Crisis Recovery Worker
Hours of work: Various part-time hours available
Salary: £26,607 FTE with progression to £29,378 FTE per annum
Location: Ashford Safe Haven
Shifts: 18:00 - 00:00

Could you be there for someone in crisis? This is more than just a job.. it's a chance to make a difference!

About the role
We have an exciting opportunity for a Crisis Recovery Worker to join our growing team at Ashford Safe Haven. As part of an exciting service development, we are expanding our team to ensure professional, compassionate mental health support is available to people in the Ashford area. You will work as part of an integrated team, collaborating closely with the NHS, Liaison Psychiatry and emergency services to provide a safe, non-clinical alternative to A&E for people experiencing mental health crisis. We are looking for experienced and compassionate people to provide high-quality, recovery-focused support to people with a range of mental health needs, including those who may have complex needs such as learning disabilities, physical health difficulties and substance misuse. You will provide immediate emotional support and stabilisation, complete risk assessments, co-produce safety plans and support people to understand and manage factors affecting their mental and physical wellbeing. The role will also involve:

• Providing crisis intervention and emotional support face-to-face, by telephone and via video.
• Assessing situations and making safe, effective decisions under pressure.
• Completing accurate risk assessments and co-producing robust safety plans.
• Recording new contacts and details of visits and calls accurately on electronic systems.
• Working collaboratively with partners, stakeholders and external agencies, including Police, Ambulance Services and GP surgeries, to support individual safety and effective service delivery.
• Supporting hospital ward staff with in-reach information for patients awaiting discharge.
• Participating in handovers, training and mentoring new staff to support consistency across the service.
• Promoting the service through community events and networks and helping to normalise help-seeking.

About you
To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate experience of supporting people with mental health needs and an understanding of complex mental health presentations. You will need to have:

• Excellent communication skills and the ability to engage with people experiencing high levels of distress with empathy and compassion.
• The ability to make safe and effective decisions under pressure.
• A strong understanding of risk assessment, safety planning and crisis intervention.
• Emotional intelligence, self-awareness and the ability to remain calm and sensitive when supporting people in crisis.
• Experience of maintaining accurate records and using IT systems effectively.
• The ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, external agencies and wider partners.
• A commitment to providing consistent, recovery-focused and person-centred support.
• The ability to work effectively as part of a team while also using your own initiative.
• A willingness to contribute to training, handovers, mentoring and wider service development.

Why Join Us?
Mental Health Matters (MHM) is a national charity delivering innovative, life-changing mental health support for individuals and communities across the UK. Through our diverse range of services, we help people improve their mental wellbeing, overcome barriers and lead fulfilling lives. Everything we do is people focused. Whether supporting those who access our services or investing in the wellbeing and development of our colleagues, people are at the heart of MHM. Our workforce is the driving force behind our success, and we are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive and values-led environment where talented individuals can thrive and make a meaningful difference. By joining MHM, you'll become part of a compassionate and ambitious organisation that is committed to improving mental health, promoting recovery and creating positive change in communities across the country.

What we offer you

• Competitive salaries, with an annual pay review process
• 25 days Annual leave, increasing with length of service, plus bank holidays
• Enhanced Occupational Sick pay
• Access to our workplace pension scheme
• Family friendly and flexible working arrangements to support a good work life balance
• Access to our Wellbeing Offer - including EAP, Virtual GP service and wellbeing resources
• Life Assurance and Free Will writing service
• Blue Light Card and Charity Workers discounts
• Access to Tickets for Good
• Employee recognition and celebration schemes
• A tailored induction programme, bespoke Personal Development and Career Pathways to support you in your role and your career aspirations

How to Apply
At Mental Health Matters, we are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring that we appoint people who share our values and are dedicated to making a positive difference. If you are interested in this opportunity, please complete our online application form. As part of your application, you will be asked to answer a number of questions to demonstrate how your skills, knowledge and experience meet the criteria outlined in the person specification. We encourage you to provide examples that highlight your suitability for the role. For further information about our recruitment and selection processes, please refer to our Candidate Guide.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We believe everyone should have access to fair and accessible opportunities, and we are committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are welcoming and inclusive for all. During the application process, we may ask for some personal information to help us understand how we can make our recruitment practices as fair and accessible as possible. Any information you provide will be treated confidentially and used solely for this purpose. We value the unique experiences, perspectives and contributions that diversity brings and are committed to creating a culture where everyone feels respected, supported and able to be themselves.

Interested in Finding Out More?
We welcome informal conversations about the role. If you would like to discuss the opportunity further, please contact: Kim Lawrence
We look forward to hearing from you and welcoming talented people who share our passion for improving mental health and changing lives.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.