Community Engagement Practitioner - Enfield VCS - Chase Farm

We are Hestia. 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 Practitioner to play a pivotal role in our Enfield VCS in Enfield.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

In this role, the individual will work as part of a multidisciplinary NHS team—alongside clinicians, social workers, and community partners—to support adults with moderate to severe mental illness. They will hold a caseload of service users, acting as a key point of contact and contributing to care planning, progress monitoring, and discharge support, using the RiO clinical records system. Working collaboratively with service users, they will co-develop person-centred recovery plans that prioritise social goals and community integration. Building strong therapeutic relationships using trauma-informed and strength-based approaches, they will support individuals in achieving personal recovery goals. The role includes helping service users access local resources, attend appointments, and engage in wellbeing activities, peer support, and psychoeducational groups. The individual will promote recovery-focused, jargon-free communication, advocate for co-production and integrated care, and liaise with both statutory and voluntary sector organisations to support effective service navigation. They will attend clinical meetings and community events, representing both Hestia and the Community Mental Health Team, while maintaining accurate, timely documentation of all support activities and risk assessments. Safe and ethical practice is essential, including adherence to safeguarding protocols, health and safety procedures, and quality standards. Ongoing supervision, training, clinical oversight, and participation in annual appraisals will also form part of this role.

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.

Here's what the team will be looking for

The ideal candidate will have an NVQ Level 4 in Care (or equivalent) or at least two years' experience working in a mental health setting. They will demonstrate a strong understanding of mental health issues, recovery principles, and co-production, along with experience collaborating with professionals, services, and community partners. The candidate should have knowledge of care planning, risk assessment, recovery tools, and relevant legislation such as the Mental Health Act. Excellent communication, relationship-building, and group facilitation skills are essential, as is the ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment. Proficiency in IT systems, including electronic case management tools, is required. The candidate must be resilient, adaptable, and able to maintain clear professional boundaries, with a strong commitment to person-centred, trauma-informed practice. Desirable qualities include lived experience of mental illness or use of secondary care services, peer support training, knowledge of local community resources, and skills in training, mentoring, report writing, presenting, or speaking additional languages.

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.