Support Practitioner Mental Health

**Location**: Bootle

**Salary**: £27,924.41 per annum

**Hours**: 37.5 hours per week over a rota of early, late and mid, including bank holidays and weekends.

**Job Type**: Support Practitioner - Nightingale House

**Shortlisting**:29th December 2025

**interview**:5th January 2026

**This post is only available to male applicants as an Occupational Requirement and permitted under the Equality Act 2010**

**Why this role would be great for you**

We are seeking a compassionate and motivated Support Practitioner to support residents in Nightingale House. Nightingale House is a 25 bed residential service to support those who have been discharged from hospital after being hospitalised due to a mental health deterioration. The post holder will hold a caseload of service users at Nightingale House and also support 1-2 service users at Whitman House (which is next door). Whitman House is a step down service and move on option for those at Nightingale.

The Support Practitioner will be expected to hold weekly keywork sessions with the people they support with a focus on resettlement as Nightingale House is a 6 month service. Furthermore the post holder will lead on groups in service and have confidence in this field. Finally they will complete risk assessments, support plans, case notes, and have an understanding of safeguarding protocol.

All Support Practitioners will undergo Cognitive Analytic Therapy Skills Training (CAT) this will provide a framework for understanding and working with the people we support. Training will also be provided around other aspects of the role. This approach will be used for planning and assessing effectiveness of a variety of interventions and risk management.

Our service is built on the SHREK values and dedicates itself to a person-centred approach.

This role is only open to male applicants.

**What your week may look like**

Support Practitioners will be skilled in delivering a range of interventions to support our service users to build strength, enhance resilience and encourage progress. The post holder will be responsible for providing key work support to a caseload and will have the primary role of providing and co-coordinating support interventions and multi-agency activity.

- Working as part of the daytime Support Team

- Ensuring each person will receive personalised support considering their identified risks and personal needs

- Engaging with professionals and other providers to provide a safe space to complete support sessions.

- Providing a safe, welcoming environment with excellent standards and an ethos of service delivery that encourages all service users to engage with support on offer

- To respond to emergency referrals and/or situations.

**What can we offer you**

Working with YMCA Together comes will a whole host of benefits. We hope that people will find deep personal fulfilment and purpose by working with alongside people in our services. Our teams are compassionate and supportive, fostering a strong sense of community. With opportunities for professional growth, YMCA together offers training to support your role and personal development.

**The skills we are looking for**

EXPERIENCE

- Experience of working with individuals with a history of mental health, homelessness or substance misuse.

- Experience of Adult Safeguarding

- Experience of partnership working

- Experience of creative support planning and goal setting

- Experience of formulating risk assessments

- Experience of resettling individuals into independent accommodation

- Experience of working with multi-agencies

KNOWLEDGE

- A working knowledge of providing support

- A working knowledge of mental health diagnosis’

- A clear understanding of complex needs support issues such as mental health, homelessness, substance misuse and offending

- Knowledge of safeguarding protocols

- Understanding of how to deal with challenging and chaotic individuals

- Excellent communication, engagement and interpersonal skills

- Excellent administration skills

EMPATHY and RESPECT

- YMCA ethos, philosophy and SHREK values, Strength, Humility, Respect, Empathy and Kindness

- Energetic, dynamic and self-motivated

COMMITMENT

- Committed to improving the lives of people with complex needs

- Committed to own personal development

ORGANISATION

- Creative and dynamic approach with the ability to “think outside of the box” when providing solutions

- Energetic, highly motivated with a reputation of being held in high regard by peers

- Excellent interpersonal/ communication skills

- Excellent negotiation/ mediation skills

- Committed to own career development

COMPUTER LITERACY

- Computer literate, competent in working with Microsoft word, outlook, windows

**What is a nice to have**

- Experience of working within a psychologically informed environment (PIE)

- Experience of Trauma Informed Care and of working in a therapeutic environment

- Knowledge and understanding of the mental health act