Job: Mental Health Practitioner

Job description:

Here at 42nd Street, Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) work at the heart of our service, delivering our vision of inclusive, trauma-informed and accessible mental health and wellbeing support for young people across Greater Manchester.

We are recruiting for two roles within our wider Mental Health Practitioner team:

• 6-month Maternity Cover (MHP)
• 1-year Fixed-Term Contract (MHP) – range of hours available between 3–5 days per week

We welcome applicants from a variety of professional backgrounds, including youth work, social work, counselling, psychotherapy, mental health work, and other related fields.
We are also keen to hear from practitioners with experience delivering online, text-based or digital therapeutic support and can provide additional training as needed.

At 42nd Street, we offer young people aged 11/13–25 a choice of effective, creative, rights-based approaches. We deliver one-to-one support, short- and longer-term therapeutic work, group work, advocacy, and opportunities for participation. Your role will be shaped by the needs of young people and your professional background, with opportunities to work across both psycho-social and therapeutic pathways.

We celebrate our diverse team and inclusive workplace, reflective of our service users. With a strong people-centred culture, we prioritise wellbeing, work-life balance, learning, and professional development.

Apply if you can offer:

• A young person-centred approach to mental health support, drawing on your training and professional background.
• Experience delivering individual support, counselling, therapy, or psycho-social interventions to young people experiencing stress or mental health difficulties.
• Ability to conduct holistic assessments, including risk assessments and crisis planning.
• A commitment to inclusive, anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring services are accessible for Black, LGBTQ+ and other minoritised young people.
• Confidence in delivering support face-to-face and/or online (text-based experience desirable but not essential).
• Excellent safeguarding practice, accountability, and high-quality record keeping.
• Transferable skills from backgrounds such as Youth Work, Social Work, Teaching, Counselling/Therapy, Mental Health Services, Community Work, etc.
• Willingness to work across Greater Manchester in community settings, with some evening and occasional weekend work depending on the needs of young people.

What We Offer:

• Supportive, people-focused leaders, developmental line managers and a strong, values-driven team.
• Annual personal training budget (after completion of probation) supporting your professional development, with potential pathways into further therapeutic training.
• Real Living Wage Foundation accredited employer.
• Flexible working options and hybrid arrangements where appropriate.
• 27 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays (pro rata), rising to 30 days after 5 years.
• 3% employer pension contribution.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Internal training calendar shaped by staff needs.
• Four paid wellbeing afternoons per year.
• Opportunities to contribute to service development, co-produce projects with young people and shape best practice.

About the Role

As a Mental Health Practitioner, you will:

• Deliver initial meetings and holistic assessments, including risk.
• Offer short, medium or long-term individual support, therapy, or counselling, depending on assessed need and the service pathway.
• Provide support to young people with a wide range of mental health, emotional wellbeing and social challenges, including those with experience of crisis, distress, self-harm or suicidal feelings.
• Participate in and/or co-deliver group work, drop-ins or workshops.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to continue developing an accessible and appropriate service.
• Ensure equitable access for Black, LGBTQ+ and other minoritised young people.
• Liaise with schools, colleges, CAMHS/AMHS, GPs, community organisations and families/carers as appropriate.
• Travel across Greater Manchester to provide support in community locations, with some lone working supported by our duty system.
• Maintain excellent standards of practice, safeguarding, confidentiality and information governance.
• Engage in supervision, reflective practice and continuous professional development.

Registration with or willingness to work towards registration with a relevant professional body (e.g. BACP, UKCP, BABCP, NCS) is encouraged for therapeutic applicants.

For more information:

• If you would like to discuss the role in more detail, please contact: Chris.Jacob@42ndstreet.org.uk
• If you have questions regarding the working structure, hours, or recruitment process, please contact: recruitment@42ndstreet.org.uk

Job types: Full-time or part-time (fixed term)

Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract