Senior recovery worker jobs

IPS – Employment support

For people who need mental health support, getting back into work is a vital step on their recovery journey. The evidence backs this up, but although 90% of people with severe mental illness want to work, only 8% of them are in paid employment.

If you would like to join our team and champion our mission and help people who need employment support to get back into work. You will be supporting clients who are under the care of Secondary Mental Health services to gain and retain paid employment and will be based within a clinical team.

This is an incredibly rewarding role.  You'll have the opportunity to transform the lives of clients, to give them hope, direction and support with their recovery journey alongside other key professionals. This is also a challenging role, so you’ll need to be empathetic, adaptable and dedicated to finding clients a role that’s right for them.

As an Employment Specialist, you’ll build a good rapport with your clients, gaining a real understanding of their key skills, their aspirations and their career goals and finding them opportunities to match. You'll also spend time building productive relationships with employers in order to identify and negotiate job opportunities in the hidden labour market.

Successful applicants for this post will receive training in the IPS approach, giving you the tools, you need to provide expert support and advice to clients, staff within your clinical team (e.g. Psychiatrist, Social Workers or Mental Health Nurse), while also building positive relationships with employers, opening doors and changing perceptions around mental health.

We welcome applications from people with personal experience of using mental health services.

Job Summary

To provide support into employment for people with mental health problems including:

· Managing a caseload of clients who wish to return to paid work, enabling them to find or retain employment by liaising with work and training providers, accessing benefits advice and by personally providing on-going support to clients in job search and after gaining employment, in accordance with evidence based supported employment practice such as the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment.

· Link with local employers and voluntary bodies in order to secure employment opportunities within the community

· Pro-actively support and motivate clients in obtaining employment opportunities

· Provide on-going support according to both the employee’s and employer’s needs to enable clients to both gain and retain employment.

Key responsibilities

 · To work in partnership with individuals to support them in finding paid employment, or taking steps towards this.

· To develop strong links with other agencies such as voluntary, statutory and businesses in the development of work opportunities for clients.

· To support Community Mental Health Team colleagues with information about work and training opportunities.

· To report on outcome measures for the service.

· To provide monitoring/audit information to the Senior IPS Employment Specialist responsible for Employment Services.

Main duties

 · Manage a caseload of people who have experienced mental health problems who wish to work.

· Prepare individuals for employment by assessing each person’s individual vocational needs which might typically include identifying strengths, help with benefits, support networks, travel to work plans, etc.

· Co create employment action plans with the individual, and provide this to the care co-ordinator and other professionals where appropriate.

· Assist individuals in job search and prepare them to apply for employment/education, liaising with colleagues as required e.g. Disability Employment Advisors, Jobcentre Plus, DWP contract providers and local colleges.

· Contact and meet with employers to identify job opportunities for individual clients.

· Have a proactive approach in developing jobs tailored to suit individual clients’ needs by contacting local employers, discussing mutual requirements and negotiating opportunities.

· Accompany job seekers to interviews if required.

· Provide education and support to employers, as agreed with the individual and provide job retention interventions to people at risk of losing their employment, negotiating adjustments to the job role with employers to enable the person to retain their employment.

· Support clients in the workplace by supporting them to learn the job role if necessary, and/or negotiating with employers to adapt the role at the start of employment or if difficulties arise in the workplace.

· Identify any barriers for return to work and develop appropriate strategies to overcome those barriers for clients who wish to gain or retain open employment maintaining a positive attitude to addressing challenges.

· Contribute to the opportunities for an individual’s increased social inclusion by developing partnership working with voluntary sector agencies, and linking with primary care employment and job retention initiatives.

· Promote the Mindful Employer initiative and best practice in mental health and employment within the mental health services and in other organisations in the local area.

· Maintain and develop close links with referrers, care co-ordinators and Community

· Regularly attend Team meetings.

· Complete data monitoring sheets and keep accurate caseload records.

· Maintain high standards of personal development and undertake further training as may be required.

· Undertake regular supervision and annual appraisal.

· Undertake other duties as may reasonably be required by the organisation

Person specification

Qualifications and experience

Essential

· Educated to degree level or equivalent experience

· Experience/understanding of working with people with mental health support needs, or a similar client group within health, social services or the voluntary sector

· Experience of working with someone on a one-to-one basis

· Experience of managing multiple tasks at any one time

Desirable

· Trained in IPS approach

· Experience of supporting people to obtain or keep work

· Experience of working within health, social services or voluntary sector with people who have experienced mental health problems.

· Experience of working assertively to influence decision makers

· Own personal lived experience of recovery from mental health difficulties

· Previous experience of delivering a service using the IPS model is a bonus

· Proven experience of meeting and exceeding outcomes and targets

Skills and knowledge

Essential

· An understanding of the employment needs, and challenges faced by people who experience mental health difficulties

· Developing a knowledge of a broad range of occupations and jobs

· Able to use IT systems, databases and tools such as MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel

· Strong motivational, communication and listening skills

· Outstanding interpersonal skills and ability to build rapport with a range of people

· Good organisational ability

· Natural ability to build close, trusting and productive relationships with people

· Team orientated and able to work collaboratively within a mixed-disciplinary team

· Ability to work independently and use initiative to develop and promote a service

Desirable

· Knowledge of DWP and disability/employment related benefits

· Knowledge of good practice in employment legislation protecting Disability and Equality

Interviews will take place on 14th, 16th and 21st April 2026. 

Job title: Senior Practitioner Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression

Service: Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression (formerly IAPT)

Responsible to: Clinical Services Manager

Salary: Starting salary SO1-Sp29a £34,934

Hours: 22.5 hours

Contract type: Fixed Term until March 31st, 2027

Location: Hybrid

About the Psychological Therapies & Wellbeing Services Department

Mind CHWF’s Psychological Therapies &Wellbeing department has been BACP accredited since 2016 and we specialise in:

·trauma-informed and compassion-focused practice 

·lived experience leadership and representation 

·‘third wave’ cognitive behavioural/evidence-based therapies (group and one to one models based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, mindfulness-based therapies, Compassion-focused therapy, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy)

·a Practitioner Training Programme for our evidence-based model, ‘Radical Self-Care (RadSec)’, currently undergoing accreditation with BAMBA (British Association for Mindfulness Based Approaches)

·clinical research with our academic and NHS partners (City, University of London and NELFT)

·psychological therapies for:

ocommon mental health problems such as anxiety and depression via our Talking Therapies Service for Anxiety and Depression (formerly IAPT - Improving Access to Psychological Therapies). Our Step 2 provision uses ‘third wave’ group modalities, particularly Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Our Step 3 focuses on Person-Centred Experiential Counselling for Depression (PCE-CfD).

oAfrican Caribbean heritage communities (in partnership with our IRIE Mind project), 

oLGBTQ+ communities (in partnership with our Rainbow Mind project)

ocomplex developmental trauma and enduring mental health conditions (City and Hackney Wellbeing Network)

opeople who have lost someone to suicide (Grief in Pieces project)

oalcohol and substance misuse (City and Hackney Recovery Service)

All staff, trainees and volunteers have opportunities to participate in a wide range of in-house and external trainings through our networks.  Practitioners in specialist services are offered relevant evidence-based training (IAPT Step 2 practitioners receive training in group protocol using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and our Recovery Service workers receive intensive training and supervision in our group models: Radical Self Care, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Managing Anger & Difficult Emotions). 

At Mind CHWF, we offer significant personal and professional development opportunities, encourage innovation and initiative from our committed and talented practitioners, and offer skill-building and experience of working across multiple projects and modalities in an award-winning mental health organisation.

Purpose of the post: 

The Senior IAPT Practitioner will play a key role in delivering and developing Mind in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest’s specialist Talking Therapies provision for African Caribbean Heritage (ACH), LGBTQIA+ and Global Majority communities.

The post holder will primarily deliver High Intensity (Step 3) psychological therapy, providing evidence-based one-to-one interventions for people experiencing anxiety and depression within a culturally responsive framework. The role will focus on delivering structured therapies such as Person-Centred Experiential Counselling for Depression (PCE-CfD) or other NICE-recommended modalities, alongside clinical assessment, formulation, and risk management.

In addition to clinical delivery, the role will include a small leadership component involving line management and professional support for Step 2 practitioners working within the specialist pathway. The post holder will help ensure quality, consistency and good practice across the Step 2 provision and may provide temporary clinical cover or guidance where service gaps arise.

The role contributes to improving equitable access and outcomes for African Caribbean Heritage, LGBTQIA+ and Global Majority communities, supporting the service to address inequalities in mental health provision.

Mind CHWF has a long-standing commitment to community-led and culturally responsive mental health services. We particularly welcome and encourage applications from Black women, who are currently underrepresented in senior roles in psychological therapy.

Housing First Support Worker (28 hours per week)

Spitalfields Crypt Trust (SCT) is recruiting a Housing First Support Worker to join our specialist team supporting people who have experienced homelessness and other traumatic events.

In this role, you’ll hold a small caseload (around six residents) and provide tailored, person-centred, trauma-informed support that helps people sustain their tenancies, improve their wellbeing, and work towards recovery on their own terms. You’ll build trusting relationships over time, combining practical housing-related support (such as moving in, budgeting, appointments, maintaining a home and accessing community resources) with strong advocacy to ensure residents can access healthcare, benefits, housing services and specialist support.

You’ll work closely with SCT colleagues and a range of external partners across Tower Hamlets to remove barriers, reduce risk, and prevent eviction. The post includes completing needs and risk assessments, maintaining clear case records (including on In-Form or similar systems), and contributing to reporting and service learning. This is a values-led role for someone who is organised, resilient, and confident working independently with adults facing multiple disadvantage (including addiction, mental ill health, and long-term homelessness).

This is a part-time post (28 hours per week) with a salary up to £32,000 (up to £25,600 pro rata). Enhanced Adult Workforce DBS is required. Benefits include 25 days annual leave (rising to 30) plus bank holidays (pro rata), pension matched up to 5%, BUPA Employee Assistance Programme and wellbeing plan, cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan, and training and development opportunities.

Please see the full Job Description attached.

About the role

The role will play a critical role to help deliver an effective and high performing rent collection and recovery service in accordance with legislation, the organisation’s policies, set performance targets and customer satisfaction requirements. In collaboration with the Resident Services Manager to ensure that the organisation is compliant with all regulations and using robust policy and procedures and ensuring the right systems are in place to effectively manage the revenue and income streams and arrears of the organisation. This role will also manage the impact of welfare reform provisions, ensuring an effective advice and support service to residents to manage risk on revenue and income levels.

We welcome applications from those with experience in supported housing and rent arrears management. 

Responsibilities

• The role also oversees the best payment methods for all residents at sign up and this includes the setting up of standing orders or direct debits in line with the direct debit guarantee where applicable. To liaise with the Assistant Accountant who will oversee the administration of this.

• Production of performance and management reports, setting collection targets in consultation with the Resident Services Manager and proactively monitoring and reporting in respect of service delivery, performance indicators and targets.

• Maximise the collection of arrears by having regular meetings with the Team Managers; being proactive in contacting Support Workers or residents, providing them with clear instructions on information requests and repayment options.

• To work closely with other members of the Revenue team to manage resident rent and accommodation charge accounts and other former resident debts, on a regular basis identifying trends and patterns on individual accounts and then liaise with Support Workers or residents to rectify income issues and address arrears in line with policies and procedures.

• To maximise rent collection in line with targets by making arrangements to recover rent arrears and to enforce related tenancy conditions, ensuring residents’ rent accounts are monitored and prompt actions taken to prevent the accumulation of debt, and to authorise any rent account adjustments and refunds.

• Work closely with the Assistant Accountant to ensure that all residents Personal Contributions (PC) and Housing Benefit (HB) are calculated correctly on sign up and when there has been a change of circumstance

• Liaising with local authorities’ benefits teams and Government agencies on new benefit claims and issues in liaison with the Assistant Accountant and regular meetings together.

• Acting as the main first point of contact on queries around revenue and income management, policies, procedures and systems.

• Ensuring team have Welfare benefits training and are up to date with regulation. Working with Support Workers to ensure residents maximise their incomes by claiming all benefits due them

• To assist vulnerable residents with prompt and appropriate action and advice, and liaise with other agencies and departments to ensure that their needs are met.

• To be responsible for preparing timely and accurate reports on arrears cases, to attend Court and represent the organisation on individual arrears and possession cases when relevant, to prepare eviction reports and represent the organisation at evictions to ensure the successful repossession of properties.

• To maintain appropriate and accurate records to comply with statutory and service-wide reporting requirements on performance issues.

• To contribute towards the continuous improvement of performance in line with the organisation’s service plan targets.

• To work with other agencies and departments such as the organisation’s Finance Department, Customer Services Team; Housing Benefits, The DWP, Advice agencies, Housing Officers, Solicitors and the Courts in delivering an efficient and effective service.

• To attend meetings internally as and when necessary, for example, Directorate, Management and planning meetings.

• Cover the lead person when required on daily cash reconciliations whilst following finance policies and procedures

• Cover the lead persons when required to organise banking with the Finance Department whilst working closely with colleagues within the Resident Services Department and other senior employees to carry out banking runs.

• To undertake such other duties within the competence of the post holder which may be required from time to time.

• Person specification

• Experience

• Demonstrable experience of working in a supported housing environment in a similar or related role

• Experience of supervising a person or team

• Qualifications

• GSCE (or equivalent) in English, Maths

• Skills and Knowledge

• Knowledge of supported housing sector and housing law

• Detailed knowledge of rent arrears issues and processes

• Detailed knowledge of housing and welfare benefits

• Understanding of trauma informed practice

• Abilities

• Capable of developing and maintaining constructive and positive working relationships both internally and externally

• Personal qualities

  • Be creative in problem solving and seek out practical solutions to complex problem

• Demonstrate a high degree of accountability and decision making

• Full driving licence held and maintained

• Desirable criteria

• Housing or a related qualification

•  

• Be able to meet deadlines and balance priorities

• Be able to delegate and allocate work effectively

• Be able to monitor operational and customer service performance and suggest and implement ways of improving performance

• Be able to manage change, introduce new initiatives, and revise systems and processes

• Be able to communicate clearly and concisely, with a systematic and consistent style including experience of report writing and drafting policies/procedures

• Interview process

  Interviews will be held during the week commencing 13 April 2026. The process will begin with a short pre‑screening interview. Candidates who are successful at this stage will be invited to an in‑person interview, which will include a practical test as part of the assessment.

  Before starting this position, you’ll need to undergo a criminal record check by the Disclosure and Barring Service. You must be entitled to work in the UK. Due to the customer‑focused nature of this role, working from home will be one day per week 

Spitalfields Crypt Trust (SCT) is an East London charity providing practical help, support and training to people who have experienced homelessness and addiction. We run a Housing First project, a Recovery Hub, supported housing and social enterprises that help people rebuild their lives. Our charity shops are a vital part of that work, raising income to support our services and connecting us with the communities we serve.

SCT is recruiting an Assistant Shop Manager to work across our East London charity shops in a floating role, supporting the day-to-day running of multiple stores.

This is a full-time position (35 hours per week, worked across 5 fully flexible days including weekends and bank holidays) with a salary of £26,936 per year.

A bit about you

You’re friendly, hands-on and organised, with strong retail experience, excellent people skills and a real enthusiasm for charity retail and preloved fashion. You’re confident supporting shop performance, delivering great customer service, leading volunteers and maintaining high standards across different locations.

You’ll be adaptable, proactive and solutions-focused, with the ability to build strong relationships with colleagues, volunteers and local communities. You’ll also be comfortable with stock processing, merchandising, shop administration and using systems such as MS Office and POS.

SCT is a growing organisation with opportunities for people with strong motivation, initiative and a commitment to our values.

Please see the full Role Overview and Role Responsibilities attached.

How to apply

To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter explaining how and why you’re a good match for the role.