Community connector jobs

Mind BLMK works across our communities to support positive mental health and wellbeing. Working closely with a range of partners, we offer a number of activities from our wellbeing centres and local venues to make a difference to the mental health and wellbeing of people in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, and our aim is to make sure that no-one has to face a mental health problem alone.

Community Connector (Mental Health Resilience Worker)
Post no: 654
Working base: Dunstable CMHT (Community Mental Health Team) LU5 – Occasional cover at Leighton Buzzard
Contract type: Permanent
Salary: £24,720 per annum
Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Thank you for your interest in this exciting role as a Community Connector.

About the Service

We work under the supervision of the NHS Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT) across Central Bedfordshire, Luton and Bedford, employed and managed by Mind BLMK, who receive funding for this transformational offer. We are privileged to be able to work holistically with people who are under the CMHT, struggling with a range of mental health issues.

Our service users are people with a range of mild/moderate/severe mental health diagnosis of anxiety, depression, paranoid schizophrenia, bipolar, EUPD, BPD, substance misuse including alcohol and people with suicide ideation. Often people present with high risks and once we take them onto our caseload we support them in managing their symptoms to reduce risk and to enable them to access wellbeing tools and services, leading to improved mental wellbeing and a better quality of life.

About the Role

Community Connectors work as part of an integrated, blended mental health offer to support people, for approximately a 6 - 12 week duration, with emotional, social and practical needs to access a range of local, non-medical and non-clinical services, to improve confidence, social inclusion and independence.

This role will involve working as part of a multi-disciplinary team with statutory, third sector and NHS colleagues to support clients who are suffering from moderate to severe mental health difficulties. You will need to have experience working with those suffering with mental health illness as well as being able to demonstrate in depth knowledge of the services, support networks and local resources that may assist in improved outcomes for those dealing with complex and enduring mental health issues. The ability to be adaptable, work independently and the resilience to work in some challenging environments are key attributes for this role.

A typical day in the life as a Community Connector:

• 9.15 – 11.30: Attend MDT – discuss a number of patients and treatment. This is a weekly meeting at each CMHT for reviews of those under the CMHT and includes people who are currently on the mental health wards and individuals under a section.
  Discuss any high risk cases and next steps.
  Discuss those who are ready for discharge.
• 11.30 – 12:15: Add notes to database - that have been taken during the meeting – reporting on the discussion and outcome for patients (this includes identifying next steps for professionals and tasks which the admin team need to follow up on).
•  12.15 – 13.15: First Initial assessment with a new service user – introductions and getting to know them.
  Discuss goals and what recovery means to them.
  Carry out a dialog+ (diagnostic tool).
  Clarify areas for signposting and discuss wellbeing practical support.
• 13.15 – 13.45: Lunch break
• 3.45 – 14.30: Signposting for service user
  Update data base with notes from the initial assessment and upload any documents sent to services for the new service user.
•  14.30 – 15.30: Meeting with service user in local cafe. Review of goals and progress. Review any signposted services – has the service user attended? How are they feeling? What has worked/not worked and what could be improved? Set goals to be worked towards by next session – these could be simple practice of self-affirmation/ attending a yoga class/meditation or continuing work with P2R etc. OR more practical self-care – showering/ going for a walk etc.
• 15.30 – 17.00: Catch up on admin tasks; respond to new referrals; call service users to book in appointments or to offer any well-being check-ins.

Entitlements/benefits:

• 25 days (pro rata) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays (pro rata)
• Auto-enrolment NEST pension scheme (employer contributes 3%, employee contributes 5%)
• Health Plan with a wide variety of benefits
• Discounts available through Blue Light Card & Tickets for Good
• In-house and external Learning and Development as appropriate for the role.
• Flexible Working On request (in line with Mind BLMK policy on Right to Request Flexible Working)

If you have a passion for working in mental health and possess the required skills, we would love to hear from you.

Closedown: 5pm on Friday 20th February 2026
Please note: We reserve the right to close this advert early if enough suitable applicants apply
Start date: ASAP

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

Mind BLMK has been committed to the Mindful Employer charter and the Disability Confident Employer Scheme since 2008.

Please note: Mind BLMK follows Safer Recruitment practices and we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. Therefore all our roles are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

No agencies please.

We're looking for a kind, empathetic and resilient Specialist Support Worker to join our Mental Health Service in Tower Hamlets.

£29,681.60 per annum, working 40 hours per week.

Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Our benefits include:
* Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
* Free DBS
* Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
* Fully paid induction programme and further training
* ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
* Cycle to work scheme
* Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
* Online wellbeing resources
* A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
* Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

We are seeking a Support Worker with a focus on Community Connection to join our mental health pathway in Tower Hamlets. In this role, you will engage with Look Ahead customers, helping them harness their talents and skills to broaden horizons, build networks, and access vital community resources.

What you'll do:
* Champion co-production as a core principle, ensuring customer voices are central to service design and delivery.
* Work with customers to identify their aspirations and connect them to local resources, networks, and opportunities that help achieve those goals.
* Co-create a programme calendar of culturally relevant, social, and educational activities with customers.
* Maintain accurate and up-to-date information-sharing protocols and Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
* Organise and facilitate educational and developmental training opportunities for customers.
* Provide coordination and line management for Peer Support Workers.
* Arrange and invite in-reach sessions at drop-in groups to enhance engagement.
* Build and sustain strong relationships with community partners to expand opportunities for customers.
* Develop partnerships to meet emerging customer needs, such as access to assistive technology for physical health.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:
* Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement.
* Exudes a warm friendly presence and open behaviour.
* Prefers working as part of a group or team.
* Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement.
* Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised.
* Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments.
* Is confident with high levels of self-esteem.
* Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication.
* Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude.

What you'll bring:
Essential:
* IT literate
* Experience of working within communities with a diverse range of stakeholders.
* Ability to research information from a range of sources.

Desirable:
* NVQ Level 2 or equivalent or experience within charity/social care sector.
* Experience and understanding of mental health and social care services.

About us:
Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

We focus on Excellence and innovation.
We are Caring and Compassionate.
We are Inclusive and Trusted.
We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Please see our website for full Job Description

The Community Connectors programme is an exciting partnership between Community Links, Aston Mansfield, Mind in Tower Hamlets, Newham and Redbridge, and the NHS East London Foundation Trust (ELFT).

Community Connectors work alongside ELFT under what is called the Mental Health Transformation Programme. The ethos of the programme is recovery focused, exploring needs through complexity (rather than diagnosis), a focus on a person’s strengths and assets, and on the wider determinants of health and wellbeing.

The role involves providing holistic support to people suffering from a serious mental illness or SMI. Service users will have a single or range of diagnosed conditions, will be known to ELFT and will therefore have a range of needs, including symptoms of anxiety or depression, or have a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Specifically, the Community Connector will work with multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) who sit within primary care networks or PCNs (clusters of GP practices) across Newham, and will support people in accessing appropriate local services, embodying a true example of wrap around support.

Above all, the Community Connector will be a strong networker who is able to engage multiple stakeholders for the betterment of service user welfare and outcomes.

Qualifications

Essential competencies

• University degree and/or personal specification
• Local knowledge of services, provisions, and issues faced by people suffering from mental health
• Experience working with stakeholders and partnerships.
• A commitment in implementing the mission and values of Aston-Mansfield
• Any other duties deemed relevant to your role.