Community Engagement Practitioner (London)

We areHestia. We make a difference.

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Community Engagement Officer to play a pivotal role in our Haringey HVCS Service .

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

This role involves working within a multidisciplinary NHS team to support adults with moderate to severe mental illness by holding a caseload of service users and serving as their key contact throughout care planning, progress monitoring, and discharge, using the RiO system. The post-holder collaborates with individuals to develop person-centred recovery plans focused on social goals and community integration, building therapeutic relationships through trauma-informed, strength-based approaches. They support access to local resources, appointments, wellbeing activities, and peer or psychoeducational groups, while promoting recovery-focused, jargon-free communication and advocating for co-production and integrated care. Liaising with statutory and voluntary organisations ensures smooth service navigation and warm handovers, while active participation in clinical meetings and community events helps represent both Hestia and the Community Mental Health Team. The role also requires accurate documentation of all support activity, adherence to safeguarding and health and safety procedures, and engagement in supervision, training, and continuous professional development.

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

The ideal candidate will hold an NVQ Level 4 in Care or possess at least two years' experience working in a mental health setting, with a strong understanding of mental health issues, recovery principles, and co-production. They will have a solid grasp of care planning, risk assessment, recovery tools, and relevant legislation such as the Mental Health Act. The role requires excellent communication and relationship-building skills, alongside the ability to facilitate groups effectively. Candidates must be confident using IT systems, including electronic case management tools, and be able to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment. A commitment to person-centred, trauma-informed practice is essential, as is resilience, adaptability, and the ability to maintain professional boundaries. Desirable attributes include lived experience of mental illness or secondary care services, peer support training, familiarity with local resources, and skills in training, mentoring, report writing, presentations, or multilingual communication.

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.