Mental Health Information & Advice Officer
Job Purpose
Money Minded: Professional advice and support because your mental health matters
Money Minded is a new service designed to support adults, (18 years and over) in Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Hounslow. The service provides support with welfare benefits, accessing debt support, housing and well-being/peer support groups/workshops.
The role of the Mental Health Information and Advice Officer will be to provide advice, guidance and customer representation to tri-borough Residents living with Mental Health difficulties. Advice issues may include, housing, benefits, council tax, accessing debt support, signposting etc.
The successful candidate will deliver support to enquirers and manage a caseload of individuals, as agreed with the Service Manager. In addition to advice casework, the Mental Health Information and Advice Officer will also be expected to assist onboarding referrals to the service, as and when needed.
The successful candidate will be required to work alongside the Team Leader and volunteers supporting on the project, within the Advice Quality Standard framework (AQS) and adhere to Mind’s policies and procedures.
Due to the nature of the work, if successful, you will need to have an up-to-date DBS check completed, prior to undertaking unsupervised client work.
You can download a PDF of the full job description for this role at the bottom of the page.
Key Responsibilities
- Deliver support to enquirers and manage a caseload of individuals as agreed with the service manager
- Deliver monthly wellbeing peer support groups/workshops
- Provide advice and information relating to all welfare benefits, including assisting clients with form filling and contacting agencies such as the Department for Work & Pensions on their behalf
- Provide housing advice
- Link in with specialist debt and money support agencies
- Provide information on employment opportunities and training support for clients
- Signpost to other relevant services in the boroughs, or further afield
Person Specification
Knowledge & Experience
- Substantial experience of delivering advice in a similar position, preferably to individuals with Mental Health needs
- Knowledge and understanding of Mental Health problems and how they are impacted by social issues
- Experience of delivering advice, information and customer representation
- Experience of managing complex cases
- Experience of working with multiple agencies
- Experience of delivering desired outcomes in a timely manner
- Up to date knowledge and experience of safeguarding adults
- Understanding of the importance of monitoring and evaluation, and the ability to keep records
Skills & Attributes
- Relevant and up to date knowledge of welfare benefits, housing and social care
- Facilitate and deliver peer support groups for longer term improved wellbeing
- Ability to communicate effectively in person on a one-to-one basis and with groups, as well as over the telephone and in writing
- Excellent listening skills
- Computer literate, with the ability to use MS Office, email systems and databases (inputting information and extracting reports)
- Ability to liaise with a range of people – customers with support needs, carers, and a range of different professionals
- Ability to remain calm in challenging situations and reinforce boundaries
- Ability to support people to manage difficult feelings, and communicate their needs effectively
- Strong organisation and administrative skills
- Flexibility in overall approach to work
We are an equal opportunities employer; and are proud to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons from all backgrounds.
HFEH Mind are committed to creating and fostering a culture that promotes safeguarding and the welfare of all children and adults at risk. Our safer recruitment practices support this by ensuring that there is a consistent and thorough process of obtaining, collating, analysing and evaluating information from and about candidates to ensure that all persons appointed are suitable to work with children and vulnerable adults.
Post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.