Do you want a rewarding career where you can really make a difference?

Are you interested in working for a leading mental health charity?

If so, you may be the person we are looking for

We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: “A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.”

Due to growth we have an exciting opportunity for 6 Trainee Mental Health Money Advisors to join our established and friendly Money Advice team. You will initially join us on a fixed term contract until March 2021 with a view to becoming permanent subject to funding. In addition, you will be working full time, 35 hours per week based from home. You may however be asked to travel to our Birmingham office on an occasional basis for meetings and training.

Our Mental Health & Money Advice Service provides holistic advice and support to clients who are experiencing both poor mental health and financial difficulties.  This is the first UK wide service which address both mental health and financial health together.

In everything we do, we seek to demonstrate our values: Passion, Commitment, Openness, Hope, Expertise and Understanding. If these values resonate with you, we would love to hear from you.

What will you be doing?

• Undertaking ongoing training and to complete the MaPS accredited training and any other training required including on mental health.
• Under supervision, advising clients on the best solutions to their debt issues and provide support where required to individuals who have financial problems by telephone, email and letter.
• Supporting advisors within the team with casework to further my own knowledge and understanding.
• Managing my own caseload, maintaining detailed, up-to-date, accurate case notes on the AdvicePro database in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation. (GDPR).
• Ensuring service user feedback is encouraged in the form of compliments, comments and complaints and they are appropriately responded to.
• Keeping informed about changes to the landscape and legislation related to debt, benefits and mental health using both journals and newsletters.
• Identifying issues affecting people living with mental illness and debt nationally and address these by providing evidence, contributing to Rethink Mental Illness’ work in policy and campaigns.

Do you have what we are looking for?

• GCSE English & Maths at Grade C or Level 4 & above.
• Experience working in a role providing customer service via telephone and email.
• Evidence of a commitment to learning and professional development.
• Good collaborative and written/verbal communication skills.
• Some experience of working with people with mental illness or poor mental wellbeing. This could be gained via paid work, volunteering or personal experience.

Due to SLA, the training programme will begin on the 7th December, you therefore must be able to start with us week commencing the 30th November.  

Unfortunately, due to the requirements of the funder for this role, we are unable to accept applications from those who have previous experience providing debt advice or casework.

What will you receive?

You will have plenty of opportunities to enhance your abilities with the chance to make a real difference every day. In addition, you will have excellent development opportunities including funded training, career development and a range e-learning courses. You will also receive:  

• Salary of £17,433.82 to £19,860.93 per annum
• Comprehensive training programme 
• Contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance and employee assistance programme
• 25 days annual leave rising to 30 days plus bank holidays
• Your "Rethink Day" - 1 day’s additional leave (pro rata) on your Birthday
• Eyecare vouchers
• Flexible working  

Don’t just change jobs, change lives!

Just a couple of final things,

We welcome applications from everyone, applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning+ (LGBTQ+), people with a disability, or those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds are actively encouraged to apply. We are proud to have also been awarded Disability Confident employer status. We have an ambition of becoming an anti-racist organisation and we recognise there is more to do in ensuring our recruitment is fair and inclusive, which is why we are recruiting new roles in helping us to achieve this.  Please be mindful that we may close adverts early if we receive a high volume of applications which is why we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Debt Free South West (previously known as Money Advice West) is the South West’s leading independent free debt advice partnership.  Our skilled advisers help over 6,000 people facing debt and poverty issues each year since 2006. 

The roles are employed by Talking Money, the lead organisation within the partnership. Talking Money is a Bristol-based money advice charity providing free, independent, specialist debt and benefits advice, and general money guidance, information, and support to local citizens.  We have a strong track record of providing training and consultancy to local voluntary, statutory and private sector organisations.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we anticipate a large increase in demand for debt advice, so we are recruiting 2 new FTE Technical Supervisors to support our partnership across the South West of England.  This is a great opportunity for you to progress your career in an industry where you can make a real and positive difference to people’s lives.

The role would start on 4 January 2021 and for an initial fixed term to 30 November 2021.

These new and challenging roles are home based, working with advisers, clients and multiple agencies within our partnership with some travel to agencies in Bristol, Bath, Gloucester, Weston-super-Mare and Yeovil to advise and support clients on how to resolve all of their debt issues. Applicants should have a minimum of 2 years current or recent experience of providing debt advice.

Technical Supervisors will:

• Ensure delivery partners meet the service and delivery requirements as set out by the funder (MaPS)
• Provide day-to-day support to advisers and trainees as they provide debt advice to over-indebted clients that is accurate, effective and tailored to the client’s individual circumstances, in accordance with FCA regulations and guidance.
• Support and regularly audit delivery partner organisations, ensuring they are prepared for external reviews of their service in line with the quality requirements of the funder (MaPS)
• Undertake debt advice file reviews, interview observations and provide regular 1:1 supervision for feedback and training
• Support line managers in the development of advisers and the debt advice service
• Work with the Quality Manager and funder to monitor and improve the quality of debt advice within the partnership

Technical Supervisors will be expected to contribute to the team by:

• Working to an agreed work-plan
• Manage your own caseload whilst supporting advisers to manage theirs
• Being an active member of the partnership
• Complying with policies and procedures of Talking Money

CVs and covering letters are not accepted so please contact us for an application pack.

Closing date for applications is 11.59pm on 8th November 2020.

Interviews are planned for the week beginning 16th November 2020 and applicants should be available for a start date of 4th January 2021.