Creative Arts Practitioner in Bradford

Salary scale: £14.46 per hour

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 18.5 hours per week

Base: Kenburgh House, 28 Manor Row, Bradford, BD1 4QU and across the Bradford and Craven district

Probationary Period: 6 months

Closing Date: 2nd June 2026 at 10am

Interview Date: 10th June 2026

About Us

Bradford District and Craven Mind is a thriving, independent mental health charity with a clear purpose to promote positive mental wellbeing and empower and help people experiencing issues with their mental health to manage and work towards recovery and fulfilment. We do this through:

• Building community and individual resilience for better mental wellbeing
• Providing early intervention advice and support
• Supporting people in crisis
• Empowering and helping people to recover and sustain improved wellbeing

Join us and you’ll receive:

• 25 days annual leave per year, rising to 28 days with length of service plus bank holidays
• Up to two additional leave days to use each year to support your wellbeing.
• Simply Health Cash Plan to claim back on personal health costs including dental, optical, prescriptions, physiotherapy and more.
• Employee Assistance Service including 24/7 confidential mental health support and access to structured therapy sessions.
• Generous pension scheme and employer contribution to help you plan for a secure future.
• Discount schemes including Company Shop and Blue Light Card.
• Excellent personal development opportunities including access to Clinical Supervision.
• Enhanced sick pay after your six-month probation.
• Accredited employer with Mindful Employer, Disability Confident and Real Living Wage.
• Generous death in service/life assurance benefit.

Role Background

This post is a new position that will support BDC Mind to build on the success and learning from Bradford 2025’s Mental Health Engagement Programme, which supported hundreds of people living with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) to access cultural events, creative activities and artist-led experiences across the district. People accessing the events through Bradford 2025’s programme described improved confidence, reduced isolation and greater emotional wellbeing as a result of engaging with creativity in safe, supported ways.

The new service, known temporarily as Creative Connections, takes this work further by creating a sustainable, long-term model that embeds creativity into people’s lives – shifting from one-off attendance towards continuous engagement, independent participation, and ultimately the creation of original artwork. The service is designed to remove the practical, emotional, cultural and access barriers that often prevent people with an SMI from taking part in creative opportunities.

Role Purpose

The role is designed to support individuals living with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) through a collaborative approach involving external and internal partners whereby service members will access creative arts opportunities and services. Following on from the legacy of Bradford 2025, the postholder will deliver person-centered support to guide service members into the right services for them, working closely and collaboratively to overcome barriers to access while promoting the positive effects of the arts. By harnessing the therapeutic benefits of art, the role aims to empower individuals in their recovery journey, promote wellbeing, and connect them with sustainable resources and community support to help them thrive.

Role Outcomes

• Provide face-to-face support to service members from a variety of backgrounds that are living with a Severe Mental Illness (SMI) or complex needs
• Collaborate with local creative arts organisations to create meaningful opportunities that support wellbeing, recovery, and social connection
• Have a good understanding of support services across the district and able to triage service members into relevant services
• Reduce the existing barriers to access that prevent those living with an SMI from accessing Creative Arts-based opportunities and services
• Contribute to the system-wide development of existing offers ensuring they are suitable for and adapted to those with an SMI, with the potential for supporting with the delivery of arts-based activities for service users
• Complete individual needs assessments, risk assessments and outcome measures with people we support
• Develop person-centred support plans to help people stay well
• Record information electronically and maintain up to date records
• Work effectively with colleagues
• Motivate and encourage people to take steps to achieve positive change in their lives through the creative arts
• Promote equity, diversity and inclusion through your work
• Commit to self-development and undertake any training required to fulfil your role
• Participate in individual supervision and internal/external staff development including mandatory training related to the role
• Attend and input to regular team meetings as well as whole organisation engagement days
• Build effective working relationships with external partners and be able to co-work with them in shared working spaces to help drive the service
• Ensure that in all aspects of the role you embody the aims, objectives, and core values of Bradford District and Craven Mind
• Ensure that the relevant colleagues have a competent understanding of, and comply with, all Bradford district and Craven Mind policies and procedures.
• Take responsibility, with colleagues, for ensuring that all Health and Safety, Safeguarding, Information Governance and Equality & Diversity requirements are met and all other Company policies complied with
• Undertake any other reasonable duties or tasks deemed necessary by the senior management team

Person Specification

BDC Mind is committed to promoting mental health awareness, reducing stigma, and improving the quality of life for people with mental health challenges. We value diversity, inclusion and lived experiences when recruiting our staff and volunteers.

Qualifications

• Evidence of ongoing professional development relevant to the post
• Health, social or specific mental health qualifications beyond Level 3

• Art related qualifications beyond Level 2

Experience

• Paid or volunteer experience of working with young people or adults in a health, social care or any other settings
• Experience of supporting people in a clear, meaningful and non-judgemental way in face-to-face settings (this can include voluntary experience).
• Experienced and confident in managing challenging situations and recognising and responding to safeguarding concerns (this can include voluntary experience).

• Experience in delivering or co-facilitating creative arts-based activities for adults

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent proven communication and organisational skills, including an ability to encourage and engage people in ways to make positive changes in their lives.
• Excellent IT skills, including use of Microsoft Packages
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team or work alone, with a strong ability to work in accordance with your initiative
• Ability to gather relevant information to support and assess risks

• Understanding of developing and producing care plans involving the creative arts with a focus on enhancing mental health and wellbeing

Knowledge

• Understanding of the key issues within mental health, and the potential challenges and barriers that people may face, particularly those with an SMI
• Knowledge of other relevant mental health and creative arts organisations across the Bradford District & Craven
• Knowledge of risk management and health and safety issues
• Understanding of safeguarding and best practice
• Understanding of confidentiality and data protection
• Understanding of the importance of the creative arts when contributing to positive mental health and wellbeing

Attitude and Personal Attributes

• Passion for the creative arts, with an understanding of how art can support mental health and wellbeing
• A genuine commitment to improving the lives of people with SMI through creativity, connection and community
• Able to work sensitively with people from a wide range of backgrounds, identities and lived experiences
• Committed, passionate and flexible with a can-do attitude
• Commitment to supporting people in a person-centred and non-judgemental way
• Committed to equity, diversity and inclusion
• Understanding of and commitment to Bradford district and Craven Mind values

How to Apply

Please click the 'Apply for this job' button and follow the steps to fill out the application form. Upload your CV and a cover letter showing how your experience and skills match the Job Description and Person Specification under. We’re unable to provide feedback to applicants who are not shortlisted. We are committed to safeguarding vulnerable children and adults. All successful candidates will need to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and a right to work in the UK check.