Occupational Therapy- Therapeutic Horticulture Assistant | East London NHS Foundation Trust

East London NHS Foundation Trust; London; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 30,000; Part time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in London seeks a part-time Occupational Therapy Assistant to join a specialized team. The role involves supporting service users with mental health challenges through gardening projects and skills development. The ideal candidate will engage in training and assist in various projects aimed at enhancing user employability and confidence, making a positive impact on their lives.

Benefits

Access to training and supervision

Opportunity to work in a supportive team

Impactful work with service users

Qualifications

• Experience supporting individuals with mental health issues is advantageous.
• Ability to work well in a team and communicate effectively.
• Willingness to learn and adapt in a therapeutic environment.

Responsibilities

• Support the planning and delivery of landscaping projects.
• Liaise with clinicians to develop training schedules.
• Assist in managing service user projects at the Centre.

Skills

Understanding of mental health problems

Communication skills

Teamwork

Job description

This is a Band 4 Occupational Therapy Assistant role within a close knit team.
The Landscape Gardening project sits within the NuLeaf Therapeutic Employment projects at the John Howard Centre and Wolfson House, which also include the Oasis Coffee Shop, The Spot Coffee Shop, Painting & Decorating, Admin and the Barber Shop / Hair Salon.

The Therapeutic Employment projects are run as social enterprise businesses, with a focus on supporting service users' recovery, resilience building, and the maintenance and acquisition of specific and soft employment skills.

The aim is to increase training and employment opportunities for forensic service users by providing opportunities to utilize their existing skills or facilitate the development of a new skills set to maintain parts of the hospital grounds, and potentially work in the Horticulture industry post discharge.

You will find it a varied and stimulating environment, working with service users from across the John Howard Centre, including the Learning Disability and Autism services. You will receive relevant training, monthly supervision and have access to the OT departments CPD programme.

This OTA role involves working with patients who present with various mental health problems and reside in Acute, Rehab, Learning Disability and Autism Services within the John Howard Centre and at Wolfson House.

The successful applicant will be joining the Therapeutic Horticulture Team to provide support with the the planning, delivery and smooth running of the NuLeaf Landscaping project to develop a schedule for areas within the low and medium services to be maintained regularly.

This is a part time role within a small team, supporting forensic inpatients with the development of skills to maintain part of the hospital grounds, grow fruits and vegetables to supply the hospital’s Coffee Shop, and increase service users’ skill sets, confidence and employability.
Sessions are provided in a group or 1:1 setting.

The successful applicant will also be required to assist in the running of other service user employment projects at the John Howard Centre, providing cover when necessary and feasible.

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

To liaise with the lead clinician to develop and maintain a curriculum / training schedule to train service users systematically and to measure progress and achievements

To liaise with customers and other agencies to ensure commissioned jobs are delivered at agreed high standards and in a timely manner.
To assist in the running of all service user employment projects at the John Howard Centre, providing cover when necessary and feasible.


This advert closes on Thursday 31 Jul 2025