Purpose of the post
•Ensure that the people of Gwynedd are at the heart of everything we do.
•You will work with clients (managing a caseload) who have mental health support needs, to assist them in securing sustainable paid employment in line with their preferences. You will deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach (for which training will be given); providing person centred advice and guidance to clients, whilst building positive relationships with local employers to enable clients to move into suitable employment.
•You will work as part of a community mental health team, maintaining positive and integrated relationships, fostering a holistic approach to recovery through employment.
Responsibility for functions
•Manage a caseload of around 20 clients who have mental health support needs who are motivated to start/return to work.
•Deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach for which training will be given.
•Meet and support clients to understand their key skills, aspirations and goals through completing a Vocational Profile and produce an Action Plan to help them obtain and sustain competitive employment. This includes support with their job search, CV production, application forms, interview techniques and career development.
•Assess client’s support needs related to work which may include benefits/welfare advice, disclosure of mental health symptoms etc, and provide support & guidance.
•Attend weekly clinical team meetings as an embedded IPS practitioner.
•Source job opportunities for clients through tailored job search and regular contact with local employers to explore hidden as well as advertised employment opportunities.
•Provide education and support to employers, as agreed with the individual, which may include negotiating adjustments, return to work strategy and on-going contact with the employer to ensure job retention.
•Build relationships with colleagues in clinical teams to engage and generate referrals and create collaborative working partnerships with clinical staff (promoting employment as a positive intervention in the recovery journey).
•Once employment has been secured continue to provide quality service through conducting regular visits, effective monitoring and in-work support to clients and employers to help sustain employment.
Main duties
•Establish positive and integrated relationships with clinical teams, employers and other service providers. This includes:
•To build and maintain employer relationships and maintain employer engagement database.
•Arrange regular meetings with clients to monitor and review progress pre and post-employment.
•Spend time getting to know local employers, in order to negotiate job opportunities that meet each individual’s strengths, needs, abilities and preferences.
•To challenge inequalities experienced by clients and address existing discrimination, whilst ensuring a process of learning for the organisation
•Work with employers to promote the service, identify job opportunities and ensure appropriate strategies are in place to reduce barriers in the work place – this can include exploring ‘job carving’ i.e. carving small slices of work from the duties other staff do not have time to do.
•To develop effective working relationships with a range of external agencies who can help individuals to achieve their employment goals. This may include local colleges and training providers.
•To adhere to administrative and data capture protocols which record the progress of individuals, and to keep accurate and complete records of casework.
•To work independently, reliably and deliver consistently to deliver effective IPS practice.
•Ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation systems are adhered to and keep abreast of changing practice within vocational rehabilitation.
•To co-produce service development with service users where possible.
•To collect employment recovery stories from people accessing the service.
•Ensure that all relevant policies are implemented such as information governance, safeguarding etc.
•Partake in continuous learning about mental health conditions, their impact and how they can be managed and undertake mandatory training as required.
•Work flexible hours as required
•Responsibility for self-development.
•Ensure compliance with Health and Safety rules in the workplace in accordance with the responsibilities noted in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Council’s Health and Safety Policy.
•Operate within the Council’s policies in relation to equal opportunities and equality.
•Responsible for managing information in accordance with the Council’s information management guidelines. Ensure that personal information is treated in accordance with Data Protection legislation.
•Commitment to reducing the Council’s carbon emissions in accordance with the Carbon Management Plan, and to encourage others to act positively towards reducing the Council’s Carbon Footprint.
•Undertake any other reasonable duty which corresponds to the salary level and responsibility level of the job.
•Responsibility to report any concern or suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused.
Special circumstances
•The post holder is expected to work some evenings and weekends
•The post holder should be in possession of a full driving licence and have access to a private vehicle.