Mental Health Homelessness Outreach Team Leader

Are you calm, non-judgemental and able to work effectively with people experiencing distress?

Can you demonstrate our values of Hope, Courage, Together and Responsive and want to be part of our mission to create opportunities for individuals to make choices, find their own solutions, build resilience and manage their whole life and wellbeing?

If the answer to all of these is yes, we want to hear from you.

Mental Health Homelessness Outreach Team Leader
Reference: 222
Salary: £29,000 - £30,500 per annum per annum incl. Outer London Weighting (OLW)
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Contract: 1 year
Reports to: Services Manager – Dual Diagnosis Partnerships
Working base: Flexible to one of our seven Wellbeing Centres across Hertfordshire, dependent on location.

About the Service

This is a pilot service working as a multi-disciplinary team with housing teams and Drug and Alcohol Services across District and Borough councils. These teams will be working with individuals who are presenting as homeless and have a number of Complex Needs. The Complex Needs Housing Team Leader plays a significant role in the co-ordination and running of the Complex Needs Housing Service.

The objectives of Hertfordshire Mind Complex Needs Housing Service are:

• To improve the mental wellbeing of people experiencing mental ill health.
• To increase early access to help for people experiencing mental ill health in, by providing a clear and effective pathway to services provided by Herts Mind Network and other third sector and statutory providers.
• To contribute to an improvement in individual mental wellbeing.
• To remain a source of independent support for all clients.
• To reduce the use of police, ASB, tenancy enforcement, housing needs and environmental health services by clients whose primary need is related to mental ill health.
• To reduce the use of crisis services by people experiencing mental ill health with positive outcomes for the individual.
• To provide an assertive outreach approach for clients who are in crisis and/ or those that may have complex or multiple needs.
• To work collaboratively within an MDT consisting of CGL, District and Borough councils, housing teams and other professionals.

This role is key to the development and support of the team and the wider organisation. 
The post holder will need to:

• Support the Services Manager with effective running of the Complex Needs Housing Service.
• Provide advice, information, onward referral and holistic support to clients who are experiencing mental ill health or need support with their mental wellbeing. These will be clients who are presenting to District and Borough councils as homeless and need intervention and support with their mental health.
• Line manage staff and where necessary volunteers.
• Lead a team of Mental Health Outreach Workers. Ensuring the team are using databases and outcome tools as required to report for the project.

Key Responsibilities

• To receive and process referrals from the local district and borough Councils for those who have presented as homeless with a mental health need, as well as other appropriate referrals pathways across Hertfordshire and make direct contact within 72 hours of referral.
• To establish effective pathways across a variety of agencies to maximise and provide effective partnership working.
• To manage a caseload of up to 5 clients.
• Embed a holistic, trauma informed and person-centred service
• Proactively recognise the indicators of deteriorating mental health and facilitate appropriate action, whilst liaising with relevant agencies.
• Ensure a direct community service is in place which encourages, motivates and builds patients self-esteem and confidence. This will include goal setting and support with social and practical skills development.
• Ensure all person-centred risk assessments and support plans are completed as appropriate.
• To assist clients to access appropriate mental health services, drug and alcohol services, housing/tenancy services and other services according to assessed needs.
• To work with partners both internal and external to ensure that vulnerable person’s cases are monitored and risks evaluated in order to promote community safety.
• Support clients to build their emotional resilience and crisis planning tools, promoting self-management through building an understanding of their own triggers/coping strategies.
• To work with HMN staff in other services in order to make onward referrals to other projects.
• Liaise with appropriate HPFT staff to ensure that individuals are assessed for personal budgets to support with any longer-term needs.
• Support individuals to develop sustainable local social networks, both through our HMN Wellbeing Centres and other community services and resources.

The successful candidate will play a significant role in the co-ordination and running of the Complex Needs Housing Service.

We offer:

• Annual leave entitlement of 25 days per year pro rata, rising in increments to a max. of 29 days after 5 years employment (plus 8 days Bank Holidays)
• An additional day of leave each year for your birthday following completion of probation period.
• Ongoing training relevant to your role.
• An Employee Assistance Programme.
• Health cover (after 6 months employment) – compensation payment for Optical, Dental, Chiropody and Therapy Treatments.

Being able to drive and having access to your own vehicle is essential for this role.

Closing date for receipt of applications is Wednesday 24th July at 5pm.  
Interviews will be held on a rolling basis.
Please note: we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Interested? 

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position. 

We welcome applications from all suitably-qualified candidates, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief, or sexual orientation. In addition, during the various stages of recruitment, specific measures can be taken to ensure equal opportunities for candidates with disabilities or special needs.

Hertfordshire Mind Network is committed to the Disability Confident and Mindful Employer charters. We actively recruit staff who have a lived experience of mental ill health. We recognise and value the unique combination of skills, knowledge and perspective that employing people with a lived experience, at all levels across the organisation, brings. We create an environment where the sharing of experiences and vulnerabilities to support others and create positive change is welcomed and work towards breaking down the ‘them’ and ‘us’ culture. The organisation is committed to nurturing peer relationships that allow all staff to thrive.

We are delighted to have been accredited as a Living Wage Employer.

No agencies please.