Employment Specialist, IPS Employment Service
People with severe mental health issues face huge barriers when it comes to employment. Over 75 per cent of them would like paid work, but only 6-8 per cent achieve it.
Could you be part of the team that's dedicated to addressing this injustice? Berkshire Healthcare's Individual Placement and Support (IPS) employment service, now in its tenth anniversary year, are looking for employment specialists to champion our mission and support people with severe mental health issues - your clients - to gain, sustain and retain paid work.
Our diverse team brings together a wide range of strengths and skills. We'll train you in the IPS approach so you can support clients effectively, build relationships with employers, and help change perceptions of mental health. Experience in supported employment or working with severe mental health issues is beneficial, but empathy, hope, and determination are essential.
We have 3 full time roles available (37.5 hours) within our West & East Berkshire Community Mental Health Services teams. Based at Reading, Newbury or Bracknell you would be expected to travel across Berkshire occasionally.
It's a highly varied job where you'll spend most of your week in the community, meeting clients and employers, and making a vital contribution to the team's activities.
*For salary some locations attract HCA supplement
Main duties of the job
You'll support a caseload of up to 20 people with severe mental health issues who are unemployed or struggling in the workplace.
Working directly with all relevant stakeholders - including clients, clinicians, consultant psychiatrists and employers and Job Centre Plus - you'll aim to enable your clients to gain, sustain and retain paid employment.
* You'll have the opportunity to transform the lives of your clients, to give them hope, direction and support their recovery journey. It's also challenging, so you'll need to be able to demonstrate perseverance, whilst being empathic and dedicated to finding clients a role that's right for them.
About us
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.
Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:
* Caring for and about you is our top priority
* Committed to providing good quality, safe services
* Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions
Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:
* Flexible working options to support work-life balance
* 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
* Excellent learning and career development opportunities
* 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
* Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
* Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
* Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
* Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
* Free parking across Trust site
Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:
* Degree or evidence of equivalent relevant experience.
* Experience of working with and supporting people who have mental health issues, (or other disadvantaged groups) into employment .
* A Car Driver with access to a vehicle that can be used for work purposes.
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
Please note: We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.
While we are a licensed sponsor, we must follow the criteria set by UK Visas and Immigration for sponsoring overseas nationals under the Skilled Worker route. After reviewing this position, we believe it does not meet the requirements for sponsorship.
For more information on Skilled Worker visa eligibility, please visit the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa
Were committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
Person Specification
Education/qualifications/training
* Degree or equivalent experience
* A good understanding of the principles and practice of supported employment
* Trained in the IPS approach
* Additional employability/careers counselling qualification, such as: Level 3 Diploma in Employability Services Sector Qualification, QCF in Advice & Guidance (Level 3)
* Experience of working with and supporting people who have mental health issues (or other unemployed disadvantaged groups) into employment
* Experience of supporting individuals on a one-to-one basis
* Proven experience of meeting and exceeding outcomes and targets
* Experience of carrying out assessments (eg vocational, health, occupational)
* Experience of partnership working, negotiation and liaison with other agencies
* Experience of opening up job opportunities with a range of employers
* Experience of working alongside clinical teams within mental health
Knowledge, skills and abilities
* Able to demonstrate empathy, tenacity and hope when working alongside people with severe mental health issues
* Knowledge of policy, practice and legislation in relation to employment, disability, equalities and mental health
* Good numeracy and information management skills
* A high level of perseverance; committed to seeing plans through to their conclusion within agreed timescales
* Excellent motivational, communication and listening skills; able to build rapport and trust with a range of people, especially clients and employers
* Well organised and confident working independently with own caseload and using initiative to identify and make the most of new opportunities
* Able to collaborate successfully within a mixed-disciplinary team
* Able to use Microsoft packages to advanced level
* Good knowledge of the local employment market
* Understanding of work-related benefits
* Understanding of successful job search strategies - eg creating a compelling CV, presenting clients to hiring managers, preparing for interviews
Additional requirements
* Ability easily to commute to different localities across Berkshire
* Personal experience of mental health issues
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
£32,602 to £39,686 a yearper annum (Incl. of HCAS)
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