Community Chaplain (SE London Suicide Bereavement Service)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for the appointment of a Community Chaplain in the award-winning Suicide Bereavement Service, delivered by SLaM together with local Mind partners. The service offers a community resource with open access to all people of all ages bereaved by suicide. The team provides direct support and signposting, with the aim of reducing the risk of further deaths by suicide in this vulnerable group., To provide pastoral, spiritual and emotional care to people of all ages who have been bereaved by suicide, helping them to cope and minimising their risk of serious mental health problems or suicide attempts. You will manage your own caseload of service users. This care will also include providing practical support, signposting and facilitating group support, as well as employing knowledge of grief and trauma to help guide people in understanding and managing their responses to loss.

We are seeking an experienced Chaplain who can work flexibly and compassionately to deliver effective pastoral care within a community setting to those bereaved by suicide. You will have substantial pastoral experience and teamworking skills.

You must be open to the needs of people of all faiths and none. You will need to be able to work with sensitivity, respect other team members, and be open to learning. The role is demanding, so you will need to be emotionally intelligent and able to work creatively within clear professional guidelines to manage difficult situations whilst being a reflective practitioner. You will need to be able to travel throughout South East London and be available for occasional evening and weekend working.

The South East London Suicide Bereavement Service is a partnership service where the NHS and voluntary sector work hand-in-hand. We are proud to have received national recognition this year, winning a Gold award at the HSJ Partnership Awards in March and being shortlisted for Frontline Team of the Year at the upcoming Third Sector Awards.

We aspire to provide every service user with bespoke support, for them to feel listened to and treated like with care and compassion. It is important to reflect on the impact that this challenging work has on us, as well as how our own experiences and views may shape our reactions.

Staff come from a range of professional and personal backgrounds, and work closely together to provide a cohesive service. We work hard and have busy schedules, but always make time for getting together as a team. In our weekly in-person meetings, we aim to build a culture of authenticity, openness, and looking after our own and each other's wellbeing. We want every team member to feel safe to be fully themselves when they come to work.

Our office base is at the Bethlem Royal Hospital. Staff work from the office, from home, and out in the community.