discuss wellbeing practical support.
• 13.15 13.45: Lunch break
• 3.45 14.30: Signposting for service user
  Update data base with notes from the initial assessment and upload any documents sent to services for the new service user.
• 14.30 15.30: Meeting with service user in local cafe. Review of goals and progress. Review any signposted services has the service user attended? How are they feeling? What has worked/not worked and what could be improved? Set goals to be worked towards by next session these could be simple practice of self-affirmation/ attending a yoga class/meditation or continuing work with P2R etc. OR more practical self-care showering/ going for a walk etc.
• 15.30 17.00: Catch up on admin tasks; respond to new referrals; call service users to book in appointments or to offer any well-being check-ins.

Entitlements/benefits:

• 25 days (pro rata) Annual Leave plus