Rapid Response Practitioner

Mind in Croydon is s recruiting a Rapid Responder Practitioner to support the delivery of Building Brighter Futures (BBF), an innovative partnership programme designed to improve access to early mental health support for young people in Croydon.

This role will provide timely, relational and trauma-informed support to young people aged 15–19 experiencing emotional distress, emerging mental health needs and complex disadvantage. Working as part of a multi-agency team, the postholder will act as a key point of early engagement, offering brief interventions and supporting young people to access the right pathway at the right time.

The post is hosted within the newly refurbished Mind in Croydon’s Counselling Service, with day-to-day work coordinated through the BBF partnership to ensure a consistent and joined-up response across organisations.

Rapid Response Practitioner

Contract:                         Fixed term until 31 March 2029

Hours                               28.8 Hours a week

Reports to:                     BBF Project Coordinator (Croydon Voluntary Action) / Mind in Croydon Counselling Service Mana

Based at:          Mind in Croydon Orchard House, Counselling Office
15 Purley Road, South Croydon, CR2 6EZ.
with regular travel to Community-based projects across Croydon, working flexibly across partner sites 

Building Brighter Futures is a three-year programme (funded until 31 March 2029) focused on early intervention for young people aged 15–19 experiencing complex disadvantage. The programme brings together a partnership of voluntary sector organisations, including Croydon Voluntary Action, Reedham Children’s Trust, Mind in Croydon, Off The Record, Croydon Drop In, Palace for Life and Reaching Higher.

The programme aims to reduce waiting times, prevent escalation of need, and improve young people’s experience by providing rapid access to relational, non-clinical support and clear pathways into longer-term or specialist services, where required.

The Rapid Responder Practitioner role is central to the programme’s front-door and allocation model, ensuring young people receive timely contact, appropriate assessment and coordinated support, while minimising duplication and repetitions.

While the role is hosted within Mind in Croydon, it operates as part of a multi-agency delivery model, with close coordination, shared practice standards and collective accountability across the partnership.