Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner

The essential criteria for the Trainee PWP role is an undergraduate degree or evidence of previous successful study at Regulated Qualifications Framework Level 6. Occasionally the universities we work with offer an undergraduate route as well as a postgraduate route to gain the PWP PG Certificate. Please consider the Person Specification when applying for the role.

If you have a degree in an unrelated field we will still consider your application however you will need to show you have the relevant experience required.

If you do not have an undergraduate degree or evidence of previous successful study at Regulated Qualifications Framework Level 6 you may be eligible for an Apprentice PWP role.

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

You will need at least two years’ working experience in settings with high exposure to people with mental health difficulties.

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 Trainee 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 Trainee 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. The course is 1 year long and currently full time although we do occasionally offer part time learning. Although it is 1 year, teaching at university is spread out across 3 modules with breaks in between although please be aware these breaks may not align with the standard academic year.

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.