Mental Health Advisor (Staff & Student Training)

The post-holder will be the lead for Mental Health Training across the University, developing, delivering and evaluating Mental Health Training for staff and students as part of delivering against the commitments set out in our Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The post-holder will be a core member of the Mental Health Advice team, with delivering services to students by providing individual interventions and maintaining a caseload. This is a dual role combining Mental Health Trainer and Mental Health Advisor to ensure that the post holder has a working understanding of mental health need and support structures within the University to inform and give credibility to their training content and delivery.

Mental Health Training role (70%): the post holder will be responsible for initiating, overseeing and evaluating mental health training and the development of engagement initiatives to ensure that they are sector leading and deliver the required impact. They will then develop and deliver a comprehensive package of staff and student mental health training provision across the University.

Mental health staff and student engagement contributes to our wider University Strategy goals to:

• develop colleagues at every level to ensure that staff are supported to realise their potential and understand their contribution to the University’s goals;

• promote the well-being of all of our workforce.

Mental Health Advisor role (30%): Mental Health Advisors play a key role in the context of the increasing incidence of mental health issues amongst students, the increasing numbers of students pre-disclosing mental health disabilities and the complexity of managing mental health risk across the University. Mental Health Advisors work closely with colleagues in Disability Support, Colleges and our academic departments.

Mental Health Advisors ensure the efficient and effective assessment and support of student mental health needs and risk, linking University and community-based health support. The post holder will provide guidance and advice to students to ensure that they obtain the appropriate treatment, support and, where applicable, the necessary reasonable adjustments. The role requires participation in multidisciplinary support meetings. The post holder will undertake assessment of students’ fitness to study where there is a concern regarding their mental wellbeing, which may include fitness to participate in offsite activities. Mental Health Advisors also offer consultative services to all members of University staff.

• Recognised practitioner and mental health specialist with professional qualification as a Registered Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker or equivalent and significant relevant mental health experience with young adults

• Implement changes to the design and development of service processes, protocols and materials for varied service projects
• Provide specialist expertise and support, conducting mental health assessments, offering short-term psychological support and consulting with University colleagues and external mental health services, to mitigate risk to the individual student, their peers, staff members and the University.
• Contribute to development and review of service processes and policy to ensure a high-quality, evidence-based service for staff and students.
• Collect and evaluate staff and student training feedback to help define needs and requirements and the design and planning of initiatives.
• Internal and external relationship development and partnership working, networking and participation to improve future services and the University reputation.
• Identify, design and deliver a comprehensive mental health training offer for staff and students to meet learning objectives and outcomes.
• Deliver training, teaching and/or development delivery for stakeholders.
• Maintain an awareness of current mental health policy, legislation and best practice and its relevance to University business goals such as widening participation and access, providing advice using this specialist knowledge.
• Contribute to and lead mental health support meetings under the Mental Health Policy, working groups and sub-committees at departmental and operational service levels

• Within staff and student training role;
  • Work with a range of internal stakeholders to design and evaluate mental health training to support the implementation of the University Health & Wellbeing Strategy.
  • Be responsible for delivering and coordinating delivery of the mental health training offered to students and staff, including the promotion and marketing of training programmes across the University.
• Autonomously deliver a professional student-focussed mental health advisory service;
  • Manage a caseload of students referred from multiple internal and external sources, offering short-term intervention where appropriate
  • Support students with their referral into and discharge from NHS services;
  • Maintain accurate and timely records of support and ongoing actions on the University record system, ensuring that all records comply with data protection legislation;
  • Assist in the coordination of a University-wide response to a crisis situation;
  • Consult with colleagues in Disability Support with respect to identifying reasonable adjustments consistent with disability legislation.
• Conduct all work within relevant legislation, professional codes of conduct, and University policies and procedures.
• Plan, implement and monitor continuous service improvements to enhance service protocols and delivery, and provide reports to Service Heads.
• Network and collaborate with external and internal stakeholders to gather feedback, identify best practice and ensure excellence in service provision, to improve the care pathways for students with mental health needs.
• Contribute to the development of operational and strategic plans and service level agreements.
• Communicate with internal and external stakeholders using appropriate media and methods.
• Contribute to the delivery of activities that generate external income.
• Contribute to development of Mental Health Advice and Mental Health Training service activities to ensure an excellent staff and student experience.
• Manage and monitor Mental Health Training performance and provide data and reports to Service Heads, making recommendations as appropriate.
• Network and engage with communities of mental health practice and partnership both internally and externally.
• Produce and analyse service data to identify successful delivery and areas for future improvement.
• Develop, review and optimise training service protocols and packages.
• Deliver support as part of the Wider Student Experience and Health & Wellbeing Strategy.
• Any other reasonable duties.

The normal working hours of the Mental Health Advisor team are 8.00am to 5.00pm

The maximum working day is seven hours with a one hour break.

The post-holder may be required to work one evening per week in term-time. The evening of work can be negotiated with the Senior Mental Health Advisor.