Community Link Worker, Guildford & Godalming

Catalystsupport; Guildford; On-site; GBP 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dedicated team at a non-profit organization focused on transforming lives through mental health support. In this role, you will empower individuals to manage their health and wellbeing, promoting healthier lifestyles and raising awareness about mental health. You will engage with clients through one-on-one support and community activities, helping them navigate their recovery journey. This position offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the community while working alongside skilled professionals who value kindness, integrity, and commitment. If you are passionate about mental health and want to be part of a supportive environment, this role is for you.

Qualifications

• Minimum 1 year of community experience in mental health and wellbeing.
• Diploma or degree in relevant fields like counseling or psychology.

Responsibilities

• Support clients in identifying needs and developing personal plans.
• Deliver community-based activities and interventions to promote wellbeing.
• Collaborate with partners to facilitate group activities and support.

Skills

Mental Health Support

Counseling

Communication Skills

Risk Assessment

Community Engagement

Behaviour Change Techniques

Education

Diploma or Degree in Counseling, Psychology, or Related Field

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

Base Office in Guildford/Godalming working across Guildford and Waverley and also supporting Woking and NW Surrey when needed.

Hours Full time

Flexibility to support Evenings and Weekend

Must Drive

Salary Band £25,440

Organisation It’s not just about what we offer, but how we offer it.

Catalyst is a non-profit organisation working with people who are dealing with issues stemming from drug and alcohol misuse and mental health – including housing, involvement with criminal justice, relationships with family and friends and getting back into work.

Guildford-based for over 30 years, we work throughout Surrey and its borders in partnership with a wide variety of statutory and non-statutory organisations and bodies to provide support.

We believe change is achievable when facilitated by skilled professional staff and volunteers offering a friendly, respectful, non-judgemental and personal approach.

Our values are Kindness, Integrity and Commitment.

Project Community Connections is a partnership contract funded by Clinical Commissioning Groups and Surrey County Council. The Catalyst Community Connections team works with a range of other partners to collectively offer a wide range of mental health support and wellbeing activities.

The Catalyst service is open to adults within North West Surrey, Guildford and Waverley and Surrey Heath and Farnham CCG areas, who want to maintain or increase their sense of wellbeing. As such any person wanting support to improve their mental health and wellbeing and/or prevent an existing mental health problem worsening can refer to the service.

Purpose of Job To support and enable people to manage their own health and wellbeing; promoting healthier lifestyles and raising the awareness of the concept of ‘wellbeing’ and good mental health within an integrated care pathway.

The role involves delivering community based activities and interventions, including one-to-one support, groups, and wellbeing activities, which are complementary to and reduce the need for services offered by the statutory sector.

This post is subject to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at an enhanced level. Please note past drug and/or alcohol or criminality history will not necessarily discount you from undertaking this role.

Key Activities:

• To support clients in identifying their needs and goals and facilitate the development of personal plans.
• To carry out assessments, risk assessment, review support plans where required, and manage onward referral if appropriate.
• To ensure records are maintained both electronically and on paper where appropriate in line with Catalyst policies.
• To complete the Recovery Star with clients and to undertake regular reviews and record outcomes.
• To provide a range of motivational and structured psycho-social interventions to promote health and wellbeing.
• To refer clients to partner agency groups and activities linked to client needs.
• To report incidents in a timely fashion that is in line with Catalyst policies.
• To work collaboratively with Group Workers on the development of impactful themes for future groups.
• To facilitate and/or support group activities in line with business needs.
• To liaise with statutory and voluntary sector partners to set up new groups and co-facilitate groups and activities with partners as and when required.
• To provide continuity throughout recovery, for example engaging with a person from a point of crisis, engaging the client with Safe Haven, accessing Community Mental Health Recovery Service (CMHRS), providing support for those engaged with and leaving CMHRS as well as linking into local wellbeing services and activities.
• To support clients to engage with mainstream activities to support their wellbeing.
• To act as an ambassador for the client group and for Catalyst.

This is not an exhaustive list of the duties that may need to be undertaken. It may be necessary to undertake other duties in order to fulfil the objectives of the charity.

Person Specification

Qualifications and experience

A diploma or degree in appropriate subject i.e. counselling, psychology, social work, probation, mental health, Health and Social Care (level 3).

A minimum of 1 year community experience of mental health, wellbeing, behaviour change work with adults.

Knowledge and skills

An understanding of confidentiality, consent, information sharing, including GDPR.

An understanding of Safeguarding policy and practice.

Good communication and written skills and a commitment to accurate and confidential record keeping.

Ability to interact effectively with the clients, colleagues and other professionals whilst retaining clear boundaries.

Ability to work to all the policies, procedures and standards of the service and joint working arrangements with statutory and voluntary sector partners.

Knowledge and understanding of mental health issues.

Knowledge and skills of engagement, motivational, and behaviour change approaches.

Knowledge and understanding of community working, lone working, and ability to maintain safety whilst working in the community.

Ability to use supervision effectively.

A good understanding of personal limitations, ability to identify when to seek advice and support, and deal with issues in a professional manner.

Ability to manage any challenging behaviour from clients.

Information Technology

Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.

Ability to enter data onto a database as required by the Service and Commissioners.

General

Ability to travel to and from a number of different locations on a daily basis.

Ability to work flexibly across operational hours and evenings and weekends, where required.

We acknowledge the unique contribution that all Catalyst employees and clients can bring to our 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 have equal access to staff development.

Any member of staff who breaches this policy may be subject of grievance and/or disciplinary procedures.

Please note:

This job description may be varied from time to time as agreed by the post holder and line manager. This job description is subject to annual review.