Employment Advisor X 2

Job description

 The aim of this exciting role is to contribute to the delivery of Mind in Tower Hamlets (MITHNR) and East London Foundation NHS Trust’s (ELFT) Talking Therapies Employment Advice Service.  

 Purpose of the role

 To provide employment advice to patients accessing ELFT NHS Talking Therapies, supporting patients to gain and/or retain employment via one to one information, advice and guidance sessions. This role is part of the national Employment Advice in NHS Talking Therapies programme and has been accredited by the Matrix standards for information, advice and guidance.

 Adopting our organisational culture

 We have a strong reputation for delivering high quality services and achieving positive outcomes.

Our practices are underpinned by our Kindness Charter, Professional Code of Ethics, Code of Conduct and organisational values. We expect everyone to embrace our culture, ethos and our anti-racist, anti-discriminatory and inclusive practices throughout their work.

Key Responsibilities

Role Specific

·       Maintain a caseload of clients offering one to one support to help clients find, remain or retain employment. 

·       Carry out initial telephone assessments and action plans using SMART goals to identify clients goals and barriers to employment.

·       Offer a range of employment support interventions to clients that will support them to find, remain or return to work.

·       Offer one to one sessions at least 1 evening per week where working hours will be 11 – 6:30pm

·       Work in an integrated way with the IAPT clinical team to demonstrate a seamless service to the client. Co-location to different NHS IAPT services and centres across Tower Hamlets to offer Employment Advice.

·       Support clients to create CVs, Cover Letters, write applications, inform clients of job search techniques, and provide mock interview practice.

·       Provide 1-2-1 support to clients to enable them to return to work after long term sickness absence or other reasons

·       Work closely with employers to support clients to remain in their jobs by negotiating reasonable adjustments at the workplace

·       Work closely with local employment law professionals and trade unions to offer clients and their employers with information about their employment rights and responsibilities

·       Manage allocated service project and work with the team to ensure referrals are received on time

·       Ensure that all necessary paperwork is completed on time, including questionnaires, reports and minutes for each client engagement and that these are regularly updated using the IAPTus (patient database system) and protocols.

·       Ensure Caseload Management Tool is regularly up to date with client session information and targets.

·       Signpost the client, where necessary, to other agencies who will be able to provide advice on benefits or support that the client may be entitled to

General

·              Comply with, promote, and contribute to the development of MindTHNR’s: Aims and 

Values, Equality, Diversity and Inclusive principles and all organisational policies.

·              Attend appropriate internal, external training courses, E-Learning, supervision, and         staff team meetings and away days.

·              Other than where central administrative support is available, to be administratively self-servicing.          

You must have:

·       At least 1 year of providing Employment Advice or equivalent work experience in Employment/IAG Sector

·       Educated to degree level or equivalent work experience.

·       Ability to provide 1-2-1-person centred employment advice

·       At least 1 year’s case load management experience

·       Demonstrable experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team and establishing good working relationships with other provider organisations, e.g., legal advice, job centres and HR

·       Experience in offering advice around employment issues including welfare benefits

·       Experience of engaging and working with employers in supporting people to gain and retain employment

·       Experience of using client database systems and IT systems

·       Understanding of Adult Safeguarding principles

·       Ability to work well under pressure and deal with conflicting demands and plan, prioritise and manage deadlines and workloads.

·       Good understanding of legislation, good practice and

·       guidance in relation to employment rights, disabilities, and welfare benefits

·       Understanding of the challenges faced by employers when supporting employees with common mental health difficulties

·       Ability to actively listen to clients’ needs and offer advice in a non-judgemental way

·       Demonstrate the ability to work as part of a team in a diverse environment

·       Excellent IT skills including Word, Excel and Internet including database systems

·       Demonstrable ability to engage with people from all backgrounds and a commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion practices.

The benefits of working for the organisation include 28 days annual leave + Public Holidays, Development and Growth opportunities, Company Pension Scheme and an Employee Assistance Programme.

Post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure Barring Service check and Right to Work Checks.

As an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory and inclusive organisation, we strongly welcome applications from all sectors of the community.