Pathway to Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioner Job Description

Service:	Mental Health & Wellbeing Team
Job Title:	Pathway to Trainee EMHP
Reports To:	Team Leader
Location:	Hybrid working; Young Somerset bases countywide, schools, community delivery locations and home
Main Purpose of Post: To support vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people with emerging emotional and
mental health needs, through non-clinical interventions, participation work, and engagement activities across schools and communities in Somerset. This role serves as a developmental pathway towards becoming an Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) Trainee.
Main Responsibilities and Duties: Service Access and Navigation
Be a key point of contact for requests for support, triaging referrals, signposting, and ensuring a smooth journey through the service. Provide accurate information and guidance to CYP, parents/carers, and professionals about available support within Young Somerset and externally.
Wellbeing Support Delivery Co-design and deliver non-clinical, preventative, and early intervention activities (e.g. groupwork, workshops, school drop-ins). Support CYP and families to build emotional resilience, self-regulation, and wellbeing strategies.
Facilitate group-based and 1:1 work aligned with low-intensity CBT principles (as appropriate under supervision).
Record activity and outcomes using appropriate digital systems, ensuring high standards of data quality and confidentiality.
Participation and Co-production Embed young people's voices in service design through participation sessions, feedback forums, and youth-led projects. Promote and deliver engagement activities that contribute to the Whole School Approach to
mental health. Learning and Development
Engage in structured learning and reflective supervision to build readiness for a Trainee Practitioner role.
Shadow EMHPs, CWPs and Infant and Early Years Practitioners delivering low-intensity CBT
interventions.
Attend regular CPD sessions and internal training in preparation for training eligibility. Collaboration and Partnership
Work collaboratively with schools, local authorities, CAMHS, parents, and other VCSE
organisations to ensure a holistic support approach. Promote Young Somerset's mental health services through community and school networks. Facts and Figures:
Young Somerset (Ys) was established in 1997 (as Somerset Rural Youth Project) with a mission to work with young people, encouraging them to take responsibility, supporting them to overcome disadvantage, and to become actively involved in shaping the communities in which they live. Our vision is a Somerset where young people feel a sense of belonging, a desire to contribute to their
communities and have a future that is not limited by poor access to opportunities and services. This is delivered through three strands of work: Youth Work, Alternative Learning Provision and Enterprise and Mental Health Support.
Young Somerset supports Mindline, an emotional support and mental health helpline, 9 am - 10 pm, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Young Somerset employs in the region of 120+ members of staff, apprentices and several volunteers; over half of whom work in direct support of high need young people and/or those with mild to moderate mental health needs.
The postholder will be required to work as part of a team comprising Children's Wellbeing Practitioners, Education Mental Health Practitioners and Early Years Practitioners. There is an expectation that the postholder will attend a number of team days during the year. There are opportunities to progress, which can be discussed at interview. The role is varied, and there will be times when you are expected to support members of staff from other departments in the
organisation. Additional Information
The postholder must be able to demonstrate commitment and enthusiasm towards Young Somerset's four core values: Putting Young People First, Inspiring, Collaborating, Going Further.
An Enhanced DBS clearance is required as post holder will be working in close proximity to children. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Acts.
The post holder will be required to maintain a suitable, confidential space to work from home.
Salary: September 2026 – January 2027: £26,138 per annum
From January 2027 (Trainee EMHP Salary): £27,675 per annum
Holiday entitlement is 27 days, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time staff), with an additional
5 days after 5 years service (pro rata for part time staff).
The postholder may be required to work some evenings and weekends.
Progression Opportunity
This post is designed as a developmental role and wil provide the necessary support and exposure to build a strong foundation for applying to the Practitioner training programme, typically delivered
via a one-year postgraduate course in partnership with Exeter University, within the next 12 – 18 months (dependent on cohort timing).
Qualifications Essential
Degree or willingness to engage in degree-level apprenticeship
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Experience of working or volunteering with children and young people.
Level 4 Qualification
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Passionate about supporting young people’s mental health and wellbeing.

Understanding of the challenges CYP face and awareness of trauma-informed and personcentred approaches.

• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with CYP and professionals.

Willingness and ability to travel across Somerset.

Desirable

Experience in educational, community or youth work settings.

Understanding of the EMHP role and low-intensity CBT.

Commitment to pursuing professional training (EMHP) within the next 12 – 18 months (dependent on cohort timing).