Individual Placement & Support Employment Specialist
For people who need mental health support, getting back into work is a vital step on their recovery journey. The evidence backs this up, but although 90% of people with severe mental illness want to work, only 8% of them are in paid employment. That’s why we’re looking for people to join our IPS Employment Support Service to work with the community mental health teams, as an Employment Specialist, to champion our mission and help people who need mental health support – our clients – get back into paid work.
This is an incredibly rewarding role – you will have the opportunity to transform the lives of your clients, to give them hope, direction and support their recovery journey. This is also a challenging role, so you will need to be resilient, empathetic, and dedicated to finding clients a role that’s right for them. As a people person, you will build a good rapport with your clients, gaining a real understanding of their key skills, aspirations and career goals and finding them opportunities to match.
We welcome people from a range of backgrounds and with a variety of experience for this role – we’ll train you on the Individual Placement & Support (IPS) approach, giving you the tools you need to provide expert support and advice to clients, while also building positive relationships with employers, opening doors, and changing perceptions around mental health.
Main duties of the job
In this role you will work with clients (managing a caseload) who have mental health support needs, who are unemployed, 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, while building positive relationships with local employers to enable clients to move into suitable employment. This post requires you to meet the employment outcomes inline with the individual and teams KPIs and to produce and collect evidence for the Fidelity Reviews.
You will work as part of a community mental health team, maintaining positive and integrated relationships, fostering a holistic approach to recovery through employment. You will demonstrate an excellent motivational, communication and listening skill set. This role requires a positive mindset with the ability to motivate, engage and inspire to make a positive difference to people’s lives.
Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline.
All staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7‑day service.
About us
Livewell Southwest is an independent, award‑winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, West Devon, and specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs.
As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values: kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve.
We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives.
We prioritise employees’ development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programmes, and funding for qualifications such as the Care Certificate and Nursing Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programmes ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.
Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro‑diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.
Job responsibilities
SCOPE AND RANGE
The postholder will provide specialised assessment of individuals’ work needs and manage the provision and a caseload of people who are referred to IPS and wish to return to, remain in or enter work for the first time.
The postholder will also provide specialised advice, information and support to the individuals’ employer or learning provider as required. The postholder is responsible for establishing and maintaining links with relevant organisations, employers and individuals to enable people who have mental ill health to access work opportunities.
MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
* Manage a caseload of people who have experienced mental health problems and who wish to retain, return to or regain employment, using evidence‑based interventions.
* Lead work focused on the aspirations of the service user; consider strengths, difficulties and employment assets to offer the most effective support.
* Conduct assessments, discussing job goals and any concerns regarding capacity for work. Establish a job goal, gather evidence about skills and confidence, and identify any barriers or strategies to address them.
* Provide help to find the right job, advise on training and how to prepare for employer interviews.
* Identify work solutions that overcome or minimise workplace difficulties, including return‑to‑work issues and behaviour in the workplace.
* Ensure that clients have tools to have their needs met in the workplace; support self‑advocacy or sourcing an advocate.
* Recognise the impact of mental health on confidence and fear of failure, and acknowledge co‑existing health conditions and disabilities.
* Offer flexible service hours, enabling at least one session outside 9‑5 where possible.
* Organise and plan caseload and manage clinical/non‑clinical time effectively.
* Prepare, organise and run training for employers, learning and work organisations, and care staff about learning, work and mental health issues.
* Communicate clearly and persuasively both verbally and in writing.
* Carry out evaluation and monitoring techniques.
* Develop good rapport with clients and help them find their own solutions.
Responsibility for People Management
* Provide information and training to clinical staff on employment matters.
* Update knowledge via relevant training opportunities and CPD.
* Stay current with employment law, labour market changes and benefits systems.
* Maintain up‑to‑date local resource information, facilities, training and employment options.
* Attend regular supervision.
Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources
* Ensure that all Trust equipment and resources are used in line with Trust policies.
Responsibility for administration
* Complete necessary documentation, including recording notes from each client contact on the clinical record system.
* Keep annual leave, expenses and other job administration up to date.
* Demonstrate basic IT skills including word processing, Excel and database packages.
Responsibility for people who use our services
* Repeat responsibilities from ‘Scope and Range’ and ‘Main Duties’ as above (duplicate content retained for completeness).
Person Specification
Additional Requirements
* An enhanced DBS Check will be required for this role.
* Ability to frequently travel independently and in a timely manner between Livewell Southwest sites and community locations, including areas not served by public transport.
Experience
* Experience providing vocational/employment support in a prior role.
* Experience supporting people with MH conditions into vocational/employment activities.
* Understanding of employment needs, barriers and difficulties faced by people with MH conditions.
* Experience working in a service with agreed targets, demonstrating specific outcomes.
* Experience assessing, planning and facilitating activities focused on recovery and vocational skills.
* Experience working with interpreters.
* Experience working within a multidisciplinary team.
Knowledge
* Good understanding of return‑to‑work planning.
* Aware of secondary effects of mental health on employment, including loss of employment and other health conditions.
* Knowledge of employment and disability‑related benefits.
* Familiarity with the Job Centre Plus Employment, Health Condition and Disability guide notes.
* Awareness of the needs of people with MH conditions and the impact of work on mental health.
* Knowledge of community resources.
* Knowledge of employment law and the Equality Act 2010.
* Knowledge of evidence‑based interventions to support people remaining in, returning to, and gaining work.
Qualifications
* Degree in a relevant area or equivalent, and relevant experience in employment advice or mental health.
* Evidence of further qualification or professional CPD relating to employment, employment law, and/or mental health.
* NVQ Level 4 in Advice & Guidance.
* Certificate in Coaching Skills.
Specific Skills
* Effective written and oral communication skills.
* Organisational skills.
* Ability to prioritise and plan own caseload.
* Ability to assess individual strengths in relation to employment.
* Ability to adapt activities to be appropriate for individual clients.
* Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets.
* Excellent interpersonal skills.
* Ability to collect and report data to support service performance and evaluation.
* Work in accordance with the Staff Compact and Trust Values and Behaviours.
* A caring, responsible and positive approach.
* Reliable, trustworthy and enthusiastic.
* Motivated and innovative.
* Committed to continual quality and service improvement.
* Self‑aware and committed to continual professional and personal development; able to accept and respond positively to feedback from supervision.
* Committed to promoting a positive image of people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities.
* Ability to negotiate with employers on behalf of service users.
* Ability to be flexible, open and creative in problem‑solving.
* Ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and, as such, a submission to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) is required to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employment Types
Full‑time, Part‑time, Job share, Flexible working
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