Helpline Support Worker

Job Purpose

This role is within our helpline service, which is a telephone line service running from 11am-11pm, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, for residents of Hounslow over 18. The aim of the service is to de-escalate and support those in or nearing a mental health or social crisis and to support those navigate services within Hounslow.

The telephone line will be staffed with Helpline Support Workers, who will carry out a triage assessment with the caller and provide de-escalation and practical support. They will provide de-escalation and signposting support surrounding various crises including suicide prevention. The Support Workers will work closely with our existing crisis alternative service – Safe Space – to support callers where escalation is required; they will work closely with the onsite team to arrange face to face appointments where needed. They will also work closely with our Mind HFEH day services to signpost into social and psychoeducation services to provide holistic preventative support.

The Role

The role of the Helpline Support Worker is to triage and assess all incoming calls and assist callers with their mental health or social crises. This will consist of 1:1 support; de-escalating and providing intervention during the call, signposting for specialised or longer-term support, and delivering collaborative self-management plans with clients to improve mental wellbeing. The aim of this service is to de-escalate and prevent crises.

The role will consist of two shift patterns to ensure the service is covered: 10:30am-5:30pm and 4:30-11:30pm. This will be on a rota basis across all Support Workers.

You can download a PDF of the job description for this role at the bottom of the page.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing a person centred and recovery orientated approach in all aspects of the roles and responsibilities.
• Promoting people’ rights and responsibilities
• Considering each person as an individual
• Working collaboratively with clients to understand their needs and developing flexible and realistic crisis support packages/person centred plans
• Understanding of safety planning
• Experience with de-escalation, recognising and mitigating risks.
• Experience of working with those in crisis and challenging behaviour
• Listening to clients and encouraging positive steps towards self-management of crisis and recovery
• Understanding safeguarding adults and children processes and legal requirements
• Understanding of social issues such as debt, housing and welfare benefits
• Promoting people’ rights and responsibilities
• Providing advice, information, practical and emotional support to clients
• Proactively recognising the indicators of deteriorating mental health and facilitate appropriate action, whilst liaising with relevant agencies e.g., CATT, Emergency Duty Teams, CAMHS, Safe Space etc
• Engaging with clients to show empathy, inspire hope and promote recovery
• Establishing supportive, empowering and respectful relationships with clients and carers/ family

Person Specification

• Minimum of 1 year working in mental health services and with clients experiencing mental health distress and crisis
• Experience of managing challenging behaviour and dealing with clients with complex needs
• Experience of managing safeguarding risks and understanding legal requirements for safeguarding adults and children