Job summary
Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) are a prevention and early intervention service designed to promote good mental health and wellbeing, and to provide support to meet the mild to moderate mental health needs of children and young people (CYP) in education settings.
MHSTs increase the CYPs mental health workforce and increase capacity to support pupils and students. Teams work alongside education staff to develop and embed a Whole School Approach (WSA) to mental health and wellbeing at all levels.
MHSTs have three core functions:
- Deliver evidence-based interventions for mild to moderate mental health issues
- Support the senior mental health lead to introduce/develop the WSA
- Provide timely advice to education staff, and liaise with specialist services to help CYP get the right support and stay in education
The service develops and delivers innovative methods to make a real difference to the lives of children, young people and families.
This role will be part of a innovation funded project within Compass, lasting two years.
Main duties of the job
The role of the Holistic Wellbeing Worker will be to support children and young people to gain a greater understanding of their own mental health and emotional wellbeing needs, as well as providing psychoeducation to the networks that support them holistically such as families, education staff and community stakeholders. Psychoeducation will be delivered via assemblies, workshops and training sessions. Psychoeducation will be in relation to self-esteem, body image and eating difficulties. Please see full job description for further information.
About us
Compass is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and you should share our commitment. All Compass posts are subject to appropriate level DBS checks. We positively encourage applications from all members of the community, regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, gender reassignment, age or sexual orientation and encourage applications from people who have experiences in life which enrich skills and empathy. This is part of our commitment to equality and developing a truly inclusive and representative workforce. We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments individuals may require in the recruitment process, on commencement, or once in post.
Established for over 30 years, Compass is a national charity which works in communities across the UK providing services spanning substance misuse treatment and rehabilitation, early interventions for vulnerable young people, school aged health programmes and associated prevention as well as treatment and health promotion initiatives.
Benefits We offer a range of benefits including:
- 27 days holiday + bank holidays, rising to 32 days over time
- Life assurance at 2 x basic salary
- Competitive contributory pension scheme
- Family-friendly policies
- 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and OH service
- Enhanced sick pay
- Excellent learning & development opportunities and career progression
- Annual performance / salary review
Closing date: Monday 6 January 2025
Interview date: Tuesday 14 January 2025
Job description
Job responsibilities
Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) are a prevention and early intervention service designed to promote good mental health and wellbeing, and to provide support to meet the mild to moderate mental health needs of children and young people (CYP) in education settings.
MHSTs increase the CYPs mental health workforce and increase capacity to support pupils and students. Teams work alongside education staff to develop and embed a Whole School Approach (WSA) to mental health and wellbeing at all levels.
MHSTs have three core functions:
- Deliver evidence-based interventions for mild to moderate mental health issues
- Support the senior mental health lead to introduce/develop the WSA
- Provide timely advice to education staff, and liaise with specialist services to help CYP get the right support and stay in education
The service develops and delivers innovative methods to make a real difference to the lives of children, young people and families.
This role will be part of a innovation funded project within Compass, lasting two years.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) are a prevention and early intervention service designed to promote good mental health and wellbeing, and to provide support to meet the mild to moderate mental health needs of children and young people (CYP) in education settings.
MHSTs increase the CYPs mental health workforce and increase capacity to support pupils and students. Teams work alongside education staff to develop and embed a Whole School Approach (WSA) to mental health and wellbeing at all levels.
MHSTs have three core functions:
- Deliver evidence-based interventions for mild to moderate mental health issues
- Support the senior mental health lead to introduce/develop the WSA
- Provide timely advice to education staff, and liaise with specialist services to help CYP get the right support and stay in education
The service develops and delivers innovative methods to make a real difference to the lives of children, young people and families.
This role will be part of a innovation funded project within Compass, lasting two years.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualification in mental health or working with children & young people such as; Diploma in Youth Work, Social Work, Psychology or accredited counselling or equivalent NVQ level 4 in children, young people or families, social care or mental health.
- Experience of working in education/ mental health/sports/nutrition
Desirable
- Experience/Training in Yoga, physical health and/or holistic wellbeing.
- Experience in project management.
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of educational environments
- Knowledge of safeguarding issues
- Knowledge of capacity and consent issues including Gillick competence
- Experience of working with children and young people, their families and others
- Experience of working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders
- Experience of delivering assemblies and workshops to children and young people
Desirable
- Knowledge of the functional operation of specialist Children and Young Peoples Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing services teams
- Experience of monitoring and recording outcome measures for childrens emotional wellbeing
- Experience of working with vulnerable groups of children young people and families
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Ability to carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with children who present with low needs.
- Ability to carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with families
- Ability to work within educational settings to increase mental health awareness within staff group
- Ability to make an assessment of risk and to record and communicate it appropriately
- Ability to take appropriate action to mitigate or manage risk
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Excellent time management and organisational skills
- Ability to be able to build and maintain positive relationships with children and young people of all ages and families
- Open minded and non- judgemental
- Passionate about making a positive social change
- Passionate about reducing the impact of diet culture, weight stigma and beauty standards on children and young people
- Empowering people to improve their health outcomes and sense of well-being
- Access to own transport or evidence of ability to commute efficiently between community venues
Desirable
- Ability to teach others about mental health issues
- Ability to conduct other group therapeutic interventions with children and their families
- Proven commitment to continuous professional development
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualification in mental health or working with children & young people such as; Diploma in Youth Work, Social Work, Psychology or accredited counselling or equivalent NVQ level 4 in children, young people or families, social care or mental health.
- Experience of working in education/ mental health/sports/nutrition
Desirable
- Experience/Training in Yoga, physical health and/or holistic wellbeing.
- Experience in project management.
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of educational environments
- Knowledge of safeguarding issues
- Knowledge of capacity and consent issues including Gillick competence
- Experience of working with children and young people, their families and others
- Experience of working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders
- Experience of delivering assemblies and workshops to children and young people
Desirable
- Knowledge of the functional operation of specialist Children and Young Peoples Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing services teams
- Experience of monitoring and recording outcome measures for childrens emotional wellbeing
- Experience of working with vulnerable groups of children young people and families
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Ability to carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with children who present with low needs.
- Ability to carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with families
- Ability to work within educational settings to increase mental health awareness within staff group
- Ability to make an assessment of risk and to record and communicate it appropriately
- Ability to take appropriate action to mitigate or manage risk
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Excellent time management and organisational skills
- Ability to be able to build and maintain positive relationships with children and young people of all ages and families
- Open minded and non- judgemental
- Passionate about making a positive social change
- Passionate about reducing the impact of diet culture, weight stigma and beauty standards on children and young people
- Empowering people to improve their health outcomes and sense of well-being
- Access to own transport or evidence of ability to commute efficiently between community venues
Desirable
- Ability to teach others about mental health issues
- Ability to conduct other group therapeutic interventions with children and their families
- Proven commitment to continuous professional development
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
