Community psychologist jobs

Band 7 Counselling / Clinical Psychologist

Reports to: Clinical Lead, Dose of Nature

Job Overview:

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and innovative psychologist to join our warm and friendly team at our Dose of Nature hub in Surrey. Dose of Nature is in an exciting phase as we continue to receive funding to expand our reach, particularly increasing accessibility to our service for clients living in the Waverley area.

We are seeking a psychologist with passion for the natural world and there is great potential for the psychologist to lead on areas in which we seek to develop and expand. The post-holder would be closely supported by the psychology team, as well as the wider team, to do so.

Dose of Nature is a mental health charity whose objective is to improve the mental health and wellbeing of individuals through increased engagement with the natural world. Our work is rooted in a wealth of scientific evidence that demonstrates the physiological and psychological benefits of spending time in nature.  We deliver ‘Nature Prescriptions’ to adults (aged 18+) referred by their GP with a wide range of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, trauma, and addiction.

Our Dose of Nature Prescription is overseen by psychologists and is a genuine alternative to both medication and more traditional psychological interventions. Through a combination of education, first-hand experience, and practical and motivational support, we aim to encourage a greater connection with nature and inspire lifestyle changes that will have a significant and lasting impact on mental wellbeing.  Dose of Nature is a fun, supportive and lively organisation that encourages creativity and independence, as well as a strong sense of working together as a team.

The nature of the role requires occasional evenings and weekends to cover monthly volunteer training evenings and social events as necessitated by the needs of the charity.

Key Responsibilities 

Clinical 

• To carry out psychological assessments of clients referred to the service, to reach a psychological formulation of the client’s difficulties and understand their wider contextual needs, and to support those clients throughout their journey with Dose of Nature, offering ad-hoc support where needed.
• To subsequently pair clients with an appropriate volunteer Nature Guide who then delivers the Dose of Nature Prescription.
• To review clients at the end of their Dose of Nature Prescription and ensure that those clients who would like to and / or need to, maintain connection with Dose of Nature by attending groups, social events, and through ad-hoc support.
• To maintain relationships with GP practices and other referrers, and to inform them of client progress.
• To support the Clinical Lead to offer workshops and presentations to other agencies, professional colleagues and in the wider community.
• To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals, staff members and volunteers contributing to a client’s recovery.
• To undertake risk assessment, formulation, and management of clients and to provide advice to the Dose of Nature team on psychological aspects of risk assessment, formulation, and management.
• To actively promote client involvement in their recovery and service development.

Teaching, Training, and Supervision

• To receive and provide regular clinical supervision.
• To gain additional experience and skills relevant to the Dose of Nature model.
• To provide clinical placements for trainee counsellors and / or trainee psychologists where needed and if appropriate, ensuring that trainees acquire the necessary skills and experience to contribute effectively to client recovery, utilising the Dose of Nature model.
• To provide advice, consultation and training to staff and volunteers.

Management, Leadership, Recruitment, Policy and Service Development

• To participate in identifying and implementing the development of a high quality, responsible and accessible service.
• To contribute to the development, evaluation and monitoring of the team’s operational policies and services, through the deployment of professional skills in research, service evaluation and audit
• To participate in the management of psychological resources available to the team.
• To manage the workloads of assistant and trainee applied psychologists.
• To be involved, as appropriate, in the short listing and interviewing of assistant psychologists
  and other staff.
• To provide effective leadership and management to staff which promotes high performance
  standards both individually and as a team. 

Research and Service Evaluation

• To utilise theory, evidence-based literature, and research to support practice.
• To undertake appropriate research and provide research advice to other staff undertaking research
• To undertake project management, including service evaluation, with colleagues within the service to help develop service provision.

This job description sets out the main responsibilities and duties of the post, but is neither exhaustive nor exclusive and the postholder may be required to undertake such other duties and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected of an employee of this grade.

The British Psychological Society is the membership and representative body for psychologists and the wider psychological professions.  We're a forward-facing voice that speaks up for psychology and psychologists.  Our work, and the work of our members, helps to influence and develop a psychological approach to policy-making that puts people first.

We now have a vacancy for a Senior Policy & Public Affairs Adviser to join our friendly Policy & Public Affairs team. This is a great opportunity to support the BPS’ advocacy and policy objectives, working across our member networks, political and government stakeholders to identify priorities, and influence policy positions where the BPS should have a strong and effective voice. 

This role is key to driving forward our engagement strategy.  Your responsibilities will include:

• Monitoring activity across Westminster, Whitehall and other administrations as appropriate in relation to the BPS’s policy and engagement priorities 
• Driving policy development, building relationships with stakeholders, developing policy positions and producing briefing materials 
• Managing the consultation process and producing consultation responses in collaboration with our members and other colleagues 
• Representing the BPS on cross-sector policy groups and in external meetings with politicians and other senior stakeholders
• Building and maintaining relationships across the BPS membership, utilising member expertise and identifying opportunities for members to engage with stakeholders.

We are looking for someone with proven experience in a policy, public affairs or political capacity, who can demonstrate success in designing, leading and implementing engagement campaigns to achieve wider organisational goals.  It goes without saying that you should have a keen interest in the field of psychology and its impact upon society. Oral and written communication must be your strength, with the ability to influence, engage and build relationships with different audiences and stakeholders.

We offer a friendly, values led working culture with an excellent benefits package which includes:

• Agile & flexible working 
• Generous leave entitlement 
• Occupational pension scheme 
• Cycle to work scheme / free eye care vouchers / Winter flu vaccinations 
• Tailored learning & development 
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Life Assurance Scheme 
• Discounts scheme with national organisations 

How to apply 

To apply, please send your CV and a covering letter detailing how you meet the criteria in the job profile by 09:00 on Monday 19th May 2025. Interviews will be held on-line w/c 2nd June. 

For further information about the role, including the full job description, please see full details on our website under jobs at the BPS.

The British Psychological Society is committed to a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, irrespective of your background or circumstances. We are unable to sponsor people requiring a work visa and are therefore only able to accept applications that can demonstrate a right to work in the UK. 

If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion. 

Learning Support Worker (0997)

At St. John's, we have been making a positive difference to the lives of young people for nearly 140 years. We are now looking for an amazing Learning Support Worker to support us in making that difference! Could that be you?

Why join our inclusive team?

St. John's is one of the largest employers in Brighton and Hove.

What can we offer you?

• Salary of £23,469
• 32-days paid holiday (plus bank holidays) - 32-days are taken outside of term time
• Fulfilling and meaningful work – make a difference!
• Free lunch – how much will that save you a month?!
• Career development plans that are tailored to you
• Discounts across businesses in the local community.

Who are we?

St. John's is a non-maintained specialist provision, working with autistic people, the majority of whom also have learning disabilities. Some of our learners have co-occurring conditions such as epilepsy, hearing or visual impairments, or mental health needs. We also support autistic learners who have an additional profile of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) syndrome. We have a team built up of support workers, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, nurses, PBS practitioners, assistant psychologists, and more, to support us in our holistic approach to development.

Each learner's curriculum is shaped by their individual strengths, interests, and challenges. St. John's is awarded with Autism Accreditation by the National Autistic Society (NAS). We support our learners to develop their skills in the NAS's four focus areas of:

• Difference in social communication and interaction
• Self-reliance and problem-solving
• Sensory
• Emotional Well-being

What are we looking for?

We've been doing this long enough to know that, whilst desirable, experience is not everything! Our amazing learning and development team and our passionate managers have coached people new to this field into support working roles. We know that if you have, the passion and desire to learn, and the want to empower others, you already have the foundations of an outstanding support worker. We are looking for drivers to support our young people to access the community, but having a licence isn't essential.

Sound like you? Then keep on reading!

What will you be doing?

• Supporting the young people in a classroom setting and during breaktimes
• Implementing the learner's behaviour support plan and risk assessment
• Working within a team of multidisciplinary professionals across the charity
• Tracking the progress of individuals and reporting to the teacher, care manager, and/or parents at review meetings.

Exciting opportunity? We think so! Click apply to start your journey as part of the St. John's College family as a Learning Support Worker

Ambitious about Autism is fully committed to equality of opportunity and diversity and we warmly welcome applications from all suitably-qualified candidates. We welcome applications regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, disability, or age. All applications will be considered solely on merit.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. As part of our Safer Recruitment checks, an online search maybe carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The Safeguarding responsibilities of the post as per the job description and personal specification.
Whether the post is exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendment to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2021. This means that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS Filter Guidance.

Documents

• Learning Support Worker- Recruitment Pack (2).pdf (2.46 MB)

Job Title: Mental Health Rehabilitation Worker

Location: In service based in Catford across two sites (SE6 2QB & SE6 3BE)

Salary: £27,000

Shift Pattern: 37.5 hours a week over a rota which can include 12.5 hour shifts (including breaks) Monday to Sunday (Including weekends, and bank holidays) 08:00 - 20:30. We also have a night rota between 20:00 - 08:30 which is not a part of this role but desirable if there is flexibility around working patterns

About the role

We are looking for a Mental Health Rehabilitation Worker to work within our Integrated Community Rehabilitation Service which provides rehabilitation support to residents who face challenges with their mental health, and have been discharged from acute mental health wards to start structured rehabilitation support for 9 months in the community. You will work directly with our residents to support them to overcome their personal barriers and challenges to achieve positive outcomes. You will do this through one to one support sessions, group sessions and activities, and general support with their daily living. This is not a personal care role, but is a role to rehabilitate and empower our residents towards independent living.

The role further includes:

• Supporting residents with taking their correct medication
• Carrying out various health and safety tasks, including reporting repairs and maintenance
• Keeping support plans up to date using our online portal
• Plan and deliver various activities which includes within the service and outside in the local community. This can include days out to museums and other areas of interest by our residents
• Carrying out housing management support including welfare benefits support

The service works closely with a dedicated clinical team provided by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLAM). The clinical team includes an Occupational Therapist, Psychologist, and Psychiatrist, complimented by a Substance Misuse/Dual Diagnosis worker in our internal team. The Rehabilitation service works with adults aged between 18 and 65, from Croydon, Lewisham, and Southwark. You will be part of a service which offers 24 hour support across 2 buildings in Catford. 

Please refer to the JDPS attached for more details on the vacancy and our requirements/key criteria.

About you

We are looking for someone who has a true passion to support those who face challenges with their mental health. You will be able build rapport and trusting relations with others in a professional setting, and able to build positive outcomes. You will be adaptable and flexible in your approach, and understand that each individual has different level and types of support needs, you will be able to flex your approach to suit the needs of our resident groups. You will have an understanding and ability to help others overcome their personal barriers, and will be motivated to want to make a difference to people's lives. This is a fulfilling role, and is the perfect fit for someone who has a real passion in helping others.

• You will be able to show empathy and compassion to our residents, and different challenges they face
• You will be able to motivate, and empower others to achieve their personal goals and overcome barriers
• You will need some level of IT ability as we record records using our online CRM systems and use Microsoft programs daily
• You will have previous experience working with people with multiple and complex needs, ideally in mental health
• You will have previous experience in creating co-produced support plans, key working, and care plans
• You will understand the housing and social needs of people with multiple and complex needs and be aware of the social marginalisation that can be attached to people who face personal challenges

What we offer

• 25 days (Full time equivalent) annual leave, increasing with the length of service
• Training and Development, including access to courses, upskilling, and progression plans
• Employee Assistance Programme, including counselling
• Reflective Practice regular sessions with a therapist provided by an external provider to support Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Eligibility to register with Blue Light Discount Card
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Annual Staff Awards
• Be part of an organisation which believes good care and support improves lives.
• Join an organisation with a mission to empower people who are marginalised by building powerful partnerships and creative solutions that bridge gaps in provision and aid recovery, reablement and resettlement.

We are committed to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). We value and celebrate the unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences of all our employees. We have a team of ambassadors who are staff volunteers and actively support us in fortifying our organisational value of Inclusivity. 

SIG actively encourages applications from individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds, particularly lived experience; Naturally, we approach any emerging issues with empathy and sensitivity. As an organisation, we’re proud to mention that our staff Ambassadors career aspirations generally benefit from embracing this unique opportunity to develop their respective skill sets in spaces that exist outside of their daily roles. 

SIG is a not-for-profit organisation providing thousands of people with good-quality support and care in residential, drop-in centres, community floating support settings (including people's own homes), probation settings, and hospitals awaiting discharge. We do so across London, Brighton, Bedfordshire, Luton, and Kent. We believe in the power of well-planned, well-managed services to make a difference. We work with high standards and external and internal regulatory frameworks.

Want to know how we work? Watch our short Theory of Change video to see how we support people towards a brighter future: Theory of Change Further details can be found on our website here: Theory of Change - Social Interest Group - Social Interest Group. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Please note that this job advert may close early due to screening applications on an ongoing basis. We advise applying as soon as possible for your application to be taken into consideration at the early stages.

Please note that as part of our process, we complete an enhanced DBS check, some roles may require further vetting. We are an inclusive employer and encourage applicants from all backgrounds. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact us on the details below. 

Additional information on our company policies including Gender Pay, Equality and Diversity, Company Benefits and our Candidate Privacy Policy can be found on our website.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide sponsorship, please ensure you have full right to work in the UK prior to applying to our positions. 

As the first Head of Operations, you will provide strategic oversight, work with staff to translate our strategy into actionable, measurable plans for efficient and effective work, which will enhance the impact for people in immigration detention.  Your management of the team’s operations will support our growth, resilience, and sustainability.

For futher information see the Application Pack

What they say about Medical Justice;

“What Medical Justice did was absolutely remarkable. They sent two specialists to see me in Harmondsworth and they did the most amazingly thorough job documenting all my scars. Then I got my medico-legal report which was over 40 pages long. They did thorough, professional work – there is nothing more that they could have done and ultimately this work got me out of detention.” – former detained person and Medical Justice client

“[Medical Justice] has strong characteristics and a highly respected reputation. It is regarded as principled, expert and evidence-based, tenacious in its casework and policy work, fierce and ferocious when needed and brave in the way it speaks truth to power.” – fellow non-governmental organisation

“Medical Justice has an outsized impact for its size – it is highly effective and the team is absolutely terrific, which is all the more impressive in the difficult political context.” – Medical Justice funder

Informal online information sessions

An opportunity to ask questions about Medical Justice and its work as well as about the Head of Operations role ;

12.30-1.30pm Thursday 22nd May

12.30-1.30 Thursday 6th June