Mental Health Advocate (Mental Health & Addiction Services: RIGHT SUPPORT; RIGHT TIME**)

Remote Working - Frequent travel to Co. Donegal and Co. Sligo

Full time 35 hours per week

1 Year Fixed Term Contract with strong possibility of extension

Salary: €37,109.46 per annum

1. Role

The aim of this role is to promote positive mental wellbeing, increase resilience, and prevent mental and emotional distress in individuals, families, and communities across Northern Ireland and the Border counties of Ireland. Delivered through a unique partnership of leading voluntary organizations, including Inspire, Mencap, Cedar, Apex, Respond, ARC, DePaul, Red Cross, and SCI, this initiative brings together 430 years of combined experience to support underserved communities such as those in areas of multiple deprivation, people with disabilities, and refugees.

Our key objectives are to encourage help-seeking behaviours, create connected and healthier communities, reduce emotional distress, and develop a trauma-informed, person-centered mental health service. With a comprehensive approach that includes prevention, self-help, and self-management, as well as extended brief and specialist interventions, this role offers an opportunity to be part of a ground breaking mental health service that is

supported by PEACEPLUS and a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

The position also provides staff development opportunities, including access to training, knowledge exchanges, and a shared community of practice, ensuring ongoing personal and professional growth.

2. General Responsibilities

It is essential to the development of Depaul that the post holder is able to respond flexibly and positively to changes in requirements of this post. The Mental Health Case Worker will be expected to work flexibly to meet the requirements of the role and support other services when required.
The Mental Health Case Worker may undertake other projects and tasks as required to support the achievement of Depaul’s strategic / operational objectives.
Members of staff are expected to treat those with whom they come into contract in a courteous and respectful manner in accordance with the Dignity at Work Procedure.
Staff are expected to demonstrate their commitment to Depaul by their regular attendance and the efficient completion of all tasks allocated to them.
Take care of your own health and safety and that of people who may be affected by what you do (or do not do).
Co-operate with others on health and safety and not interfere with, or misuse, anything provided for your health, safety or welfare.
All staff must follow the training they have received when using any work items their employer has given them.
The Mental Health Case Worker will endeavour to ensure the on-going confidence of the public.
The Mental Health Case Worker will maintain high standards of personal accountability.

3. Key areas of Responsibilities

The purpose of this role is to provide support to individuals with mild/moderate mental health needs order to encourage and facilitate self-help, enabling individuals to better understand and manage their mental health through prevention and early intervention.

The key areas of responsibilities include:

Offering specialist support to service users around their mental health needs through structured assessment and support planning.
Working with all service users to build professional relationships based on empathy and positive regards and dealing with difficult or problematic situations in a sensitive, supportive manner in line with a trauma informed approach and Depaul’s vision, mission and values.
Assessing the safety, welling and support needs of service users and support residential services and key workers to develop and deliver support plans to a high standard.
Establishing effective partnerships with mental health support services, plan and facilitate appropriate supports and interventions to respond and meet support needs in a structured way.
Working on a one to one basis with service users to support them to have increased agency and choice in the management of their mental health needs.
Referring to support service users to access relevant external services and promoting maximum service user agency and involvement in developing support planning and interventions with external agencies.
Accompanying service users to appointments when necessary; this may include day services, hospitals, prison courts etc.
Developing and maintaining ongoing professional relationships with a variety of mental health services as well as wider support services such as specialist medical, addiction and city or county councils.
Advocating for psychological / psychiatric assessments where appropriate and in the interest of the service user.
Providing practical and emotional support for people as they move through and between services e.g. when first referred, when moving from assertive outreach to scheduled care and when admitted to or leaving hospital/prison.
Providing graded support to people graduating to mainstream care from specialist homeless services, being available during the transition period to advise and orient both the individual themselves and the staff of the destination service.
Promoting good mental health and wellness for service users and staff.
Working with volunteers to facilitate therapeutic time and activities for service users in the hostels and to promote wellness activities and trauma informed environments.
Engaging and working proactively with service users who have dual diagnosis issues and promoting an “open door” policy with external agencies in relation to dual diagnosis.
Ensuring accurate and clear records are maintained in line with Depaul’s policies and procedures, GDPR guidance and with a view to facilitating programme evaluation.
Ensuring all quality assurance policies and procedures are adhered to.
Collating and providing monthly and annual monitoring information as required.

As with all Mental Health Case Worker roles, this

RIGHT SUPPORT: RIGHT TIME

project role also includes:

Designing and delivering small group work training and information sessions on a range of relevant topics
Assisting with the marketing and promotion of RIGHT SUPPORT: RIGHT TIME and utilise a range of platforms to ensure accessibility and equity of access to the service, including drop-in clinics, live web chats, e-mail and phone referrals.
Managing caseloads and prioritising workload as required.
Providing information and signposting to family members and carers.
Liaising, maintaining and developing positive working relationships with relevant professionals.
Developing and maintaining collegiate working relationships with other RIGHT SUPPORT: RIGHT TIME colleagues and partner organisations.
Maintaining timely and accurate case notes, providing formal and informal written and verbal reports on clients and casework as required.
Working alongside the RIGHT SUPPROT: RIGHT TIME Co-ordinator in ensuring timely and accurate reporting and record keeping.
Delivering training to clients and service users as required.
Facilitating and Participating in team meetings.
Assisting in the collation of client evaluation feedback as required.

4. Person Specification

Mental Health Case Worker roles require the following qualifications, experience, knowledge and personal skills:

A qualification in nursing, social work or other related areas would be desirable.
A minimum of 2 years’ experience working in homeless sector or another related field, with people requiring mental health support.
Full valid driver’s license and access to the use of a car as the role requires a degree flexibility for travel between Co. Donegal and Co. Sligo.
Experience responding to crisis, knowledge of appropriate actions, and the use of initiative to support others through trauma-informed principles and a person –centered approach.
Experience working with relevant models of intervention applied in working with people experiencing homelessness.
Experience working with an organisation’s policies and procedures and familiarity with using these guidelines.
The ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
The ability to work independently and as part of a team.
An ability to liaise effectively with other service providers and represent the organisation externally.
Good computer skills, including experience using client management software and cloud applications.
An ability to work flexible hours when required.
An understanding of why people become homeless and the issues they experience, particularly in relation to people requiring mental health support.
An understanding of relevant models of interventions that can be applied when working with people experiencing homelessness.
An understanding of the statutory and voluntary sector resources available to homeless people.
An understanding of the importance of an organisation’s policies and procedures.
A commitment to and an understanding of equal opportunities and diversity.
Respect for the Vision, Mission, and Values of the organisation (e.g., Depaul)

**RIGHT SUPPORT: RIGHT TIME

Objective:

Promote positive mental wellbeing, increase resilience, and prevent mental and emotional distress in people, families, and communities.

Partnership:

Delivered by a unique collaboration of voluntary organisations from both sides of the border, including Inspire, Mencap, Cedar, Apex, Respond, ARC, Depaul, Red Cross, and SCI, with 430 years of combined experience.

Target Beneficiaries:

People in Northern Ireland and Border counties of Ireland, focusing on underserved communities such as those in areas of multiple deprivation, people with disabilities, and refugees.

Goals:

Promote help-seeking behaviors
Create connected, healthier communities
Reduce emotional distress
Develop a person-centered, trauma-informed mental health service

Three Elements of Support:

Prevention, Self-Help, and Self-Management: Psycho-social group support sessions, Digital mental health interventions, Mindfulness and Stress Reduction sessions
Extended Brief and Specialist Interventions: Solution-focused intervention, Mental Health Recovery programs, Advocacy Support, Counselling, and CBT
Cooperation and Capacity Building: Single Point of Referral, Single Client Management System, Shared community of practice

Staff Development:

Access to personal and professional development opportunities, training, knowledge exchanges, and reflective practice.

Support:

Funded through PEACEPLUS, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

Why Work for Us?

Depaul is a cross border charity supporting some of the most marginalised individuals, couples and families experiencing homelessness. Our mission is to end homelessness and change the lives of those affected by it. Would you like to help us to meet our mission?

We are a values led organisation and aim, at all times, to live and breathe these values in our everyday work. Our values are based on four key principles:

We celebrate the potential of people
We put our words into action
We aim to take a wider role in civil society
We believe in rights and responsibilities

If you choose to work for Depaul we offer:

Our Benefits Annual Leave

Up to 3 years' service: 25 days per year
3 years' up to 5 years' service: 27 days per year
Over 5 years' service: 30 working days per year (Exclusive of bank and statutory holidays)

Pension - Matched by the employer

Health Assistance

Each staff member gets access to a health cash plan so you can claim money back, up to set limits, on a number of treatments. this includes dental, optical, acupuncture and many more. Your children under 16 are also included on the plan.

Life Assurance

Four times salary

Maternity /Adoptive Leave

18 weeks’ full pay

Paternity Leave

2 weeks’ full pay

Sick Leave

Entitlement to sick pay starting from day 1 with level of entitlement increasing with length of service (subject to policy terms)

Employee Assistance Program

EAP is a confidential counselling service that provides support to company employees and their family. It is available 24/7, 365 days a year covering; Counselling, legal advice, financial information, career guidance, life coaching, mediation, health information, cancer support, autism support, infertility and pregnancy loss, elder care support, parent coaching and international employee support.

Learning and Development

Depaul’s Vision, Mission and Values course, this involves travel to meet the Depaul International family.
Emerging Leaders, supporting workers that would like to develop their leadership skills and to progress to a management role.
Online learning resources within Depaul’s award nominated online learning platform, Moodle.
Mandatory training including, MAPA, Health and Safety, Child Protection, Fire Safety, and First Aid

Hybrid/Flexible Working

DePaul support and embrace Flexible Working, including hybrid working and working from home, in line with the DePaul Working Policy (where appropriate and subject to role requirements and location)

Case/Social Work jobs in Sligo

Mental Health Case Worker - Donegal/Sligo