Suffolk PCN Employment Specialist | East & Central Suffolk
Job Description
Job summary
Would you like an opportunity to help people who have mental health needs find work and help sustain employment? Do you currently work or have experience in health or social care, recruitment, employment, education or work helping others to improve their lives by gaining work? If you have transferable skills to enable people to find and sustain employment, this is an excellent opportunity to join our team of Employment Specialists.
Main duties of the job
Our service requires an Employment Specialist in Suffolk (East, Central and Coastal locations), who is enthusiastic and highly motivated to help people with mental health needs access and sustain in employment. You will be involved in helping people to decide on their employment goals including support with job searching, applications, interview skills and providing support after they have found work with sustaining their employment, where their mental health is a contributing factor.
We are seeking individuals who are person centred and positive in their outlook, have a 'can do' attitude and enjoy the challenges of helping and empowering people to overcome any barriers to finding work. You must have strong communication and influencing skills and confidence in order to build up relationships with all relevant stakeholders including employers and businesses. You will be required to directly engage with a range of stakeholders (e.g. DWP, Job Centre +, voluntary organisations etc.) but especially local employers in order to create opportunities for service users and to challenge stigma and discrimination that can at times be associated with mental health needs and employment. You will also be meeting and working with people and stakeholders in their local community.
About us
EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;
- Season Ticket Loans
- NHS discounts for staff
- Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
- Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
- The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
- Day One Flexible Employer
The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment
Join our Staff bank
What is Staff Bank?
Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.
All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.
If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.
Job responsibilities
The Suffolk IPS (Individual Placement & Support) Employment Service has successfully supported over 500 individuals into meaningful employment, integrated directly into mental health community teams across the county, This new role within the team will see you continuing to champion the employment agenda, as we expand our well established service into the Suffolk Primary Care Network. Instilling the belief that people with mental health needs want to work and with the right support, can work.
You will be at the forefront of this exciting new stage, developing and fostering partnered working with key stakeholders across the Suffolk Primary Care Network.
You will work in partnership with individual service users enabling and empowering individuals through exploring individualised employment goals, liaising with employers, training providers, benefits providers and offering in-work support in accordance with the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment.
You will engage with key stakeholders across the newly established Primary Care Networks, liaising with mental health care professionals to raise awareness of IPS and our service offering, generating referrals for the Suffolk Employment Service.
Supported by the PCN Senior Employment Specialist and the Suffolk Employment Services Team Lead, you will work in partnership with individual service users, developing relationships that are enabling and empowering.
Managing a caseload of people who wish to return to paid work, enabling them to find or sustain employment by liaising with work and training providers, accessing benefits advice and by personally providing ongoing support to service users in job search and after gaining employment, in accordance with the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment.
You will work to individual targets, i.e. the number of people accessing the service, supported into employment, data input requirements.
You will promote best practice within mental health and employment in the Trust and other organisations in the local area.
You will embrace a holistic approach in supporting your clients to achieve their employment goals, striving to empower them in their job search, whilst building and engaging directly with a network of employers to best serve the needs of your clients.
You will display excellent diary management in a combination of working from home, in the community and in the office, to achieve personal targets.
Please note that this role outline serves to provide you with an illustrative example of the duties and responsibilities you may be expected to undertake during the course of your normal duties. It is not an exhaustive list and you will therefore be required to undertake other responsibilities and duties that are considered to be commensurate with the band.
Work in partnership with individual service users to meet their employment and job sustainment needs.
To develop strong links with other agencies such as voluntary, statutory and businesses in the development of work opportunities for service users.
Prepare individuals for employment by assessing each persons individual vocational needs which might typically include identifying strengths, help with benefits, support networks, travel to work plans, etc.
Draw up an agreed vocational action plan with the individual, and provide this to the care co-ordinator and other professionals.
Assist individuals in job search and prepare them to apply for employment / education / training, liaising with colleagues as required e.g. Disability Employment Advisors, Jobcentre Plus, Job Brokers and local colleges.
Accompany service users to interviews if required.
Provide job sustainment interventions to service users at risk of losing their employment, negotiating adjustments to the job role with employers to enable the person to sustain employment.
Contribute to the opportunities for an individuals increased social inclusion by developing partnership working with voluntary sector agencies, and linking with primary care employment and job sustainment initiatives.
To liaise with external agencies including
- Local colleges and education facilities
- Supported employment agencies
- Local and Regional Employment Services
- Jobcentre Plus
- Department for Work and Pensions, Condition Management Programme
- Voluntary Sector organisations
- Social enterprises
To cover for team members working in other areas in exceptional circumstances.
To work in other localities as need arises.
To regularly attend Mental Health Team and Employment Services Team meetings.
To continue to develop own understanding of government policy in the area of mental health and social inclusion, and to contribute to Trust policies and service development in line with this.
To support colleagues with information about work and training opportunities.
To report on outcome measures for the service.
To provide monitoring/audit information to the Employment Services Team Leader.
Any other duties as delegated by your Director or Chief Executive commensurate with the responsibilities of this post.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- oGood standard of education; NVQ 3 or equivalent
Desirable
- oEducated to degree level; Health and Social care related qualification
Knowledge
Essential
- oVocational assessment and profiling
- oKnowledge of good practice in employment
- oKnowledge of relevant Welfare Benefits and benefits rules
- oKnowledge of the Equality Act 2010
Desirable
- oAn understanding of the principles and practice of supported employment
