Trainee Advocate

We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values. We draw on the expertise, unique perspectives and lived experience of our people – regardless of who they are or their background – to help us become an inclusive and anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider that reflects the diverse communities we support as a charity.
Rethink Advocacy is an operating arm of Rethink Mental Illness, and works with a much broader and diverse range of people that the rest of the charity, including all those eligible for Health & Social care support. We offer the full range of advocacy services including Mental Capacity Advocacy, Care Act Advocacy, Mental Health Advocacy, NHS Complaints Advocacy and Non-Statutory advocacy – sometimes called Community Advocacy.
Advocacy is having someone by your side, and on your side, when you want to be more involved in decisions about your care, treatment and living arrangements. An advocate can talk through the situation you’re currently in and the options open to you. They can help you decide what you want and then communicate it to people. This is particularly useful if it’s difficult to understand things or to speak up and be heard, when advocates will help determine what the person would want to happen if they were able to tell those making decisions. Advocates take on a person centred approach to all their work, ensuring records reflect all of the support they have provided and correspondence received on behalf of that person being supported.
To find out more about our County Durham Advocacy Service, please click here Rethink North Advocacy Hub
How you will make a difference?
As an unqualified, inexperienced independent single discipline advocate, you will be required to enroll on the Level 4 Independent Advocacy Practice qualification and complete the course within a set timescale, using protected study time to focus on this. You will shadow experienced team members and then be observed providing advocacy to those who are eligible for our services until you are able to pick up a caseload of your own. Although your focus will be on one particular remit of advocacy, you will receive training across the different remits of advocacy, instructed and non-instructed advocacy and safeguarding and be supported to develop a thorough understanding of the role and boundaries of advocacy. The role involves acting on the instruction of the people you support, empowering them to have a say in their situation, to understand their rights and any options open to them and supporting them towards self-advocacy. When providing non-instructed advocacy, you will ensure that the unique preferences and views of the person are taken into consideration in any decisions made by care providers.
Essential skills and experience required:

I am willing to complete the Level 4 Independent Advocacy Practice qualification.
I am committed to completing practice modules e.g. IMHA, IMCA, DoLS, ICAA, or IHCA as required, within agreed timescales.
I can demonstrate that I act within the values and behaviours set out by Rethink Mental Illness and can work within the principles of advocacy, set out on The Advocacy Charter and The Advocacy Code of Practice.
I have transferable skills and / or working or lived experience and the personal values to enable me to develop in the role of an advocate, managing a caseload and communicating directly with the people accessing the service.
I am willing to work towards holding a complex caseload which will include a range of legislation and advocacy remits, ensuring independence and demonstrating clarity of purpose across all areas.

Caring for our people.
We offer a wide range of support. Some of our benefits include:

PULSE – our recognition, rewards, wellbeing, and benefits platform. Providing access to thousands of discounts and benefits including cashback; reloadable cards; savings etc. As well as being able to thank colleagues and nominate them for awards.
Wellbeing support: our Wellbeing hub gives physical, emotional, and mental health support. We also have a BUPA Employee Assistance Programme with access to appointments.
Taking time for you: We have generous annual leave, starting at 25 rising to 30 days, plus bank holidays (some roles may require working on bank holidays) as well as your birthday off. We also offer the opportunity to buy and sell annual leave.
Planning for the future: We have a contributory pension scheme.
Structured Corporate Induction: Onboarding you into the Charity supporting your wellbeing along the way.
£300 when you introduce a Friend: receive up to £300 when you introduce a friend or family member.

Who are we?
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.”
It is an exciting time to join our growing charity. We are on a transformation journey, one that supports the delivery of the organisation strategy – delivering Communities that Care. Supporting employees, managers and leaders through this change is a key priority for the People function. Just like its key that we attract diverse people to come and work for us.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer. We recognise and support staff networks for our Black, Asian and minority ethnic and our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.
Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation
We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider – and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in ouranti-racist statement. We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in ourRace Equality Action Planwhich demonstrate our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.
We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or questioning), Intersex and (asexual) (LGBTQIA+), people with a disability, and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
We do reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
Please see further details on our Website
You can also follow us on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram and LinkedIn to find out more about the work we do!
If you have any questions about the position, please contact –

Our work to achieve this is guided by seven core values:

Commitment
Equity
Expertise
Hope
Openness
Passion
Understanding

To see our full list of vacancies click here!