Apprentice Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner

The essential criteria for the Apprentice PWP role is Level 2 English and Maths (GCSE certificates or equivalent; at C grade/level 4 or above) and evidence of study at level 5.

Please consider the Person Specification when applying for the role.

If you have an undergraduate degree or evidence of previous successful study at Regulated Qualifications Framework Level 6 you will not be eligible for an Apprentice PWP role but may be able to apply for our Trainee PWP role.

At least 1 year paid or volunteer work in a mental health setting in a role directly supporting the mental health of others is required.

We’d love to see clear examples of how your skills can be transferred to the specific duties of a PWP.

Experience can be paid or voluntary, however needs to demonstrate direct contact with individuals with mental health difficulties and supporting them.

While personally dealing with mental health struggles or supporting close family or friends with their mental health is invaluable, we do still require work experience in either a professional or volunteer capacity due to the different skills required. Please ensure to strike a suitable balance if you are going to use personal experience in your application.

Examples of suitable experience could include working on a mental health unit, volunteering for a mental health support line such as Samaritans or SHOUT, or a mental health support worker.

If your experience is primarily with children, you can still be successful but please try to explain your transferrable skills to working with adults.

As part of your application, you will be asked to submit a personal statement which is your opportunity to tell us more about your transferrable skills and experience.

Please make sure you have included in your personal statement the reason why you want to be a PWP and your understanding of the role and of NHS Talking Therapies.

Personal statements should show:

• Someone clearly demonstrating WHY they want to be a PWP and their understanding of the role and the model we adhere to.
• We would be looking for relevant experience with clear examples given of how those skills transfer into the PWP role.
• What other skills you can bring to the role.
• What skills you can demonstrate to support managing a demanding role alongside university.

To thrive in this demanding program, we seek a highly resilient candidate. The course is intensive, requiring exceptional time management and self-care skills.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the ability to handle pressure effectively while prioritising their well-being. Additionally, strong interpersonal skills are crucial for building rapport with a diverse client base.

We advertise Apprentice PWP roles twice per year and adverts usually go out May/June time for Autumn cohorts and November/December time for Spring cohorts. We occasionally have start dates in January and these roles would be advertised around August time.

We advertise directly on our website and send through to NHS jobs and Indeed.

Because of the extremely high application rate the advert is only open for a short time when we advertise for Apprentice PWPs. We would recommend you create a Vita Health Group Careers Account ready with all your details on so you can create notifications when these roles come up and you have all your details inputted already to submit an application.

The recruitment process differs for each of our service areas but typically the process will include an interview with representatives from Vita Health Group and a representative from the university. There is usually a combination of competence, experience and academic questions along with a role play scenario.

If you are successful at interview, you will then begin our onboarding process which involves a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check, right to work in the UK check, references, proof of qualifications and an internet broadband speed check. After successfully onboarding, we will provide you with all the essential equipment you need for your new role.

A typical working week is one day at university, one study day, and three days within service. On your service days, you will be supported in providing high volume low intensity interventions for mild to moderate anxiety and depression. University days will be hybrid training with a combination of remote and face-to-face teaching. Whilst your clinical practice is likely to include some remote working, you will be expected to attend one of the service area offices for part of the week.

The Apprentice PWP training is usually 15-18 months long. In addition to the training and assessments at the university, you will also need to complete an End Point Assessment (EPA) conducted by a third party to assess core practical competencies. Successful completion of all these elements will enable you to work as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP).

As well as meeting the essential criteria for the role, you must ensure that the following criteria from NHS England are met:

• Applicants who have completed an NHS-funded psychological professions training programme within the last two years are not eligible to apply. Please also be aware, following completion of the course, the 2 year rule will also apply to other courses. For more information or for a list of courses this applies to, please see the following link:
  https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/mental-health/psychological-professions/nhs-funding-psychological-professions-training-programmes
• Only those with the right to work in the UK without restriction and eligible for Home Fee status can be recruited. These rules are set by the UK government and cannot be changed by individual universities or the NHS.

We have outlined some resources which you may find helpful for your application:

Talking Therapies manual https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/the-improving-access-to-psychological-therapies-manual/

https://skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0568-v2-0

Should you have any specific questions about how to become a PWP you can have a look at the following website for further information:

https://www.bps.org.uk/psychological-wellbeing-practitioner-job-profile

If you have any questions that haven’t been answered then please contact us at [email protected]