Working at Connections Group Exeter

Connections Group Exeter enables people with severe and enduring mental health conditions to access community facilities for leisure and social reasons. Our aim is to reduce loneliness and social isolation and increase confidence and independence.

Membership is open to anyone who has been referred by a GP, mental health professional or social worker, living within easy travelling distance of Exeter. Members who live outside Exeter will be given their assessment interview near their home. We will try to provide some events near that person’s home.

Members must be able to take some responsibility for themselves as they must be able to meet up at the meeting point, somewhere in Exeter at a set time, and use public transport. New members can arrange to meet the Facilitator a few minutes before the official meeting time if they would find that less daunting. Members cannot have anyone who is not a member accompanying them on events, eg a support worker.

Once the new member has been assessed, they will receive a monthly newsletter, giving details of the forthcoming events. They are free to choose how many events they wish to attend, if any.  We usually have 7 events per month.

Connections is managed by a Board of Trustees. At the present time all the trustees are service users. You will play an important role in managing Connections.

For the first 3 months you will work alongside our current postholder, Ben Warren, who set up Connections 24 years ago. He will provide all the training you need to perform your duties and understand Connections.