Insight Jobs

The University of Essex is excited to have formed a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with the Minstead Trust. The Minstead Trust is a charity based in Hampshire, which works in collaboration with people with learning disabilities and their family carers, to enable them to achieve greater independence and live happier and healthier lives. One of their main areas of work is accommodation support. As they transition into adult accommodation support services, adults with a learning disability, their family carers, and Minstead Trust accommodation support staff form a tripartite relationship through which support is planned and delivered within the Minstead Trust. However, to date practices in support provision have differed, leading to miscommunications, relationship difficulties, and some areas of inconsistency and discontinuity in provided support and living circumstances. There are also often difficulties experienced during the transition from child to adult learning disability services. These are sector wide issues, which ultimately impact service users’ participation in the various activities and occupations that provide meaning, purpose, and routine within their everyday lives.

The KTP will last for 24 months and utilise a participatory action research (PAR) approach to engage relevant stakeholders who comprise and surround the tripartite relationship described above. Together they will co-produce, implement, and evaluate distinct new ways of working. These new ways of working will revolutionise engagement between adults with learning disabilities, their family carers, and Minstead Trust staff, and lead to improved experiences for all stakeholders.

As a KTP, the KTP Associate role constitutes more than just the completion of a research project, as the focus of the role is to facilitate knowledge transfer between the University and the Minstead Trust. A key objective is that the KTP also embeds the capability of co-production within the Minstead Trust through staff engagement and support. Co-production involves partnership working towards a mutually defined aim, where everyone connected with an issue plays an active part, and existing skills, experience and knowledge are valued and utilised (Pettican et al, 2022).

Job title: Employment and Engagement Adviser

Location: Hybrid, contracted to work at our Birmingham office at least 2 days a week.

Salary: £26,000 - £29,000

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, with occasional evening/weekend work (TOIL provided)

Contract: 12 months FTC, with intention to make permanent if pilot is successful/subject to funding

Language requirements: Fluency in English and at least one target language is desirable e.g., Arabic, Tigrinya, Ukrainian, Pashto, Farsi, Dari or Cantonese.

Overall purpose

We are excited to pilot a new type of Employment Adviser role in our Services team, focusing on building relationships with local employers to support our job-ready clients in securing employment.

You will build networks of local employers and collaborate with our Employment Advisers to help clients with intensive job searches and applications, while managing your own caseload of work-ready clients.

We are seeking candidates with experience in engaging employers and knowledge of the local job market, including finding hidden opportunities.

The primary focus of your role will be helping individuals facing employment barriers, especially those who have experienced forced migration, find paid work. You will manage a fast-paced caseload, providing one-on-one support to clients online, by phone and in person to help them reach their employment goals.

In addition to direct client work, you will assist the team in identifying job opportunities and work with the Senior Services Manager to develop key employer relationships. You will also coordinate your clients access to volunteer-led support, scheduling mock interviews and practice sessions.

We offer a collaborative team environment where your contributions are valued, and you can make a meaningful impact on people’s lives.

To view the full job description and person specification, as well as details on our accessible recruitment process, please view the attached recruitment pack.

Other considerations

• As part of our safeguarding commitment to our clients, we carry out preemployment checks to ensure that successful applicants are suitable to work with adults at risk. These include basic DBS checks, obtaining references and verifying a candidate’s identity and right to work in the UK.
• Some travel between our different areas of operation (including London, Birmingham and Manchester) will be required. Occasional evening or weekend work may be required. Time off in lieu would be provided in this case.
• We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity status, race, religion or belief.

How to apply

If you are looking for a role where you can make a real difference, we want to hear from you. To apply, please submit a CV and statement (up to approximately 500 words/1 A4 page) outlining:

• Why you are interested in the role
• What skills you would bring to be successful in this role
• Any experience you would like to highlight
• Any reasonable adjustments you require for the interview process
• Disclosure of disabilities if you wish to do so (as a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role)

Please note that applications without a covering letter will not be considered. Previous applicants need not apply.

Closing date for applications is 11:30pm on Thursday 26th December. Interviews will be held on a rolling basis so please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

We belong to the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative, which advocates and supports organisations to employ more people from a refugee background. With this in mind, we particularly welcome applicants with experience of seeking asylum and/or a refugee background. 

If you are an expert by experience (a refugee or a migrant with direct, first-hand experience of issues and challenges of the UK asylum or immigration system), you can ask for an independent and confidential support for your job application from the Experts by Experience Employment Network. Please reach out to HR Manager Dani Meier for further details (we are unable to include email addresses in this advert, but you can find contact details on the final page of the attached recruitment pack).

Up to 5 days per week - 8 weeks annual leave

£27,578 - £32,146 FTE

Remote/ hybrid and flexible working with some attendance at Head Office, Carlisle

Travel across Cumbria

BENEFITS INCLUDE: Company sick pay, maternity/paternity support and carers leave, 4% employer pension contribution,

Safety Net is a charity supporting the recovery of those affected by rape, exploitation, sexual and domestic abuse across Cumbria. 

We offer free advice, support, counselling, therapy and group work to adults, children and young people, who have been affected by abuse and trauma and provide trauma-informed care through a range of services designed to foster recovery and empowerment. 

You will identify and secure new funding opportunities through a variety of channels.  With a focus on securing funding, developing partnerships, and implementing strategies to expand Safety Net's reach and impact, you will be adaptable and flexible particularly in managing deadlines for charity bids and work closely with the Heads of service to achieve our organisational goals.

This role offers a fantastic opportunity for a recent business or marketing graduate or someone with some experience to develop their strategic and development skills within a supportive and impactful environment. As a pivotal member of the team, you will have strong financial and analytical acumen and a strong understanding of budgets, particularly in the context of competitive bids and grant applications. 

Key outcomes of the role are:

• Successful fundraising, data monitoring and Grant Management:

• Compliant and useful use of data and reporting to plan future opportunity and address risks

• Credible relationship building with key stakeholders, including funders, community partners, and other relevant organisations.

• Effective contribution to the development and implementation of innovative strategies to generate new trading income streams.

• Proactive contribution to the development and implementation of Safety Net's strategic plan.

• Engaging and professionally working with our external comms to support the development and implementation of marketing and communication strategies to raise awareness of Safety Net's services.

Closing date for applications: 9am Tuesday 10th December 2024

Interview to be held on Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th December 2024 in person at our Carlisle Headquarters.