Job overview

Workways are recruiting an Employment Specialists to work in Mid Devon. This will be working with the Core Community Mental Health teams in Crediton and Tiverton.

Workways admin base is in Exminster, near Exeter, but day to day work for the post holder will be based within Mental Health teams and in the community of the area of work. The post holder will receive management and clinical supervision from Workways The post holder will be involved in assisting Workways clients to find and receive support while in paid employment using the evidenced based Individual Placement &Support (IPS) approach. Experience of supporting employers and helping people with a health condition (preferably mental health-related) to find employment are essential to the role.

Role

The postholder works as part of the Workways team in line with the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) evidence based best practice. The postholder also provides specialised vocational assessment of individuals work needs. The postholder will manage a caseload of no more than 20 people (per wte) who are experiencing mental health problems and wish to enter or remain in employment in line with IPS principles.

Working with people in an individualised way to help them achieve their own employment goals, the postholder will be pro-active in their engagement with people on their caseload.

The postholder will provide advice, information and support to the individual and to their employer and mental health worker. The postholder is responsible for establishing and maintaining links with relevant organisations, employers and individuals to enable people who have mental ill health to obtain paid work.

This post may involve lone working, working away from base frequently and working without direct supervision.

Responsibilities

See the job description attached

The person

Essential criteria
– Degree in either Occupational Therapy, careers Guidance, Vocational Rehabilitation or equivalent

Desirable criteria
– NVQ4 in Advice and Guidance or a Coaching skills qualification

Experience
Essential criteria
– Knowledge of the IPS approach to supported employment Knowledge of the employment needs and possible difficulties of people who experience mental health problems.
– Understanding of mental health conditions Understanding of current mental health services An understanding of the current research and thinking about vocational rehabilitation services.
– Ability to demonstrate highly developed verbal communication skills in order to develop on-going relationships with people who use the service, clinical team workers and employers.
– Good written communication skills for example for report writing, assisting people to complete job applications and letter writing
– Persistence and perseverance when engaging with people who use the service and with employers
– Can demonstrate a Recovery focus Committed to people who use the service being able to find/retain paid work
– Problem solving and lateral thinking skills, being able to think on the go, address problems as they occur and work in a solution focussed way
– Ability to work on own initiative, being able to take appropriate decisive action when working with employers and people who use the service
– Ability to reflect on and critically appraise own performance, being aware of own strengths and weaknesses and address these Professionalism, at all times present self and represent the team in a professional and appropriate manner and be able to maintain professional boundaries
– Excellent organisational skills, can be relied upon to produce work in a timely manner
– Good self management skills, balance the demands of team working and being an independent practitioner.
– Punctual. Enthusiasm for and genuine interest in vocational rehabilitation
– Excellent all round interpersonal and networking skills, being able to develop community networks with people who use the service.
– Able to approach and work with employers. Able to be appropriately directive and encouraging to people using the service Non-judgemental, to appropriately work with people with varying needs, experiences and backgrounds
– Physical Skills Mobility throughout the geographical area
– Competent levels of IT skills e.g. Word Processing/E-mail/Internet/Powerpoint/Excel
– Other Current professional HPCC registration will be required if qualified as an OT Commitment to CPD

Desirable criteria
– Supervisory skills, relates to other team members and people who use the service
– Motivational interviewing skills
– Presentation skills to be able to present confidently and professionally to, employers, and other services about Workways Training/facilitation skills to run training for other organisations or recovery courses or groupwork for people who use the service Arbitration/mediation skills, for example to be able to mediate with an employer

Please note that applicants requiring a certificate of sponsorship should review the link “Coming to work in the UK Visa information” on the advert to see if they meet the requirements as this role does not meet the standard salary threshold for a skilled worker visa.