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Job summary

Main area
Employment support
Grade
Band 5
Contract
Fixed term: 2 years (Contract may be extended indefinitely later in the pilot upon review)
Hours
  • Full time
  • Part time
37.5 hours per week
Job ref
001-AC208-0624
Employer
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Employer type
NHS
Site
Various sites across Cardiff & Vale patch
Town
Cardiff
Salary
£28,834 - £35,099 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
09/07/2024 23:59

Employer heading

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board logo

Employment Specialist Support

Band 5

WHO WE ARE:

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Board in the UK, employing over 16,000 staff and providing over 100 specialist services. Serving a population of around 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, we are focussed on the health 
and care needs of our local population whilst also working with our partners to develop regional services. Together we are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone and to delivering excellent care and support.


Our mission is “Living Well, Caring Well, Working Together”. We have recently refreshed our strategy, Shaping Our Future Wellbeing, which sets out the Health Board’s Vision for improving the health and wellbeing of the populations we serve by 2035 through the delivery of our strategic 
objectives; Putting People First, Providing Outstanding Quality, Delivering in the Right Places, and Acting for the Future. We have challenging times ahead, but we are confident that by tackling these  challenges together, we can support people to live healthier lives and reduce the unfair differences in 
the prevalence of illness and health outcomes we see in our communities today. We aspire to deliver outstanding care and treatment for people when they need it, where they need it; care that compares well with the best in the world, but to do so, we need to transform how we deliver services over the 
next decade and beyond. 

We are a values-driven organisation and out goals will only be realised if our values are at the heart of everything we do. Created by colleagues, patients and their families and carers, our values are:

  • We are kind and caring
  • We are respectful
  • We have trust and integrity
  • We take personal responsibility 

As an organisation we strongly believe that it is vital our leaders exhibit the behaviours and values that we expect from all our staff.

We are a teaching Health Board with close links to the university sector, and together we are training the next generation of healthcare professionals, while working on research that will hopefully unlock the cures for today’s illnesses

Please be advised that there is a temporary top up for Bands 1,2 and 3 to reflect the incorporation of the top up to the  living wage of £12 per hour - £23,465 per annum. This temporary top up will be in place until  the annual pay uplift for 2024/25 is confirmed


 

Job overview

Are you looking for an opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of people with Mental Health challenges & believe you have the skills to support people into employment?

If so, this role may be just what you're looking for!

For people with Mental Health challenges getting into paid work is a vital step in their recovery. Evidence shows that working leads to improved Mental Health, so we are looking for people to join our Individual Placement & Support in Primary Care Service (IPSPC) as Employment Specialists.

This rewarding role will transform lives, giving hope, direction, & support in participant recovery. This role is challenging, so you’ll need to be resilient, empathetic, & dedicated to finding participants the work they want. As a people person, you will build rapport & relationships with participants & employers to identify & negotiate hidden job opportunities. As this is currently a fixed-term project, we are looking for people who will show this service to be the invaluable resource that we believe it will be, providing accurate data to evidence that this service should become a part of statutory mental health services.

We welcome people from a range of backgrounds & experiences, particularly those who have lived experience of Mental Health services. We will train you on the IPSPC approach, providing you with all the tools and training you need.

You will be a key part of the service, helping us to develop & shape it to suit the needs of the population.

Main duties of the job

THIS POST IS FIXED TERM FOR 2 YEARS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE SERVICE.  

The post holder will provide opportunities to develop wider support to people who have experienced mental health conditions and wish to engage in vocational activity. This includes the provision of initial assessment, vocational profiling and on-going support to people who have experienced mental health conditions to gain and retain employment. Close liaison with employers and relevant agencies will be required including Job Centre Plus, Work Programme Providers, local education establishments, training providers, voluntary sector groups, User Groups and clinical teams throughout the Mental Health Service.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Working for our organisation

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Boards in the UK, employing over 15,000 staff, providing over 100 specialist services.   Working across 6 hospital sites, we have a diverse range of career opportunities to offer. Serving around 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst working with our partners to develop regional services.

Our mission is  “Caring for People, Keeping People Well”, and our  vision is that every person’s chance of leading a healthy life should be equal.   As an organisation we are unashamedly ambitious for our population’s health, rising to the challenges of today and tomorrow through our 10-year strategy, Shaping our Future Wellbeing.    We are contributing to a healthier Wales with great emphasis placed on innovation and improvement, learning from around the world and leading the way in clinical research.   Partnership working is strong at Cardiff and Vale, and we work closely with our staff and our community.    

Cardiff, the thriving Welsh capital, is a fantastic city to live and work in with an abundance of sports, arts and cultural attractions.    Situated to the west of Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan offers a combination of beautiful Welsh countryside and a dramatic natural coastline.  Whether city life or rural living, Cardiff  and the Vale offers the best of both worlds.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1.      Identify any potential participants who may be referred to the IPS-PC team who want to work, through close liaison with clinical and third sector teams

2.      Manage a caseload of up to 25 people who have experienced mental health conditions, who are looking for employment.

3.      Develop support to people to who have experienced mental health conditions and wish to engage in some form of paid work.

4.      Make use of vocational profiling where appropriate to assess individual employment aspirations, strengths and support needs by conducting thorough profiles involving the clients, their family/ friends, clinical staff and others.

5.      Raise the profile of the importance of employment / employment related activity with relevant agencies such as CMHTs, general practice, third sector, etc.

6.      Meet regularly with Care Coordinators where relevant to ensure that vocational activity is integrated into the overall care plan, the requirements of Care and Treatment Plans and is risk assessed.

7.      Attend relevant meetings including clinical meetings.

8.      Provide individualised support of up to 13 sessions to individuals to secure and maintain employment/employment related activity.

9.      Provide practical support with needs related to work, which may typically include help with benefits, travel, training etc.

10.  Develop links in the community which will maximise access to ordinary employment / education / training resources.

11.  Maintain routine and long-term contact with employers to ensure that clients are able to progress in their careers and that any problems that arise are dealt with promptly and effectively.

12.  Work flexibly according to individual need, this may involve evenings and weekends.

 13.  Provide supervision to junior staff working in a vocational capacity.

14.  To work in close collaboration with the Volunteer Services Manager in the Patient Experience Team to recruit, place and support the hospital's contracted volunteer workers.

15.  Maintain professional relationships with clients and other involved parties paying particular attention to confidentiality and the maintenance of boundaries.

16.  Keep informed of government policies relating to benefits, employment etc.

17.  To engage in supervision, training and personal development activities consistent with the requirements of the post and individual career goals.

18.  To contribute to the development of new initiatives and actively participate in team meetings and development events.

19.  Support administrative systems which record the progress of individuals and maintain accurate and complete records.

20.  To participate in the collection and collation of activity data to inform service delivery and evaluation.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • First level degree or equivalent
  • Training in the ‘Individual Placement & Support’ model of Supported Employment or equivalent
Desirable criteria
  • Job Coach Training
  • Mental Health First Aid Training
  • Assist Training

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Working with people who have experienced serious mental illnesses
  • Liaising effectively between organisations and/or individuals to ensure good communication and/or deal with conflict
  • Supporting people who have experienced serious mental illnesses into paid, open employment or employment-related activity
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of mental health problems either personally or as a carer
  • Supervision/management of junior staff
  • Experience of supporting people to access volunteering opportunities

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Self-management of workload and the ability to work on own initiative
  • Effective communication skills (written and verbal), Presentation skills, and Teaching skills
  • Diplomatic negotiation skills to resolve conflict and arrive at satisfactory solutions
Desirable criteria
  • Computer literacy

Special Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Welfare benefits system and the welfare reform agenda especially in relation to returning to work from a financial perspective and the various supports available
  • How serious mental illnesses impact upon clients’ ability to function socially and in employment
  • Systems and structures within the mental health service to ensure rapid access to services when necessary
Desirable criteria
  • Equality Act and Health & Safety at Work Act
  • The constraints and priorities of a range of employers, their expectations of you, your service and the people you represent

Personal qualities

Essential criteria
  • Clear motivation to enable people with serious mental illnesses to succeed in open employment

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Veteran AwareApprenticeships logoAge positiveDisability confident leaderhyderus o ran anableddAccredited Living Wage EmployerDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - GoldArmed Forces CovenantDFN Project Search LogoStonewall Top 100 Employers in 2023Stonewall Top 100 Employers in 2023Core principles

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Welsh language skills are desirable

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Alison Rayer
Job title
IPS-PC Operational Manager
Email address
[email protected]
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