mental health advisor candidate pack

MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORCANDIDATE PACKOCTOBER 2021

CONTENTS

OUR MISSION 3

ABOUT THE PLACE 4

OUR VALUES 5

LONDON CONTEMPORARY DANCE SCHOOL 6

STUDENT SUPPORT AT LCDS 7

JOB OVERVIEW 8

PURPOSE 9

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 10

PERSON SPECIFICATION 12

SALARY & CONTRACT TERMS 13

STAFF BENEFITS 14

APPLICATIONS & INTERVIEWS 15

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES 16

2CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | CANDIDATE PACK | JUNE 2021

OUR MISSION

Our vision is

A WORLD WITH MORE DANCE

Our mission isPOWERING IMAGINATION THROUGH DANCE

We do this by fostering a learning culture which promotes innovation, and critical thinking; by developing dance opportunities beyond our walls which span a lifetime and by creating experiences through dance that make us more alive.

MENTAL HEALTH ADVISOR | CANDIDATE PACK | OCTOBER 2021 3

ABOUT THE PLACE

The Place, London’s creative powerhouse for dance development, has been leading the way in dance training, creation and performance for over 50 years. In a changing landscape, our mission for the future remains steadfast: we are powering imagination through dance, championing new ideas, embracing risks and creating optimal conditions for dance artists and enthusiasts to realise their full potential.

The Place offers intensive education and training through London Contemporary Dance School; a busy programme of boundary-pushing performances in our theatre supported by innovative audience development activities; an extensive professional artist development programme; a growing producing and touring house; and learning and participation opportunities for all ages and skill levels. The commitment to artistic development underpins a portfolio of residency, workshop, training and commissioning projects for professional artists from the UK and the rest of the world. Our reputation in the field of contemporary dance reaches beyond the borders of the UK.

As a pioneering dance organisation, we are committed to creating exciting dance experiences for everybody, offering a diverse and dynamic theatre programme for audiences, supporting artists and dance makers and giving young people access to the highest quality opportunities to transform their lives with dance.

The Place is involved in the entire lifecycle of dance – from education and training to the creative process that leads to new ideas and conception of new work, through to its creation, production and performance. We do this in pursuit of our vision of a world with more dance.


OUR VALUES


—UNLOCKING POTENTIALWe seek talent and passion in everyone and offer the space and opportunities for them to develop their best work.

—TAKING RISKSBeing bold and confident, trial and error and embracing processes as well as result is what drives our art-form forwards.

—EQUALITYWe champion new paradigms and empower all to own their crafts, opinions and leadership potential.

—ACTIVISMOur work reflects the urgent issues of our time, is relevant and impactful.

—ENTREPRENEURSHIPWe seek opportunities that push boundary of the art-form whilst creating a resilient future for the arts.

LONDON CONTEMPORARY DANCE SCHOOL

London Contemporary Dance School (LCDS) is a world-leader in dance higher education and a key part of The Place - the creative powerhouse for dance in central London. LCDS champions new ideas, embraces artistic innovation and enables extraordinary experiences for dance artists to realise their full potential. The School offers intensive technical and creative dance courses in Higher Education at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. The courses prepare emerging dance artists for a portfolio career in dance and the creative industries and are validated by University of the Arts London.

As part of the organisation’s commitment to Anti-Racism and decolonising the curriculum, the course also aims to provide students with an experience of multiple dance cultures and how they intersect with each other in a globalised society. LCDS seeks to encourage the expression of diverse cultural identities, narratives and experiences through the expanded field of dance.

With a student-centred focus, sustainable dance practice is at the core of the programmes, with a holistic emphasis on student physical and psychological well-being shaped by ground-breaking research. The Place’s unique history as a pioneering dance organisation, combined with an ecology of education, creation, performance, production and touring is without parallel.

LCDS has a vibrant and diverse student body of around 250 undergraduate and postgraduate students. Each student is recognised as an individual and joins a community of makers, leaders, educators, and performers. Our experienced and internationally renowned teachers inspire and encourage students to develop as well-rounded, creative dance artists. Students are afforded opportunities to collaborate with a range of international guest artists and work with organisations such as: Wimbledon College of Arts, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, National Centre for Circus Arts, Sadler’s Wells, Victoria and Albert Museum and Central St Martins.

Based at The Place, students are part of a cultural hub; home to a production house making and touring new work, a 280-seat professional theatre, professional development programmes for artists and classes, courses and participatory opportunities for everyone. This creative and lively environment presents opportunities for collaboration, networking, and growth.

We welcome imaginative, enquiring people from all backgrounds and nationalities who are interested in the endless possibilities of dance. The School has taken steps in recent years to expand access and increase the diversity of its student body. LCDS accepts roughly equal numbers of male and female students on to its programmes, and its students come from all parts of the UK, the EU and the world. It maintains a proud commitment to selecting students solely based on talent and potential, irrespective of background or financial circumstances.


STUDENT SUPPORT AT LCDS

London Contemporary Dance School provides a suite of student support services with the aim of providing a holistic approach to students’ physical and mental health and well-being.

Overseen by the Director of Registry and Student Well-Being and together with the Head of Dance Science, the team is made up of the Learning Support Coordinator, who looks after the area of students with Specific Learning Differences, student counsellors, an Osteopath, Physiotherapist, Sports Massage therapist and a Strength and Conditioning coach who are governed by their independent Professional Bodies and a specialist external psychiatrist.


JOB OVERVIEW

MENTAL HEALTH ADVISOR | CANDIDATE PACK | OCTOBER 20218

—JOB TITLE

Mental Health Advisor

—REPORTS TO

Director of Registry and Well-Being

—WORKING CLOSELY WITH

Well-Being Team and External Specialist Services

—SERVICE DESIGN AND COORDINATION

Working with the Director of Registry and Well-Being Team, the Mental Health Advisor is responsible for the development, implementation, coordination, delivery and evaluation of the triage service to support students at London Contemporary Dance School who may be experiencing a range of difficulties, including well-being and/or mental health difficulties, providing effective liaison between key stakeholders in supporting the student.

—STUDENT SUPPORT AND SIGNPOSTING

Working in conjunction with the Well-Being Team, the role will include offering direct support for students in crisis, including risk assessment and triage, identifying those that require urgent assessment, identifying appropriate intervention within the LCDS Counselling Service and/or supporting access to specialist services such as GP, A&E, Home Based Treatment Teams and Community Mental Health Teams and other relevant services (such as eating disorder, drug, or alcohol services). Provide wellbeing interventions, advice, guidance and support for students experiencing to long-term/enduring and/or complex mental health difficulties to enable them to succeed at university.

—DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS POLICY AND NETWORKS

In collaboration with the Well-Being Team seek to develop existing as well as new partnerships and service provision to enhance and expand the offer to students. Keeping abreast of key policy development within Higher Education the postholder will raise awareness and understanding across LCDS and more widely, The Place about new initiatives including research and good practice which can better support student mental health and well-being.


PURPOSE

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Utilise specialist knowledge to work collaboratively to oversee the day to day and ongoing development of the well-being service, considering the needs of a diverse student population in the context of a rapidly changing Higher Education sector

• Develop, deliver and evaluate support services aimed at enabling study, specifically for students with mental health difficulties at LCDS

• Promote and disseminate information about support and Well-Being and to develop online resources for staff and students. In particular as it relates to advice and support for students with well-being and mental health difficulties through leaflets, posters, student newsletters or Google Classrooms, our Virtual Learning Environment, and website

• Conduct initial assessments of students presenting to the Well-Being service. Formulate comprehensive intervention and identify reasonable adjustments for individual students regarding Well-Being/Mental Health and liaise with the Well-Being team and faculty to ensure their needs are disseminated in a confidential manner

• Establish effective working relationships with faculty and staff to ensure there is effective support for students with emotional and mental health difficulties and co-ordinate support for students experiencing more complex, longer-term mental health conditions

• To together with the Student Counsellors coordinate student referrals, respond to the fluctuating service demands across the academic year to ensure that students are directed to the correct services in a timely fashion. Work with the student support team to review service quality and improve the effectiveness of the support offered to students

• Develop and maintain a good working knowledge of current provision in other higher education institutions and apply relevant aspects of good practice to developments at LCDS taking account of student and staff feedback, changes to policy, strategy or the external environment

• Keep and collate accurate records on all students in accordance with the Data Protection and ensure compliance with the London Contemporary Dance School Well-Being Confidentiality Code

• Support current and incoming students with Disabled Student Allowance applications

• In agreement with the plans of the Well-Being Team, further develop and support links with local GPs and NHS mental health services in order to establish a close working relationship and facilitate referrals to these services. Make appropriate referrals to external agencies (statutory and charitable/third sector) for medium to longer-term mental health and psychotherapeutic support


• Ensure effective communication and reporting with line manager regarding work in progress, implementation of developments and emerging trends or issues. Effectively manage and report on a case load of students who require frequent/on-going mental health support in line with best practice

• Contribute to the development of policies, procedures and good practice in relation to well-being and mental health and work in accordance with and to promote LCDS policies and practices, particularly those related to equality and diversity

• Work in accordance with relevant legal and ethical requirements e.g. Mental Health Act, NICE guidelines, Equality Act, Health and Safety at Work Act and appropriate codes of professional conduct and practice (e.g. NMC, HCPC, BASW, BACP, UKCP, BPS, etc.)

• Respond to Fitness to Study and Support through Studies referrals for students experiencing mental health crises, and/or presenting more complex mental health needs.

• Conduct risk assessments and formulate safety plans with and for students experiencing mental health crisis, including suicidal thoughts and feelings and action the appropriate referrals to external agencies

• Contribute effectively to other Well-Being activities in times of high demand, and cover planned and unplanned absences by prioritising workload and demonstrating flexibility

• Maintain appropriate confidentiality whilst also working in line with all relevant LCDS, CDD and Place policies

• Any other activities as reasonably requested by the Director of Registry and Student Well-Being


PERSON SPECIFICATION


ESSENTIAL DESIRABLE

KNOW

LEDG

E

• Knowledge and understanding of mental health and other relevant legislation (e.g. Mental Health Act 1983, Equality Act 2010, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Human Rights Act 1998) and the range of support available to disabled students in Higher Education

• An understanding of confidentiality and data protection issues (Equality Act and Data Protection Act - GDPR) and the importance of maintaining accurate and detailed records

• Understanding of safeguarding and its application in practice

• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the wide range of mental health presentations including ‘personality disorder’ diagnoses, self-harm and suicidal ideation and intent

• Understanding of physical and mental impact of dance training at Higher Education level

SKIL

LS

• Ability to provide input into the development of service area policy etc. including effective writing of reports and procedures

EXPE

RIEN

CE &

QUA

LIFI

CATI

ONS

• A relevant professional qualification in the field of mental health (e.g., counselling, mental health practitioner, psychology, social work, Occupational Therapist, etc.) preferably in a Higher Education context

• Membership to an appropriate professional body and proven credibility in a professional setting

• Experience of working with, mentoring or supporting individuals with mental health difficulties and ability to implement support requirements within the context of a Higher Education environment

• Experience of crisis management and Risk Assessment in relation to a range of mental health conditions and interpersonal difficulties

• Experience of working in an environment which involves effective time management prioritising deadlines and an ability to work autonomously

• Mental Health First Aid trainer accreditation

• Experience delivering specific interventions (e.g., mindfulness, support for drug and alcohol related or sexual harassment/violence concerns).

• Experience of planning and delivering presentations and creating learning resources for workshop or training contexts

• Evidence of continuing professional development including a qualification in a specialist intervention such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, Coaching, Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy, or equivalent

ATTR

IBUT

ES &

PE

RSON

ALCH

ARAC

TERI

STIC

S

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work well within a team

• Excellent and effective verbal and written communication skills

• Ability to develop positive working relationships and maintain professional boundaries with service-users and to maintain a calm attitude under pressure

SALARY & CONTRACT TERMS—SALARYSalary 0.7 of £36,600 pro-rated to cover a flexible work pattern which will be predominantly term time only.

Salaries are reviewed in August each year when any cost-of-living increases are made. No salary changes are made until after successful completion of a probationary period 6 months’ service.

—CONTRACT TERMSThis is a one-year fixed term contract. Whilst in the six-month probationary period the notice period will be two weeks. Once this period is successfully completed the post holder will be confirmed in post and the notice period will be six weeks. The contract period will be reviewed towards the end of the year.

This role involves working with young or vulnerable people and requires compliance with The Place’s Safeguarding Policies including the requirement for an Enhanced DBS check.

—HOURS OF WORKThis is a part-time position. 0.7 hrs (28 hours) term time only (40 weeks) with some hours worked outside of term time by negotiation to meet fluctuating needs.

The Place’s normal full-time working hours are 8 hours per day inclusive of a one-hour paid lunch break each day. Your hours of work will be agreed with the line manager.

The post requires a flexible approach as there will be evening and weekend work for which time off in lieu will be agreed.

MENTAL HEALTH ADVISOR | CANDIDATE PACK | OCTOBER 202113

STAFF BENEFITS—PENSIONAll employees will be automatically enrolled in our pension scheme after three months service. We offer two contribution levels for both employee and employer, an entry level where you contribute 5% and we contribute 5%, or a higher level in which you contribute 6% and we contribute 9%.

—HOLIDAYFive weeks of the year (pro-rated) will be allocated as holiday time inclusive of public holidays. These will be taken outside term time.


—OTHER BENEFITS§ Interest-free travel cost loan (after 3

months).§ Theatre ticket allowance of up to

£100 per year.§ Free and discounted access to The

Place’s evening classes (subject to availability).

§ Subsidised cafe and bar prices.§ Salary sacrifice scheme for the

purchase of bicycles and related equipment.

§ Subsidised staff yoga/Pilates and staff choir.

APPLICATIONS & INTERVIEWS

—HOW TO APPLYCompleted application forms should be submitted to [email protected]. You can download the application form for this role from our website. We do not accept CVs.

If you would find it more accessible to complete this application in a different format, video applications of up to 5-minutes in length would be welcomed.

The deadline for submissions is: Friday 05 November 2021 at 12:00pm (noon).

For an informal chat about this role to answer any questions you may have, please email Anna Helsby, Student Registry and Well-Being, on [email protected].


—INTERVIEWSWe anticipate that interviews will be conducted between 10-12 November 2021.

mailto:[email protected]


EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The Place is committed to equality and diversity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Disabled candidates and those from ethnically diverse backgrounds who meet the essential criteria for a role will be guaranteed an interview as they are underrepresented in our workforce.

The Place is an equal opportunities employer and has an Equality and Diversity Plan aimed at improving the diversity of its workforce. To ensure the effectiveness if this policy and to assist in its development, we monitor all applications for employment. To this end, and in accordance with our Equal Opportunities Policy, we ask that each applicant completes our Monitoring form, this can be accessed here. Monitoring information is collected and processed securely and separately to applications. If you do not wish to disclose this information, please return a blank monitoring form.

The Place is keen to ensure everyone applying for employment has an equal experience when attending an interview. Should you have any queries about, or wish to make us aware of, any support required to attend an interview or to work at The Place or if you would like this pack in alternative format, please contact Laura Naldrett or Richard Lawrence-Allen in the HR Team who will be happy to arrange this for you by emailing [email protected].

We will respond to all applications within one month of the submission deadline; however, we are unable to offer feedback to those who are not shortlisted for interview.

Thank you for your interest in The Place.


https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=x9UJ9qEuwEyrU4Os1xwfAI-HQAMsFOZCoTzG4wXDXTpUQU9HTERFOTkzRkhBVEpETDBUT0FSRDBQUC4u


—PHOTO CREDITSFront Cover: LCDS Class April 2021. Photo by Camilla GreenwellPage 3: Work by Theo Clinkard 2018 . Photo by Camilla GreenwellPage 4: LCDS Graduation Show 2018 by Rachel Young. Photo by Camilla GreenwellPages 5: Jeannie Steele Work. Photo by Rocio ChaconPage 7: LCDS Graduation Show 2021. Photo by Camilla GreenwellPages 8, 9, 11 , 14 and 16: LCDS Classes April 2021. Photos by Camilla GreenwellPage 13: Startin Point 2018 – Commission Performance. Photo by The Duke LDNPage 15: : London Contemporary Dance School – An Evening of Dance 2019. Photo by Rocio ChaconBack Cover: LCDS Class April 2021. Photo by Camilla Greenwell

mental health advisor candidate pack

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