The Bluebird Service is a Together for Mental Health project funded by NHS England and HMPPS.
The Bluebird Service forms part of the Integrated Community Pathway Service on the Offender's Personality Disorder Pathway; to provide more intense, complex need psychologically informed support, advocacy and advice to women in the community.
We work in partnership with the London Pathway Project, London Probation, and the Prison Service to promote social inclusion and enable hard to reach women to engage and maintain an improved quality of life with the appropriate levels of support. The aim is that this will reduce their risk of reoffending, relapsing and recall.
The service aims to begin engagement with women within the prison (Through the Gate) prior to their release. We will then provide intensive, holistic, relational and goal orientated practical and emotional 1:1 support within the community supporting women to set realistic and individually tailored goals focusing on positive progress.
The Community Link Worker is expected to demonstrate the following competencies in carrying out their duties:
Support people who use the service:
- Use an outreach approach to assist service users to attend key appointments (aiming to meet service users at the gate), as indicated by the referrer.
- Enable revolving door individuals to comply with orders made by the police or the court and prevent further arrests for non-compliance.
- Enable individuals to find out about and access appropriate services in the community.
- Enable individuals to develop confidence in engaging with relevant (mental health or other) services.
- Empower individuals through promoting independence for those who may struggle with everyday life activities and supporting them to build life skills.
- Empower individuals with knowledge about appropriate services and support them to access these when required.
- Promote the equality and diversity needs and rights of individuals. Including people experiencing mental ill-health, people who present with symptoms indicative of a diagnosis of personality disorder, people who misuse substances and people with learning difficulties / neurodiversity, etc.
- Contribute to the management of risk for the person, including raising safeguarding concerns for risk to self, others or from others.
Contribute to team work:
- Contribute to the development and effectiveness of the criminal justice team and our partner agencies.
- Develop your own abilities to enhance work performance and engage with training/ CPD opportunities as necessary.
- Maintain sound knowledge about our NHS partners that provide services alongside Together.
- Maintain positive working relationships with external agencies:
- Develop and sustain effective working relationships with external staff in statutory and other agencies. For example Community Mental Health Teams, Social Services, the Judiciary, etc.
- Assist in the follow up care of service users with offending behaviour by liaising with appropriate services to reduce the need for custodial remands and sentences.
- Follow up on all referrals made in a timely manner, escalating to management any unsatisfactory outcomes.
- Ensure that information about the service user is communicated to all necessary services in a timely manner. That includes highlighting any unmet needs the person may have and ways of supporting them.
- Contribute to the development and promotion of Together and the service by attending relevant forums. You will need a significant understanding of Together and its values, to be able to present the organisation in a positive light.
- Deliver training, workshops and presentations internally and externally, as and when requested.
Undertake activities to meet objectives of the role:
- Research, prepare and supply information to monitor the effectiveness of the service.
- Work with the data and administrative team, to support them producing statistical data analysis as required.
- Actively participate in your own personal development, by developing skills and expertise in relation to service users’ specific vulnerabilities. Examples of existing champion areas include issues related to service users from black and ethnic minority communities, older adults, domestic abuse, spirituality, etc.
- Ensure your own actions reduce risk and promote health and safety.
- Work flexibly, using creative and innovative approaches to achieve goals.
- Actively seek and respond to feedback, adapting practice accordingly and making changes to deliver the best service possible. For example, though engaging in 1:1, and group supervision and reflective practice meetings.
GENERIC TASKS
Confidentiality
- Treat any information relating to service users acquired in the course of duty in the strictest confidence and discuss only with the appropriate members of staff.
- Comply with GDRP and other relevant legislation.
- Comply with locally agreed inter-agency protocols on information exchange, or other arrangements relating to confidentiality as negotiated with Together.
- Treat any information relating to staff acquired in the course of duty in the strictest confidence and discuss only with Project Manager or, in her or his absence, with the most senior staff member on duty.
Safeguarding
- Understand principles of safeguarding adults and children and apply these in your everyday work.
Communications and record keeping
- Follow organisational policies around record keeping, and use appropriate systems to record information on service users.
Learning and Development
- Ensure that you keep an up-to-date record of training, both internal, external and e-learning.
Complete all mandatory training as expected.
-
- Computer/keyboard skills – Be able to use Microsoft tools effectively, as well as the service’s case management system (E3C).
PRACTICALITIES
- Working hours ¬- Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.
- Work-related travel - You may be expected to travel for meetings or to the national office.
- Expenses away from your nominal base(s) are reimbursed.
Essential criteria:
The successful candidate for this role will have:
A minimum of two years’ experience working in a mental health, criminal justice or support setting.
Skills in engaging individuals with mental health and complex social care needs.
The ability to work in a flexible way to meet service users’ needs.
The ability to manage a diverse range of service users including those with protected characteristics, and a variety of social care and mental health needs.
The ability to demonstrate clear boundaries in client work.
The ability to form and maintain effective inter-agency relationships, e.g. health, probation, social services etc.
The ability to work independently in an autonomous and self-motivated manner.
Excellent communication skills, with a range of agencies and stakeholders.
The ability to maintain own safety and use outreach work protocols as agreed with line manager.
The ability to manage complex and difficult situations.
Commitment to work in ways which demonstrate and reflect Together’s values
Further areas of ability and experience to support your application and to be demonstrated at interview:
An understanding of the clinical and social care needs of adults, with different gender identities and those from underrepresented groups including minority ethnic groups, who present with various vulnerabilities, including mental health needs.
An understanding of risk assessment and management strategies, including safeguarding principles and processes.
An understanding of psychiatric symptomatology and treatment interventions.
An understanding of mental health service provision within the community.
An understanding of the social care needs system (for example employment, benefits and housing services).
Administrative and goals setting skills.
A developed sense of how the Equality Act is applied in mental health work and the criminal justice system.
Ability to work well in a team.
Ability to build and maintain effective professional networks.
An understanding of mental health legislation, particularly the Mental Health Act 1983 and related contemporary policy issues.
Desirable criteria:
An understanding of the criminal justice system and the challenges defendants and practitioners face, including accessing and providing support to vulnerable individuals in criminal justice settings.
This role is subject to Enhanced DBS clearance and HMPPS Vetting.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Our Value Statement “We work together to facilitate choice through involvement, by doing what we say, never giving up on people, and looking to constantly improve how we work.”
Collaboration: achieving together
- We work with communities, advocating and increasing awareness of the interests that matter most to service users.
- We utilise the knowledge, skills and experience of everybody to achieve the best outcomes.
- We create meaningful internal and external connections to ensure everyone can access the support they require.
- We actively raise awareness of mental wellbeing and the benefits of service user leadership, supporting people to participate in local society.
Choice: through involvement
- We champion knowledge gained through lived experience and embrace the positive impact this brings on creating options and supporting choice.
- We work with compassion, respect and creativity to encourage people to solve problems and find solutions.
- We listen and empathise to understand the issues that matter to people, in order to support their choices and aspirations.
- We are responsive and empowering, focusing on what can be achieved.
Integrity: doing what we say
- We create trusting relationships and environments by considering the whole person, individual situations and not over-promising.
- We are fair, reliable, open-minded, punctual and agree realistic expectations, which we are trusted to deliver.
- We ensure that we always say what we mean.
- We communicate with consistency and clarity.
- We are committed to making decisions transparently
Resilience: never giving up on people
- We care passionately about empowering people to use their knowledge and experiences to lead their journeys to better wellbeing.
- We use flexible and innovative approaches to achieve goals.
- We are brave and resolute when facing challenges.
- We don’t let people’s future be defined by their past.
- We are passionate about everyone’s access to better wellbeing and hold the hope for a better future.
Continuous Improvement: learning and evolving
- We are curious and deeply inquisitive about people and our work.
- We consider the whole-person and recognise that genuine interest in each person enables us to support people with their aspirations.
- We create a safe environment for people to be who they want to be.
- We are conscious of our actions, decisions, and their impact.
- We actively seek and learn from feedback and make changes to deliver the best we can
Together Competencies
Acting with integrity
Demonstrates a high standard of personal and professional behaviour and consistently puts core ethics and values into practice.
Is authentically warm, genuine, trustworthy, honest, reliable, consistent, and caring in all their actions.
Personally, promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion by being sensitive to people’s culture, age, gender, religion, race, sexual orientation, and disability.
Treats everyone with dignity, sensitivity, and respect.
Working within and across teams
Works proactively with individual differences and preferences to achieve team outcomes.
Managing resources
Understands what resources are available and uses the appropriate type and level of resources to deliver safe and efficient care and support.
Managing People
Supports colleagues, people who use services, their families, and carers to deliver high quality service user led care and support.
Is approachable, engenders trust and quickly builds rapport with others.
Ensuring the quality of our services
Challenges appropriately and is prepared to raise concerns about quality, safety, and performance.
Critically evaluating
Actively seeks ongoing dialogue with people who use services, their families, and carers to ensure that care and support is continuously improving and designed around people’s whole lives, wishes and needs.
Takes personal responsibility to enable the people they support to live the lives they choose, acting and overcoming barriers where necessary.
Encouraging improvement and innovation
Is actively engaged with supporting service users to lead their care and support needs.
Learns from their experience and seeks to continuously improve their own performance and the performance of the service.
Facilitating transformation
Creates a positive connection with people that supports change.
Is an ambassador for excellent caring services.
Influences others to uphold the rights and entitlement of people who use services with sensitivity.
DIVERSITY STATEMENT
In keeping with our values, we acknowledge the unique contribution that all Together employees and service users can bring to the work of the projects and the organisation in terms of their culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status, nationality, age, religion or belief and any physical disability or history of mental health or additional problems.
All appointments and promotions are based on merit and no job applicant or employee will be treated unfairly or discriminated against. All staff has equal access to staff development.
Full details may be found in the Human Resources Policy and Procedure Manual. Any member of staff who breaches this policy may be subject of grievance and/or disciplinary procedures.
This job description may change over time, by negotiation with the post holder, to reflect service needs and does not form part of a contract of employment.
Together for Mental Wellbeing is a national charity that supports people with mental health issues to lead fulfilling and independent lives.
We value people as experts in what works best for them, and each individual we work with influences and shapes the support they and others receive from us.
Founded in 1879, today we work with approximately 4,500 people every month - at around 70 locations across England.
Our services include support in the community, accommodation-based support, advocacy, and criminal justice services.
At Together we value and encourage diversity and inclusion within our workforce. We are committed to creating a workplace where you can be yourself, welcoming applications from people from diverse communities and backgrounds who share our values.
As an employer, we are committed to making any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.
