Job Description

Employment Advisor

Hours

- 39 per week

Line Managed by:

All In Edinburgh Manager

Location:

A mix of office and community-based work, with the option for some home working.

Salary

- 26,782.21 - 28,795.45 per annum based on 39 hour week


Are you passionate about making a real difference in people's lives? Join our All In Edinburgh team at The Action Group, part of the All in Edinburgh Supported Employment Consortium, where you'll support individuals with disabilities and long-term health conditions to find, secure, sustain and thrive in meaningful employment.

Requirements

The Action Group seeks a highly organised, empathic professional with a passion for supporting and empowering people. You will work as part of the Real Jobs team helping adults with support needs to find and sustain paid employment. We support people with disabilities and long-term health conditions to find, maintain, sustain and progress in the job they choose, by providing person-centred 1:1 support following the five-stage supported employability pipeline model.


All In Edinburgh at The Action Group is one of four partners who make up the AiE consortium, providing supported employment across Edinburgh.

Useful skills for this Role:

These are not required, but would be an advantage to any applicants.

Experience in Recruitment or Support Work A Qualification in Supported Employment

About The Role

1. PURPOSE OF THE POST - THIS SECTION TELLS YOU HOW YOUR WORK CONTRIBUTES TO THE VISION, MISSION AND AIMS.

An Employment Advisor works to support adults with support needs to find and sustain paid employment. Employment Advisors provide an end-to-end employment support service to clients, meeting The Action Group's vision that individuals encounter no barrier to their chosen lifestyle.


You will join a team, where you will provide employment support in line with the Scottish Government's 5 stage supported employment framework and City of Edinburgh Council's strategic skills pipeline to ensure that clients are able to engage with the service, develop their employability skills, enter paid employment, sustain their employment and develop in-work skills that give them the opportunity to progress in their chosen career.


You will be working within All in Edinburgh, a Supported Employment Consortium operating across the city. This service has very challenging employment targets. As such the successful candidate will be required to deliver a high level of job outcomes for individuals who may have significant barriers to entering paid employment.

2. WORK WITH CLIENTS

To provide a holistic 5-stage employment support service to clients with disabilities including:


1) Initial Engagement:

Working with potential clients to establish whether the service can meet their employment needs Explaining the service offer in a way which meets the communication needs of the client

2) Vocational Assessment

Undertake a full vocational assessment, building a consensus with the client of their skills, experience, abilities and job preferences Work with other professionals/carers/family members

3) Job Search/Job Matching

Supporting clients with CV building, job applications, interview support, liaising with benefit agencies

4) Job Coaching

Completing a full job and task analysis of a new job according to TSI principles Coaching clients to understand their role and responsibilities at work Supporting clients to complete workplace training and to develop natural supports in the work place among their work colleagues

5) In Work Progression

Ensuring clients receive support with career progression either in their current role, to be promoted or to find another job at another organisation To work with clients in work and at risk of losing their job, to maintain it. To support clients to remove barriers and obstacles to working To work in partnership with The Action Group's advice service to ensure that client benefits are correct To work in partnership with other agencies to ensure that all support services clients receive are working towards the same objectives Maintaining the highest standards of data protection and client confidentiality, in line with The Action Group policies

3. WORK WITH EMPLOYERS

a. Marketing the All In Edinburgh service to prospective employers, identifying possible job opportunities and working with employers to meet their recruitment needs


b. Supporting employers to understand the benefits of employing people with disabilities and the positive impact that diversity in the workplace has on their workforce


c. Supporting employers to understand the implications of the Equality Act 2010 and to make reasonable adjustments where appropriate


d. To support clients to apply for Access to Work funding where these adjustments have a cost attached, in agreement with the employer


e. Supporting employers with management (where required) including through supervision, appraisal, capability, disciplinary and grievance processes


f. Provide advice to current employers relating to clients and be available to answer queries or concerns about our clients


g. Support employers to develop a better understanding of disabilities in the workplace and provide creative solutions to improve workforce diversity including positive action, job creation and job-carving

4. OUTCOMES: TARGETS TO BE MEASURED

Individual Caseload -20 clients Outcome: Job entry-A paid job for a client that lasts at least 4 weeks Outcome: Sustainment-An intervention to ensure that a job at risk is sustained due to the support of the Employment Advisor Outcome: Progression-Support by an Employment Advisor to achieve a progression at work for a client including promotion, a new post at the same employer or an increase in duties/responsibility

Employment advisors are expected to deliver outcomes, and failure to do so may result in not passing the probationary period or being subject to the Action Group's capability process.

5. DECISIONS MADE IN COURSE OF JOB

+ Supporting clients and employers to reach a consensus about in-work problems, ensuring the needs of both groups are met Negotiating shift patterns, salary and reasonable adjustments on behalf of clients Working with clients to identify the level of employment support required and agreeing times and dates of support Recognising when a client is not engaging and taking appropriate steps to motivate them Identifying when to refer clients to another service Agreeing with employers the amount of initial job coaching required and implementing a plan to withdraw support

6.

PROJECT WORK

To undertake administrative duties on behalf of the service including managing referrals, updating databases, taking minutes at meetings or any other reasonable duties as required To attend and engage in team meetings, case review meetings and networking events To produce and deliver presentations, with support from the Employment Services Manager, at events as required Writing reports and case studies To cover the drop-in service when required

7.

RECORD KEEPING AND PROCEDURES

Taking full responsibility for accurate and timely recording of all client information required as part of the role To keep accurate and up to date case notes on the case management database 'Helix,' including outcome information Complying with the Action Group's Confidentiality and Data Protection policies Ensuring clients have given consent via either electronically or signed copies of all mandatory paperwork in their hard copy file Obtaining all supporting evidence which clients are required to show eligibility for the service, which are also required for annual audit by our funders.

8.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Employment Advisors are required to take ownership of their own workload, ensuring that they are able to manage their time effectively, undertake effective administration and achieve outcomes. You will be expected to keep your Outlook calendar appointments up to date, and logging-on to our lone working app PeopleSafe daily. Staff are required to work without direct supervision for the majority of the time Staff will be supervised by the Team Manager who reports to the Development Manager responsible for Employment Services across the Action Group Attend regular conversation-based meetings with the team leader for support to manage caseloads, meeting training requirements, and address other professional development needs

9.

QUALIFICATIONS

Employment Advisors will have, or will undertake the PDA in Supported Employment Qualification within the first year of employment. Employment Advisors will have, or will undertake the relevant training in teaching tasks and Training in Systematic Instruction

10.

USEFUL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Employment Advisors should have experience working with people with disabilities in areas such as support work, vocational guidance, job coaching, occupational therapy or developing skills and independence. Previous experience of working in the voluntary sector and understand the political environment the service operates in. Experience of support work, working alongside colleagues with disabilities, or experience with recruitment.

11.

COMPLEXITY

Employment Advisors, due to the nature of their work, will spend periods of time working without day-to-day direct supervision. As the direct service provider to both clients and employers, they are required to demonstrate a positive and flexible approach to their work, being able to adapt and respond to the needs of individual service users and employers.

Employment Advisors will be required to demonstrate the following core skills in carrying out their job: Assessment of clients' vocational needs using a Vocational Profile. A basic understanding of benefits and welfare reform Liaising with and maintaining good communication links with parents, carers, referring agencies and other relevant bodies, including employers Utilise direct and indirect sales techniques during the job development process in negotiating with potential employers to develop job opportunities Raise employer awareness re. disability issues through discussions and presentations both to employers and other relevant organisations Manage and organise personal time and work priorities to ensure a quality service is maintained Maintain accurate information, training data and work reports. Plan, design, implement and evaluate personalised training strategies for clients Plan and present training events for employers/staff Monitor client performance at work Provide additional counselling and support to clients outwith the work-place when required. Advise and assist other individuals and agencies to access services suitable for them.workplace

12.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

The post holder will take responsible steps to guard the safety of clients and colleagues by following the agreed policies including the Health and Safety at Work legislation.

13

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

The Employment Services Manager through regular meetings, is responsible for the supervision of this post holder and the development of their work.


The post holder will participate in regular performance appraisals in accordance with The Action Group's appraisal system.

Required Criteria

Skills Needed

About The Company

Our History

The Action Group was set up in 1976 by a group of parents and carers of people who had learning disabilities and other support needs. They began by campaigning for better services for the people they cared about in the local area of Leith and Restalrig. This group, who all lived in the north east of Edinburgh, took the name Area 5 Action Group from the Social Work Department's area in which they lived.

Providing and Improving Learning Disability Care for Over 45 Years

The Action Group was, and continues to be, a membership organisation with the twin aims of campaigning for, and providing, good community care services. In 1976, services and supports in the community were few and far between and large institutions and hospitals, like Gogarburn in Edinburgh, were the main service for children and adults.


Locally, The Area 5 Action Group ran a high profile political and media campaign to get learning disability and support needs on the agenda. It also explored ways to develop service-provision


By 1985, now called The North Edinburgh Action Group, membership had grown and service users came from all over Edinburgh, East Lothian, West Lothian and Midlothian.


By 1992, with development plans focussing across an even wider area, a further name change to The Action Group was made.


Over the years the Action Group has been at the forefront of campaigning for and providing high quality community services.

Company Culture

The Vision

That Families caring for a person and individuals who have support needs and/or Learning Disability encounter no barriers to their chosen lifestyle, are able to follow a path of choice and can enrich their opportunities.

The Mission

To Value, listen and involve people so that our every action is judged to be the best.

The Values

An ordinary life includes the 5 accomplishments which derives from the work of John O'Brien.


These values are at the heart of the organisation.


People accessing our services should have:

Community presence - Relationships

Competency - Respect - Choice

Company Benefits

Looking to make a difference?

Make a difference in your community and in people's lives by becoming a support worker with us!


Your goal will be to help people with additional support needs to gain or maintain their independence, and going about their lives in general, to support with work, health and wellbeing, or attending and participating in activities.

HSF Health Plan to all our Full-time & Part-time employees

Pension

Good annual leave entitlements

TAG Rewards - our exclusive discounts and savings programme

Travel time payable where applicable

Ongoing support, training and development opportunities

Mileage allowance where applicable

Casual dress, Blue Light Card, On the job learning

Salary

Not disclosed