Project Worker - Mental Health x 2

16-25 Independent People

Future 4 Me Project Worker - Mental Health x 2

About us

16-25 Independent People prevents youth homelessness in the South West and has been helping 16-25 year olds reboot their lives through housing and support for over 30 years. 
Our service works because we keep young people's needs at the centre of all delivery. 
 
With around 100 staff in four locations, we provide housing support and advice to around 2500 young people per year. We're one of the brightest youth organisations in the South West, leaders in our field, no other organisation in the area has the same wealth of experience.

Our Future 4 Me project won the National Lottery Award 2015 for “Best Charity Project in the UK”.

You can read more about what we do and who we are.

About the job

(Please read the full job description for more detail)

Terms, conditions and benefits:

• Pay: £26,556 - £29,033 per year (NJC Scale 30-33), starting at the bottom of the scale  (Unqualified: £22,434 - £24,717- NJC Scale 25-28)
• Contract type: Permanent
• These are full time posts, 37.5 hours per week.
• 30 days' annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Free Health Scheme with UK Healthcare
• Pension - Employer contributes 4% and employees contribute a minimum of 0.8%, (see Summary of T&Cs on website). 
• There is a requirement to work flexibly as required, which will include occasional evening and weekend work
• You will need to travel across Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset & BANES so you must have either a full driving licence and access to a vehicle or the equivalent ability to travel with reasonable adjustments.

One post is based at our Head Office, Kinglsley Hall, on Old Market, Bristol; the other is based jointly between Kingsley hall and our Patchway office in South Glos.

You'll be working in the Specialist Services Team and line managed by the Specialist Services Manager.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Future 4 Me Project, funded by the Big Lottery Fund. You will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team that includes specialists in resettlement, participation, and learning and work. Together you will improve outcomes for young people leaving care and custody.

The post holder will provide intensive support to a small caseload of young people, typically for a period of 8-12 months with each person, supporting them in all areas of their life and enabling them to contribute to the design, delivery and evaluation of the project.

The post holder will support the development of a model of best practice for engaging vulnerable young people, so they can engage positively in their communities and build relationships outside of the project, which will be shared nationally.

Additionally you will provide colleagues and partners with specialist advice and consultation on the mental health needs of young people leaving custody and/or care.

An overarching aim of Future 4 Me is to join up services for young people, and the post holder will liaise closely with lead professionals in other agencies, including Children and Young People's Services, Youth Offending Team and with our partner voluntary agencies.

The team are very supportive of each other and through reflective practice we are always learning from our own and each other's experiences.

Our work is rooted in providing support in a Psychologically Informed Environment framework known as PIE.

A typical day will include:

• Spending time with a young person, building a relationship and supporting them, for example, to pursue their interests, build links in the community and access education, training or employment. 
• Meeting with a young person and their social worker to review progress and co-develop their support plan.
• Attending a reflective practice session and completing risk management planning and case recording.
• Attend a multi-agency meeting with a co-worker to offer specific mental health advice/consultation.

About you

You have empathy and understanding of the needs of young people leaving care or custody, and the barriers they face. You like being around and working with young people.

You must have excellent skills in engaging vulnerable people and enabling them to build positive and trusting relationships which can be used as a tool for change.

You must have experience of assessing the mental health of service users and bring knowledge and experience of a range of psychological, social and medical interventions to support and promote mental health and wellbeing.    

You must be able to offer clear and consistent responses to young people who may present challenging behaviour, be chaotic, distressed and have learned not to trust.

You have the ability and experience needed to be able to advise and offer guidance to other staff and young people in relation to their emotional and mental health needs.

You have experience of working with young people with complex needs, including mental health needs, and knowledge of services available to meet young people's mental health needs.

You must have the ability to develop excellent relationships with other agencies, including Leaving Care Services and Youth Offending Teams.

Interested?

Closing Date: 9am Friday 27 January 2017
Interviews: Thursday 9 February 2017

We believe in equal opportunities for everyone - you can read our full statement on our website.

Download the documents in the Job Pack from our website via the apply button.