Healthwatch Milton Keynes is here to influence improvements in local health and social care services and make sure they work for the patients and service users of Milton Keynes. Our mission is to be an independent organisation, providing an effective local voice for people in Milton Keynes, influencing and shaping health and social care services to meet their needs.

Healthwatch Milton Keynes has a statutory right to ‘Enter and View’ health and social care services in Milton Keynes. Our volunteers talk to patients and users about their experiences of these services and make recommendations for how services can improve. We run a highly successful Enter and View Programme that has covered services such as MK Hospital, local Care Homes and Residential Homes for people with Learning Disabilities.

The post of Project Coordinator - Enter and View will be responsible for developing and delivering Enter and View activities for the organisation.

Duties will include project research and planning, volunteer management, relationships management with service providers, commissioners of services and the Care Quality Commission, data analysis, report writing and publishing reports to strict deadlines.

We’re looking for a dynamic person to join our team. You’ll need to be able to manage your own workload with high degree of initiative. You’ll also be passionate about engaging with people and upholding people’s rights to receive high quality health and social care services.

Candidates should possess strong people, relationship and project management skills, report writing and IT skills. Previous experience of working within a Social Care or Healthcare setting is desirable.

We highly recommend interested applicants contact us for an informal chat about the role.

Buckinghamshire Mind Employment Support Worker

Buckinghamshire Mind Shares National Mind’s vision: “We won’t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets both support and respect. We deliver high quality community based services across the county of Buckinghamshire to reach out and ensure everyone with a mental health problem gets access to the help they need.

Post: Employment Support Worker

Salary: £21,500 FTE 37 hrs (actual £8,716 based on 15 hours/week)

Reports to: Employment Support Adviser

Hours: 15 hours per week (part-time)

Based in Aylesbury or High Wycombe but covering all Buckinghamshire

Benefits: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and 2 wellbeing days pro rata, High Street retailer scheme, Employee Assistance Programme, Annual leave purchase scheme, Flu vaccinations and Eye Tests, Pension: Auto Enrolment (currently 5% employee contribution, 3% employer contribution)

Basic Function

As Buckinghamshire Mind’s Employment Support Worker, you will work full-time on coordinating the delivery of the Building Better Opportunities Bucks Project. ‘Building Better Opportunities’ in Buckinghamshire targets working with individuals to overcome barriers, as well as to support and to further develop the key organisations and partners in the network.

Successful applicant will be solely employed on the Big Lottery Fund – Building Futures project. This role will be solely funded by Big Lottery Fund and the European Social Fund.

Employment Support responsibilities

• To offer 1:1 and group support to people with mental health challenges who wish to begin or return to work, education, volunteering or training.
• To have a clear understanding of individual service user needs and how they can be met within the service. Develop and maintain effective and meaningful relationships. This will include the use of appropriate diagnostic processes and assessment.

• To provide a service which values and respects the differing cultures and ethnic backgrounds and diversity of the community whilst working in a manner that values diversity and adheres to the principles of anti-discriminatory practice.

• Design and deliver appropriate interventions to meet identified needs and ensure that the targets for the project are met. Ensure that the progress of individual people is effectively monitored and timely interventions are delivered.

• Co-ordinate the work of volunteers or other professionals as required by the specific project and provide support to volunteers as required.

• Achieve both qualitative and quantitative targets as required by the specific project.

• To work in a person-centered way with service users, assessing them and supporting them to achieve their employment or training goals.

• To implement employment courses through planned programs of approved training activities e.g. with Bucks Adult Learning.

• To work closely with relevant employment support partner organisations to ensure that we support our service users to achieve the best outcomes possible.

• To ensure associated administrative tasks and monthly monitoring figures are completed in a timely manner.

• To attend recruitment events to support clients, recruit volunteers and engage in marketing and promotion of service, also to attend meetings and steering groups in line with project needs.

Other Responsibilities

• To ensure the highest quality of service provision and to provide accurate and timely KPI reporting within Buckinghamshire Mind
• To develop and maintain contacts with employers, volunteering organisations and other stakeholders to develop and improve the service.

• To work closely with referrers so that there is a good understanding of making appropriate referrals into the services.

• To ensure high levels of meaningful Service User Involvement in service provision.

Person specification

Post: Buckinghamshire Mind Employment Support Worker

The person specification seeks to define a person most likely to be suited to the job of Buckinghamshire Mind Employment Support Worker.  Candidates are required to meet all the essential Conditions listed.  E = essential criteria; D = desired criteria.  Reference to both Conditions and Requirements in completing your application form will help in selecting candidates for interview.

Conditions

• Supports the aims and work of Buckinghamshire Mind (E)
• Maintains strict confidentiality concerning all Buckinghamshire Mind matters (E)

Requirements

Qualifications and experience

• Experience of assessing service user needs, risk, and support planning (E)
• Educated to A ‘level or above (E)
• Relevant experience (E)
• Experience of delivering services for people with Mental Health needs. (E)
• Experience of working with external stakeholders e.g. Care Teams, Commissioners/Funders and Community Groups. (D)
• Experience of employment support group and 1:1 work. (E)
• Experience of providing training to groups and/or individuals. (D)
• Previous experience in a guidance role. (E)
• Previous experience of managing a caseload. (E)
• Previous experience of project work desirable. (D)
• Experienced in reflective practice. (E)

Knowledge, skills and abilities.

• Knowledge of the wide range of educational and employment/training opportunities available to people across Bucks. (E)
• Knowledge of other voluntary and statutory agencies who work with people and can network and build sustainable working partnerships. (E)

• Knowledge and understanding of data sharing legislation, confidentiality and safeguarding. (E)
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a range of individuals, groups and organisations. (E)
• Ability to work flexibly and to problem solve. (E)
• Ability to use information technology effectively and can keep written records and data. (E)
• Ability to manage a caseload and to meet targets and deadlines. (E)
• Confident in delivering group works and presentations. (D)
• Is committed to working in an anti-oppressive way and striving to create equal opportunities for all people and show an understanding of diversity. (E)
• Knowledge of and empathy for the issues facing people with Mental Health needs. (E)
• Is driven, self- motivated and able to organize own workload and work alone and without direct supervision. (E)
• can devise, implement, monitor and evaluate work and produce reports. (E)
• Has a current clean driving license and use of own vehicle (work related mileage will be paid). (E)

Applications: Please send –

Cover letter and CV, (including: relevant skills and experience, locations and hours of work that you are available).

The short-listing panel make their decisions based on this information and no assumptions about your skills or experience will be made.

Closing date for applications is 27th February 2020, however applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, therefore please apply as soon as possible.  Interviews will take place 3rd March 2020.

Buckinghamshire Mind is an Equal Opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Any offer made relating to this post will be subject to satisfactory references and a satisfactory enhanced DBS check.