Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (Ref:0039ZB)

We are looking to recruit 11 Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners to join WithYou’s Kent and Medway NHS Talking Therapies. WithYou is a leading national charity providing evidence based support for mental health, substance use, and family services across the UK.

We will provide you with the experience you need to learn the therapeutic skills to support clients with common mental health difficulties on their journey to recovery. You will be part of a supportive team of highly experienced practitioners and leaders, who are passionate about making a difference to people's lives. In addition, this exciting role includes an NHS funded Postgraduate Certificate in Psychological Therapies with The University of Reading, which will give you the skills to deliver low intensity Guided Self Help interventions for people suffering with symptoms of anxiety and depression.

The advertised salary is based on experience. Should you be successful in your application, you will be required to provide 3 years' worth of references and where applicable, will need to undergo an enhanced DBS check. This is a permanent full time role for 37.5 hours per week, dependent on successfully obtaining the Postgraduate Certificate as we are committed to your continued development and retention within our organisation. Please note there is a requirement to work at least one evening shift until 8pm once a week.

The position will be home based, but you must be able to physically attend University of Reading in person throughout the course; this will usually be two consecutive days (days TBC) and there may be additional days that you will need to attend in person. There will be an additional expectation that you will deliver treatment in person in Surrey at least one day a week.

Applicants cannot be registered as students on any other higher education courses, and must have graduated any courses by August 2025. We are planning to hold virtual interviews in July 2025 (dates TBC). Successful candidates will need to start employment on 3rd September 2024, subject to satisfactory checks.

Please be aware that by applying for this position, you give your consent for your application information to be shared between our organisation and University of Reading as the education partner.

If you’re excited by the thought of making tangible differences to the lives of vulnerable individuals, we’d love you to apply by submitting your CV today, with a covering letter that showcases how you are suitable for the role. Applications will not be accepted if no covering letter is included. The closing date for this role is Sunday 15th June, however, we would encourage you to apply as soon as you can, as we may have to close if we receive a sufficient number of applications.

Essential Skills

• Eligibility for this post:

• Route 1: Postgraduate route - Candidates with a degree can apply through this route. Preferably a Psychology degree, but any degree can be considered if you have a wealth of experience working in the mental health field. If you do not have a degree at 2:2 or a masters, you can write an essay to showcase your academic writing skills.
• Route 2: Graduate route - Candidates without a degree can apply if they have at least 3 passes at A-level or equivalent, in addition to a wealth of experience working in the mental health field. You should be able to demonstrate an ability to study at degree level, which would be assessed by completing a pre-entry essay.

As these roles are funded by Health Education England for home fees and not for international fees, the University requires you either need to have a UK passport, or have settled status in the UK. Only applicants that have the right to work in the UK without restriction and are eligible for Home Fee status, are able to access the training needed for this role.

WithYou provides free and confidential support, without judgement, to more than 100,000 people every year experiencing challenges with drugs, alcohol and mental health across England and Scotland. Our name reflects who we are – a positive place where people can progress, connect with others and get friendly, expert help in a way that’s right for them.

As an organisation, we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our staff. We know that representing the communities we serve is key to us meeting our goals of radically improving people's lives. We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring, and we encourage people from underrepresented communities and backgrounds to apply to join our team, including people with lived experience, people with disabilities, people from racialised communities, LGBTQ+ people, people of all ages and armed forces veterans.

As part of our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, we provide a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates that are veterans and meet all the essential criteria for a role. WithYou is also a Disability Confident Employer, and we offer a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with a disability and meet all the essential criteria for a role. If you have a disability, a learning difficulty such as dyslexia or a medical condition which you believe may affect your performance during any aspect of our selection process, we’ll be happy to make reasonable adjustments to enable you to perform at your best.

Benefits

• 28 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• An extra day off for your birthday or a special occasion of your choice
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• 2 days paid volunteer leave per year
• Auto-enrollment into We Are With You’s pension scheme
• Access to a Blue Light Card - giving you great savings on big high-street and online brands
• Flexible working opportunities and access to a range of services and resources to support you with your wellbeing
• We have an excellent Refer a Friend scheme which offers you a £500 bonus for any recommendations, any role!