Safe Haven Crisis Support Worker - Aylesbury (28 hours per week - Sun - Wed)

The Safe Haven Support Worker will work as part of the Safe Haven team based in Aylesbury supporting individuals experiencing an emotional or mental health crisis, offering support in a calm, safe and empathic environment. We offer a blended support service to provide support to individuals unable to travel to our face-to-face hubs. We offer telephone, video calls in addition to Face to Face support, although the following still applies:
The aim of Safe Haven is to provide out of hours mental health support and deliver the following key outcomes: -
Prevention:

• To provide a warm and welcoming environment for those people facing a mental health crisis; treating service users with respect and providing personalised support focused on individual need.


• To prevent the escalation of the mental health crisis and thereby reduce A&E attendance and avoid hospital admissions.


• Reduce visits to primary care services.


Recovery:

• To offer appropriate interventions that aim to improve the mental health and wellbeing of individuals within a non-clinical setting.


• To raise patient awareness of alternative mental health services, appropriate to personal need and circumstances, and encourage their use to improve longer term mental health and well-being and reduce social isolation.


• To increase independence and good self-management skills of those people accessing the service.


Safety:

• To provide an environment for individuals which is both safe and non-judgemental with the aims to reduce feelings of isolation whilst supporting the individual to identify risk and empower them manage their mental distress.


• To work collaboratively with statutory mental health services - including out of hours crisis teams, to provide support and interventions to the individual where this becomes appropriate.


Signposting:

• To provide individual based advice, guidance and emotional support to provide onward links. These include referrals within our Safe Haven+ service which supports, housing needs, including those at who are or at risk of homelessness, benefits support, and substance misuse.


• We also have an excellent range of appropriate services within Buckinghamshire Mind, including Peer groups and Counselling., A) Supporting service users


• Working as part of the Safe Haven team to contribute to the smooth running of the service as a whole.


• Provide emotional support to individuals referred to the Safe Haven.


• Welcome new referrals to the Safe Haven; carry out initial assessments and maintain accurate case records within the required data collection and reporting system.


• Offer light refreshments and help create a relaxed atmosphere.


• Utilising the online Bucks Mind Guide to help people to develop self-management strategies and to make the best use of the local resources around them, signposting or making referrals as required.


• Ensure the wellbeing and safety of service users, reporting any concerns to your line manager.


• Keep up to date with best practice and contribute to the continuous improvement of the service.


• To ensure Safeguarding concerns are responded to appropriately in line with Buckinghamshire Mind's Safeguarding Policies.


B) Creativity, contribution, communication

• To work creatively, looking at new possibilities, bringing new ideas to the team and respond appropriately to the needs and views of both current and potential service users.


• Communicate effectively with other team members ensuring that relevant information is passed on appropriately.


• Attend staff meetings as required.


C) Administration

• Assist in monitoring the quality of the service and the outcomes achieved.


• Ensure that the named care coordinator (or other referral source) is made aware of recommendations so that they can be followed up.


• Monitor patient progress by liaison with AMHT colleagues and/or accessing electronic patient records.
  
  Supports the aims and work of Buckinghamshire Mind and Oxford Health NHS Trust


• Maintains strict confidentiality concerning all Buckinghamshire Mind and Oxford Health NHS Trust matters.


• A positive attitude towards people with mental health problems, in particular people's ability to develop and change.


• Experience and/or training in how to deescalate challenging behaviour.


• Strong commitment to equal opportunities and diversity.


• Appropriate and confidential home working space to allow for remote delivery of the service when necessary.


• Experience of providing a support service to adults with mental health difficulties/in emotional distress and maintaining appropriate boundaries


• Ability to form positive working relationships with service users and make a positive contribution to improving the quality of life for people with mental health difficulties.


• Ability to recognise and support the personal resourcefulness of people with mental illness to enable service users to create effective solutions and obtain/retain responsibility for their decision making


• Ability to prioritise your own workload and manage time effectively.


• An ability to demonstrate personal resilience and act calmly in emergencies and utilise support and supervision provided.


• Be committed to the delivery of the Safe Haven Model, understanding limitations and boundaries for supporting service users.


• Demonstrate commitment to continuous development of job-related knowledge and skills, including essential IT skills.


• Ability to access a range of settings including ability to travel between sites


• Able to work weekends/evenings.


Desirable:

• Knowledge and understanding of the relevant statutory authorities including NHS and social care.


Communication and Interpersonal skills
Essential:

• good level of IT skills including Microsoft Office and Outlook.


• good verbal communication and interpersonal skills.


• effective team worker with ability to take initiative and work on an individual basis.


• ability to use the support and supervision provided effectively.


• understanding of the importance of team working in a challenging environment


• services available and the range of ways they can use the Buckinghamshire Mind service and other related services.
  
  Who we are

Buckinghamshire Mind works to support and represent people with mental health illnesses living across the county. We tackle stigma and discrimination head-on. We support our service-users to live safe, purposeful and fulfilled lives in our communities. We believe in their recovery and are hopeful about their future. Working together with National Mind we will not give up until everyone in our community gets the respect and help that they need.
Who we need
The right person will join our team in providing support in a safe, calm and empathic environment and ability to support individuals who are at a point of mental health crisis and accessing the service.
Why work with us
You'll develop your understanding and experience of mental health issues and contribute to the development of our services. The hours allow you to balance your life with your work and you'll have a job that makes a difference for people., Buckinghamshire Mind is an independent charity providing high quality services to support and represent people with mental health needs in the local community. We work to provide a voice for people with mental health needs, to fight stigma and campaign to influence policy and decision making locally. We are committed to making sure our services are inclusive and meet the diverse needs of people in Buckinghamshire and East Berkshire.

Buckinghamshire Mind is run by local people for local people and is responsible for its own funding and the services it provides.

We are an independent charity that is proud to be affiliated with national Mind and to adhere to its quality standards of governance and service delivery. Buckinghamshire Mind is part of a network of over 100 Local Minds, which provide trusted mental health services to our communities.

£23,625.00 pa full-time, actual £ 17,878 pa
Hours : 28 hours pw (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 6.00pm - 1.00am plus 2 admin hours - preferred Tuesday AM) - Potential job share options
Permanent role in AYLESBURY (occasional shifts in High Wycombe)
Buckinghamshire Mind is seeking a Mental Health Crisis Support Worker to join the team at Safe Haven: our out-of-hours support service for those experiencing a mental health crisis.