Job Description and Person Specification

Islington Mind is dedicated to the preservation and safeguarding of
mental health. We support the recovery process of people who
experience mental distress and provide for the relief and the
wellbeing of their careers.

Job title:

Outcome (LGBTQI+ specialist service) and
Freedom From Fear To Love (LGBTQI+ asylum
seekers and refugees) Support Worker

Overview:

Outcome is Islington Mind’s well-established
London-Wide LGBTQ+ specialist service. It is an
informal, daytime centre for lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender and Intersex (LGBTQI+)
individuals who experience mental health
problems. Providing open access, drop-in and
peer support.

Outcome is also a centre for LGBTQI+ best
practice campaigning, education and training
specialist, providing consultation to other
organisations on LGBTQI inclusivity.

The Freedom From Fear To Love Project
FFFTL) is part of Outcome. It aims to support
LGBTQ+ asylum seekers and refugees seeking
asylum in the UK on the grounds of sexuality /
gender identity in their journeys to resettle as a
newly ‘out’ LGBTQ+ individuals in the UK

Reporting to:

The Outcome team leader

You will be part of a collaborative and dynamic
LGBTQI+ team that is eager to significantly impact on

           Unit 4, Archway Business Centre
            19-23 Wedmore Street London N19 4RU 020 3301 850
             Registered Charity No. 294535

the wellbeing and recovery of LGBTQ+ individuals
experiencing mental distress.
You will help with facilitating the running the 1-day a
week LGBTQI+ only – Outcome service and the 1-day a
week Freedom From Fear To Love service for asylum
seekers and refugees, support and ensure the safety of
therapeutic drop-in, support service users in one to
one and group settings, help with cooking, convene
and facilitate users’ meetings, help with monitoring
and evaluation of and with co-production of new
activities, projects and events.
The role involves delivering multiple funded outcomes,
including a programme focused on campaigning and
influencing change.

Hours of work:

Tuesday and Wednesday, 9.30am-5pm.

Annual Leave:
Bank

Salary:

Location:

26 working days per year, pro rata plus

Holidays, increasing gradually after 3 and 5
years

£30,093 per annum, pro rata; £12,037 for 2 days
a week

This is an in-person position, based primarily at
one of our Islington based services, but you will
also be expected to work across Islington and
occasionally across London. Services are also
offered online and hybrid.

           Unit 4, Archway Business Centre
            19-23 Wedmore Street London N19 4RU 020 3301 850
             Registered Charity No. 294535

Duties And Responsibilities

Outcome Service Delivery

1.  To assist with, and participate in all areas of the Outcome and the Freedom

From Fear To Love projects, both on a creative and practical level
2.  To facilitate the both projects’ drop-in sessions, including helping with

shopping and cooking lunch, facilitating referrals and need assessments and
risk and safeguarding management, following Islington Mind’s policies and
procedures

3.  To provide psychosocial one to one tailored practical and emotional support

to clients.

4.  To attend to risk, safeguarding and crisis issues following Islington
Mind’s relevant policies and procedures and utilising dynamic risk
assessment approach

5.  To develop and facilitate both projects’ programme of activities aimed at

improving wellbeing and at enhancing employability skills

6.  To help develop, support and promote flexible volunteering opportunities for

the both projects’ service users

7.  To facilitate regular service users’ meetings, encouraging group interaction

and decision making and to follow up the meetings’ actions

8.  To organise events and outings
9.  To contribute to Outcome’s Campaign and Influencing Programme
10. To help maintain Ashley Road’s site health and safety and security and to

Service User / Carer Involvement And Support

11. To establish a supportive and respectful relationships with service users; to
welcome new users and help them adjust to the centre; to ensure service
users are key drivers, that services are fully accessible to all and that all users
are aware of our volunteering programmes, of Islington Mind’s complaint,
compliments and feedback procedures

12. To work in a way that acknowledges the personal, social, cultural and

spiritual strengths and needs of the individual, to discuss with individual
service users their views, preferences and wishes and determine with them
goals and a course of action

           Unit 4, Archway Business Centre
            19-23 Wedmore Street London N19 4RU 020 3301 850
             Registered Charity No. 294535

Volunteer Management And Supervision

13. To be involved in the recruitment process, training and supervision of a team

of volunteers and mentors

Communications

14. To work in collaboration with other parts of the Mental Health Recovery

Pathway, ensuring good communication between different provisions of the
pathway and to actively promote the purpose, importance and impact of the
Pathway and the Mother To Mother  provision internally and externally to
professionals within the community, drawing on evidence from monitoring
and evaluation reports

15. To maintain a strategy of ‘outreach’ to ‘hard to reach’ communities that face

multiple disadvantages (e.g. BMER, LGBTQ+, people with multiple
disabilities), aiming to reach women who would not normally come into
contact with, or would have difficulty contacting mental health support
provision

16. To actively develop and maintain links with broad and diverse local providers
including advocacy groups, other women-only organisations,  Domestic
Violence and refugee  organisations and to develop, establish and strengthen
collaborative links and working relationship.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality Assurance

17. To maintain current quality standards in accordance with Islington Mind’s

policies and procedures, and to help develop new procedures necessary for
the quality performances of the service

18. To maintain clear, accurate and up-to-date records of service users and all
activities and work carried out on Islington Mind’s on-line CRM database
system and volunteer software.

19. To use monitoring and evaluation tools regularly and assist in the preparation
of quarterly and annual monitoring and evaluation reports, demonstrating
the impact of the project, collaborating and working closely with service
users and volunteers in the auditing of the performance of the service.

Risk Management

20. To manage risk within your sphere of responsibility, including taking

reasonable care of your own safety and the safety of others who may be
affected by acts or omissions.

           Unit 4, Archway Business Centre
            19-23 Wedmore Street London N19 4RU 020 3301 850
             Registered Charity No. 294535

21. To be aware of the responsibilities placed upon you by The Health Act (2007)
to ensure they maintain a safe, infection free environment. This includes the
knowledge and understanding of the management of infected patients and
the principles of Standard Infection Control Precautions including the correct
technique for Hand Washing and the appropriate use of Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE).

General

22. To work collaboratively within a team environment and act as a positive role
model showing professional and caring attitudes and behaviour towards
other team members, partner organisations, service users and carers
23. To work in accordance with Islington Mind’s policies and procedures

including the Safeguarding Policy, GDPR Policy, Confidentiality Policy, Health
And Safety Policy and Advocacy Code Of Practice.

24. To accept line management supervision from the Structure Intervention

Support (SIS) Manager, to attend supervision sessions and Islington Mind’s
staff meetings as required and to undertake any necessary training as
directed by the SIS Manager

25. To perform such other relevant and appropriate duties and undertake any
other tasks within the general framework of the position, as from time to
time may be determined by the SIS manager and in keeping with the grade
and purpose of the post.

           Unit 4, Archway Business Centre
            19-23 Wedmore Street London N19 4RU 020 3301 850
             Registered Charity No. 294535

Person Specification

Outcome LGBTQ+ Specialist Service Support Worker: Skills, Abilities and
Experience

Understanding & Experience Working Within Mental Health Setting(s)

•  An understanding of and commitment to the rights and needs of mental

health service users including a thorough understanding and knowledge of
o  the impact of mental health problems on an individual
o  the stigma surrounding mental health problems and its effects and

impact on mental health service users

o  the impact of caring for someone with mental health issues
o  approaching mental health in non-pathologising and structurally-aware

ways

o  relevant mental health and carers legislation

•  At least 2 years’ experience or substantial experience of providing direct

mental health and advocacy support to people with mental health problems
in one to one and in group settings

•  Excellent skills and experience of service user interviewing and assessment,
of crisis management including experience of dealing with conflicts and
strong emotions (e.g. anger management) and of a broad range of
approaches to advocacy

Understanding & Experience Working With LGBTQ+ Individuals

•  Understanding of and commitment to the rights and of discrimination and its

effects and impact on LGBTQ+ mental health service users

•  At least 2 years' experience or substantial experience of working specifically

with LGBTQ+ individuals in group and in one-to-one settings

•  Understanding of and commitment to supporting people who are claiming
asylum on the grounds of sexuality/gender identity, as well as refugees
•  At least 2 years' experience or substantial experience of working specifically

with asylum seekers/refugees in group and one-to-one settings

•  Substantial knowledge of the asylum process and of welfare rights legislation
relating asylum seekers and refugees and experience of working with asylum
seekers and/or refugees, with a keenness and willingness to learn more

           Unit 4, Archway Business Centre
            19-23 Wedmore Street London N19 4RU 020 3301 850
             Registered Charity No. 294535

Other Key Skills and Experience

•  Ability to be proactive and work independently, as well as within a close-knit

team

•  Excellent interpersonal and communication skills at all levels, ability to

demonstrate good empathy and listening skills

•  Excellent written communication skills - sufficient to write supporting letters

e.g. to support service users’ welfare benefits and monitoring reports,
excellent computing and internet skills and excellent numeracy skills –
sufficient to deal with financial and other management information
•  Substantial experience of project administration, managing petty cash,

collating statistics, keeping accurate case notes, evaluating, monitoring and
reviewing services

•  Ability to work in a confident and assertive manner, motivate and provide
leadership within a mental health setting, securing high standards of
performance from all members of the team

•  Experience of working on own initiative and as a member of a closely-knit

team, organising, prioritising own work and multi-tasking, be adaptable and
solve problems creatively and negotiate with individuals and groups from all
backgrounds.

           Unit 4, Archway Business Centre
            19-23 Wedmore Street London N19 4RU 020 3301 850
             Registered Charity No. 294535