Trainee Independent Mental Health Advocate

Contract: Permanent contract – 21 Hours per week

We are looking for an eager & passionate Trainee Multi-Disciplinary Advocate to work as part of our South West London Advocacy Team.

This position will be a Field Based Role working across the South West London Area

Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values. We draw on the expertise, unique perspectives and lived experience of our people – regardless of who they are or their background – to help us become inclusive and anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider that reflect the diverse communities we support as a mental health charity.

Our service provides a range of specialist advocacy services to Adults (and children) as appropriate across a range of disciplines. We provide a range of statutory (instructed or non-instructed) and non-statutory advocacy support in secure units, hospitals, care settings or in the community, working with a range of health and social care partners.

How you will make a difference

• 
  I provide a high quality, responsive and effective advocacy service in accordance with the service specification, contract and legislative timescales.
• I ensure that individuals understand and can exercise their rights; supporting people to access information, to understand better what is happening, what is planned, and the options available to them to make better informed decisions and be more involved in their care and support.
• I act on allocated referrals in accordance with the service standards and engagement protocols, communicating with referrers as required in order to ensure the client’s rights under the relevant act are observed.
• I ensure the client’s communication needs have been assessed and where possible communicate with the client to ascertain their wishes and views, thereafter to communicate with individuals and other agencies, representing the clients’ views, whilst keeping the client informed of progress of their issue.
• I represent patients’ interests when they are not able to do so themselves, including working within a best interests framework for any eligible patient who lacks the mental capacity to instruct the advocate
• I keep accurate factual records relating to the service users and their cases, including keeping the case management database up-to-date.

More information can be found in the job description attached to our direct advert.

What we are looking for

We are looking for an individual who:

• I am willing to work towards the National Qualification in Independent Advocacy (Level 3 or new Level 4)
• Completed working towards or willing to work towards additional specialist units e.g. IMCA, DoLS, IMHA, ICAA, Independent Advocacy for CYP and Health Complaints
• Committed to undertaking additional units as required.
• I am committed to completion of required qualifications within set timescales.
• (The training requirement to have obtained or be committed to completing the qualification is mandatory for the role)

Don’t meet all requirements?

If the role sounds exciting to you but your experience, skills or qualifications don’t exactly match every single requirement, we would still encourage you to apply, you may be just the right person for our position!

Caring for our people.

We offer a wide range of support. Some of our benefits include:

PULSE – your rewards, wellbeing, and benefits platform. Providing access to thousands of discounts and benefits including cashback; reloadable cards; savings etc.

Wellbeing support: Our Wellbeing hub that gives physical, and mental health support. We also have an Employee Assistance Programme with access to appointments

Taking time for you: we work flexibly –you get to choose where you work, managing your own diary. We have generous annual leave, starting at 25 rising to 30 days, plus bank holidays, as well as your birthday off.

Planning for the future: We have a contributory pension scheme.

Structured Induction: Onboarding you into the Charity supporting your wellbeing along the way.

£300 when you introduce a Friend: receive up to £300 when you introduce a friend or family member

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer. We recognise and support staff networks for our Black, Asian and minority ethnic and our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrate our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.

We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or questioning), Intersex and (asexual) (LGBTQIA+), people with a disability, and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.

The Recruitment Advisor looking after this role is Rose Adams. If you have any questions about the position, please feel free to drop her an email at