Job summary
Do you want to be part of an innovative service to help people with substance misuse back into work?
Do you understand the importance of work and the vital role it can play in the lives of those with health conditions or disabilities?
Do you take pride in what you do, and can you think creatively about how different organisations can work together to deliver a better service?
Are you happy to talk with employers and help match people into meaningful work?
If this sounds like you, then you might be ideal for our Employment Specialist role to embed within the CGL Drug and Alcohol service in Fenland.
We are looking for an Employment Specialist to join our new CPFT IPS Team. You will manage a caseload of clients in structured treatment for drug and/or alcohol use, assisting them in securing paid employment. You will work as part of a community drug and alcohol treatment service, maintaining positive and integrated relationships using the Individual Placement and Support approach (IPS).
Main duties of the job
- Building the profile of employment within the drug and alcohol teams, and raising expectations around the ability of service users under those teams to find employment.
- Preparing people who have substance use needs to find paid work and supporting them to the practicalities of job searching and applications.
- Building effective working relationships with external employers to secure employment opportunities for people who have experienced substance misuse.
- Providing on-going support according to needs of both employer and employee in order to enable people to retain employment.
- Helping those currently employed but struggling to get appropriate support at work.
- Ensuring the service follows evidenced-based Individual Placement and Support (IPS) practice
Please note, this is not an administrative role, it is a client facing role which includes working to achieve set KPIs and targets.
About us
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health & social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health & wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting & empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.
Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services not only via inpatient and primary care setting but also with the community. These services include Children, Adult & Older Peoples mental & physical health, Forensic & Specialist mental health, Learning Disabilities, Primary Care & Liaison psychiatry, Substance misuse, Social care, Research & Development.
To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high calibre candidates that share our vision & values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disabled people & members of our ethnic minorities & LGBTQ+ communities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
- Support service users to identify and meet their vocational goals by providing individually tailored programmes using a person-centred approach.
- Complete initial assessments of service users vocational needs, working collaboratively with service users to complete a Vocational Profile. Support service users to complete job applications and compile CVs.
- Actively and regularly engage with employers and employment providers and seek out employment opportunities for service users.
- Proactively address barriers to education, training and employment through partnership working with services.
- Ensure effective communication with CGL team colleagues and relevant organisations internal and external to the Trust.
- Ensure that service users are supported to progress through the service in a timely manner and are discharged / signposted / referred on at appropriate stages of their treatment.
- Make regular written and verbal reports concerning the progress of service users, and maintain written and electronic records as per Trust policy.
- Contribute positively to the achievement of service targets and outcomes to achieve commissioners requirements and target.
- Complete required records for caseload and service activity and achievement of outcomes.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
- Support service users to identify and meet their vocational goals by providing individually tailored programmes using a person-centred approach.
- Complete initial assessments of service users vocational needs, working collaboratively with service users to complete a Vocational Profile. Support service users to complete job applications and compile CVs.
- Actively and regularly engage with employers and employment providers and seek out employment opportunities for service users.
- Proactively address barriers to education, training and employment through partnership working with services.
- Ensure effective communication with CGL team colleagues and relevant organisations internal and external to the Trust.
- Ensure that service users are supported to progress through the service in a timely manner and are discharged / signposted / referred on at appropriate stages of their treatment.
- Make regular written and verbal reports concerning the progress of service users, and maintain written and electronic records as per Trust policy.
- Contribute positively to the achievement of service targets and outcomes to achieve commissioners requirements and target.
- Complete required records for caseload and service activity and achievement of outcomes.
Person Specification
Education / Qualificaltions
Essential
- Educated to degree level Or equivalent experience in the field of supported employment - to degree level
- Or NVQ Level 3/equivalent relevant training to diploma level and/or experience relevant to the duties of the post to degree level
Desirable
- Occupational Therapy, Social Work, Psychology or Employment qualifications
- IPS training
- Motivational interviewing training
Experience
Essential
- Experience/understanding of working with people with substance use support needs, or a similar client group within health, social services or the voluntary sector
- Experience working in employment services supporting people to obtain or keep work
- Experience of actively and regularly engaging with employers and employment providers to seek out employment opportunities on behalf of service users
- Knowledge of vocational assessment & profiling of service users' vocational needs
Desirable
- Recent experience of working with service users to help them meet their employment-related goals
- Experience & knowledge of the benefits agency and all disability employment related benefits
- Personal experience of recovery
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Enthusiasm and commitment towards supporting people with substance misuse find paid employment.
- An understanding of the benefits of work as part of the recovery process and a positive attitude to enabling service users overcome barriers to finding employment, are essential.
- Excellent marketing and promotional skills with an excellent negotiation skills & persuasive style
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work autonomously and use own initiative
Desirable
- Knowledge of relevant welfare benefits and benefits rules
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Good time management skills to balance the co-ordination of own diary making best use of time, efficiently and effectively.
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel independently to other bases and Service User homes.
Person Specification
Education / Qualificaltions
Essential
- Educated to degree level Or equivalent experience in the field of supported employment - to degree level
- Or NVQ Level 3/equivalent relevant training to diploma level and/or experience relevant to the duties of the post to degree level
Desirable
- Occupational Therapy, Social Work, Psychology or Employment qualifications
- IPS training
- Motivational interviewing training
Experience
Essential
- Experience/understanding of working with people with substance use support needs, or a similar client group within health, social services or the voluntary sector
- Experience working in employment services supporting people to obtain or keep work
- Experience of actively and regularly engaging with employers and employment providers to seek out employment opportunities on behalf of service users
- Knowledge of vocational assessment & profiling of service users' vocational needs
Desirable
- Recent experience of working with service users to help them meet their employment-related goals
- Experience & knowledge of the benefits agency and all disability employment related benefits
- Personal experience of recovery
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Enthusiasm and commitment towards supporting people with substance misuse find paid employment.
- An understanding of the benefits of work as part of the recovery process and a positive attitude to enabling service users overcome barriers to finding employment, are essential.
- Excellent marketing and promotional skills with an excellent negotiation skills & persuasive style
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work autonomously and use own initiative
Desirable
- Knowledge of relevant welfare benefits and benefits rules
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Good time management skills to balance the co-ordination of own diary making best use of time, efficiently and effectively.
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel independently to other bases and Service User homes.
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
