Unit 4, Archway Business Centre 19-23 Wedmore Street London N19 4RU 020 3301 9850 Registered Charity No. 294535 Job Description And Person Specification Islington Mind is dedicated to promote 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 carers. Job title: Mother to Mother Support Worker An opportunity for a woman only Overview: Reporting to: Job purpose: The Mother2Mother project is an open-access, open- ended weekly support provision for women caregivers from ‘hard to reach’ families facing multiple disadvantages in combinations with mental health problems, The Structured Intervention and Specialist Services (SISS) Manager You will be part of a collaborative and dynamic Women-Only team that is eager to significantly impact on the wellbeing and the recovery process of women caregivers of people with mental health problems. You will help with facilitating the running of a 1-day a week vibrant Women-Carers-Only Space, support and ensure the safety of its therapeutic drop-in, support service users in one to one and group settings, help with the cooking of a daily lunch, convene and facilitate users’ meetings, help with the monitoring and evaluation of the Mother To Mother project and with co-production of new activities, projects and events. Hours of work: 9:30am – 5.00pm, Mondays - 7 hours per week Annual Leave: 26 working days per year, pro rata plus Bank Holidays. Salary: £6019 (£30,093 per annum pro rata) Location: The post holder will provide a service from 35 Ashley Road, London N19 3AG and from other Islington Mind sites in the borough and external locations Duties And Responsibilities Mother To Mother Service Delivery 1. To assist with, and participate in all areas of the Mother To Mother support provision, both on a creative and practical level 2. To facilitate the Mother To Mother’s drop-in sessions, including helping with cooking lunch, facilitating referrals and need assessments and risk and safeguarding management, following Islington Mind’s policies and procedures 3. To develop and facilitate the Mother To Mother’s programme of activities aimed at improving wellbeing and at enhancing employability skills 4. To help develop, support and promote flexible volunteering opportunities for the Mother To Mother service users 5. To facilitate regular service users’ meetings, encouraging group interaction and decision making and to follow up the meetings’ actions 6. To help maintain Ashley Road’s site health and safety and security and to ensure that stocks and provisions are in good supply Service User / Carer Involvement And Support 7. 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 8. 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 9. To provide ad-hoc crisis practical and emotional intervention to the Mother To Mother service users, liaising at their request, with external agencies including the Department of Work and Pensions, social services and housing, ensuring that the boundaries of the advocacy role are maintained, and to signpost and refer to relevant agencies, ensuring service users access the best support and treatments that they need 10. To support the Mother To Mother service users to develop and use self- advocacy skills, develop self-management skills and progress to and/or maintain independence and to encourage them to take part in decision making processes and in all aspects of service delivery and development Volunteer Management And Supervision 11. To be involved in the recruitment process, training and supervision of a team of volunteers and mentors Communications 12. 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 13. 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 14. 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 15. 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 16. 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. 17. 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. General 18. 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 19. 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. 20. 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 21. 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 PERSONAL SPECIFICATION Mother To Mother Support Worker - an opportunity for a woman only Skills, Abilities And Experience: Understanding Of And Experience Working Within Mental Health Setting 1. An understanding of and commitment to the rights and needs of mental health service users including a thorough understanding and knowledge of: • • • • the impact of mental health problems on an individual the stigma surrounding mental health problems and its effects and impact on mental health service users the impact of caring for someone with mental health Issues relevant mental health and carers legislation 2. At least two years’ experience of providing direct mental health and advocacy support to people with mental health problems in one to one and in group settings 3. 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 And Experience Of Working With Women 4. Awareness of Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment issues, extensive experience of sensitively assessing, responding and supporting gender related needs and risks, including knowledge of the dynamics and impact of domestic violence and how best to support survivors 5. Evidence of the ability to provide, non-judgemental, non-directive and confidential support to women to take control of their lives and set realistic objectives and goals 6. At least 2 years’ experience of working specifically with women in group and in one to one settings Other Skills and Experience Key To The Role 7. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills at all levels, ability to demonstrate good empathy and listening skills 8. 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 9. Substantial experience of project administration, managing petty cash, collating statistics, keeping accurate case notes, evaluating, monitoring and reviewing services 10. 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 11. 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. Reviewed April 2019