Information for candidates
Helpline Advisor (Part time)
About Beat
Beat is the UK’s eating disorder charity, existing to provide hope and improve life for anyone affected by an eating disorder.
Our vision is a society where fewer people suffer eating disorders, where people with eating disorders experience care and understanding, and where they can quickly access treatment that supports a rapid and sustained recovery.
By 2021, we will have made dramatic progress towards that vision. We want Beat to be the undisputed ‘Go-To’ organisation on eating disorders as a result of our high quality services that provide information, empathy and empowerment to tens if not hundreds of thousands of the people affected by eating disorders, and our successful campaigns to tackle the challenges and obstacles they face.
We have therefore adopted a new five-year strategy that focuses rigorously on identifying and pursing the actions that have the greatest impact and provide the greatest value for our stakeholders as we help, engage and inform as many people as possible.
Our intention is that our advocacy for improved national policy and local practice will be ensuring that the NHS provides faster and better treatment and that government funds high quality data collection and research. Stigma and stereotyping, notably in the media, the workplace and in education, will have been replaced by understanding and support. And our expanded helpline and online services will be the first port of call for everyone affected by an eating disorder, at the times and via the channels that work best for them, as a result of which we will increase ten-fold the number of people directly helped by our services.
To achieve our vision we will:
- Become a campaigning organisation: using the authority of our service delivery to raise the profile and tell the stories of eating disorders, influencing those in power to prioritise innovation, funding and research
- Drive change and improve understanding in society: providing information, guidance and education so that the stereotyping and stigma experienced by people with eating disorders at school, university or work is replaced by support and understanding
- Expand our service delivery: publicising our online and telephone advice and support service to everyone who needs it, and ensuring we have sufficient staff and resources to respond to the resulting demand.
- Use Beat’s convening power: bringing together eating disorders experts - clinicians, campaigners, sufferers and carers – to steer our own campaigning, service delivery and innovation, and using our position as the largest eating disorder charity to support and amplify the work of the smaller, local or specialist charities.
- Open a new national base in London and establish a network of regional representation.
- Invest in sustainable growth: using recently received legacies to invest in sustainable future income growth, measuring and demonstrating our impact, telling our stories, recruiting supporters and building a high quality fundraising function.
In achieving this, we will be communicating and engaging in a wide variety of ways with people affected by or who care about eating disorders. We will be at the leading edge of using technology to deliver our goals. Our success will be based upon the drive, enthusiasm and skills of high-performing, well-trained people supported by a cohesive and empowering management team.
About Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are a range of conditions that can affect someone physically, psychologically and socially. They are serious mental illnesses and include anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. Over 1.25 million men and women in the UK are affected by eating disorders.
Although serious, eating disorders are treatable conditions and full recovery is possible. The sooner someone gets the treatment they need, the more likely they are to make a full recovery.
Anyone can develop an eating disorder, regardless of their age, sex or cultural background. Young women are most likely to develop an eating disorder, particularly those aged 12 to 20, but older women and men of all ages can also have an eating disorder. Children as young as seven can develop anorexia and there is a greater proportion of boys in this younger age group.
Eating disorders are complex and there is no one single reason why someone develops an eating disorder. A whole range of different factors combine such as genetic, psychological, environmental, social and biological influences. A number of risk factors need to combine to increase the likelihood that any one person develops the condition.
We don’t know everything about what causes an eating disorder yet or what treatments will work for everyone but we do know there are effective treatments available. There is world class research going on - much of it in the UK and involving collaborations with centres of excellence across the globe. The latest research is showing us that they are much more biologically based than was previously thought.
Eating disorders are complex and not everyone will experience the same symptoms. People will respond differently to treatment and can take different amounts of time to recover. Some people can be affected by more than one type of eating disorder or find their symptoms changing type as they recover.
Beat’s offices
Beat main office (and business address) is in Norwich. We have a Helpline and Support Services Centre in Warrington as well as small offices in London and Edinburgh. A small number of colleagues are based elsewhere in the UK, working from home.
About the post
The advertised role is part time at 26 hours per week and based on Birchwood Park Warrington.
The working days will be:
Monday- OFF
Tuesday- 3-10
Wednesday- 3-10
Thursday- OFF
Friday- 3-10
Saturday- 3-10
Sunday- OFF
How to apply
Full information about this role including application forms are at
Completed application forms should be uploaded to the website by 10am on Friday 4th May All applications must be on the Beat application form. CVs will not be considered.
Shortlisted candidates will be informed by close of business on Friday 4th May 2018. If you have not heard from us by this date, please assume that your application has not been successful.
Interviews will take place on Monday 14th May 2018.
February 20181