Job summary
A new and exciting opportunity has arisen for a permanent, full time Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Employment Advisor covering the York and Selby area.
The IPS employment model is internationally recognised as the most effective way to support people with mental health problems to gain and keep paid employment. It is based on over 20 years of research.
IPS stands for "Individual Placement and Support". It is an evidence-based approach to helping people with mental health conditions find and keep a paid job.
Having a job can bring numerous benefits to people;routine, structure, identity, social opportunities, a purpose, as well as a wage or salary. We know having a job can help people with mental health conditions to recover.
At present, only around 4% of people receiving support from secondary mental health services are in paid employment, while studies suggestalmost 90% of people with serious and enduring mental health conditions want to work. The IPS Employment Team aims to provide the right support to help this happen.
Main duties of the job
This role is part of a wider employment support service, working closely with people with moderate to severe common mental health problems and their clinicians. The post holder will support service users to gain or return to competitive (paid) employment following the Individual Placement and Support process, aiming for fidelity to this delivery model. The role will involve working directly with Jobcentre Plus, employers, trade unions and employment agencies to secure paid employment opportunities, including supporting them and their employers to retain these opportunities for up to one year once gained.
To provide appropriate employment advice to service users, assessing each person's individual employment needs through vocational profiling/assessment, and providing support through use of coaching, motivational and practical techniques. Service users will self-refer and all service users will be seen, independent of clinical team views re; "readiness" of service user for employment.
To work closely with CMHT staff
To be co-located within the relevant CMHT
To promote at all times a positive image of people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities.
To promote at all times a positive image of TEWV employment services and the wider Trust.
About us
We're committed to co-creating a great experience for our colleagues. This means listening to what staff are telling us and working together to be the best employer we can be.
Our staff are our most important asset and recognising their excellent work and the vital contributions they make to patient care is very important.
We have achieved the gold Investors in People (IIP) standard and have been commended on great people management practice and demonstrating a commitment to staff development.
We are signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme. This means we have to demonstrate that we're taking positive action to attract, recruit and retain disabled people
We have an award-winning system for delivering efficiency through clinician-led quality improvements.
All staff who join us are provided with a comprehensive induction programme, starting on their first day of employment.
Continuous professional development is important to us. Once you're comfortable in your new role, you and your manager will work collaboratively to form a Personal Development Plan (PDP), your personal career aspirations are taken into account and the trust will provide you with the resources you need to develop.
It's important our staff are able to raise concerns about patient safety and let us know when we need to improve services. We have a number of ways people can do this.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The IPS worker will be working with people who have a mental illness and support them into competitive employment and then enabling them to retain that employment. As an IPS worker you will be looking for paid employment opportunities for clients who are currently involved with secondary care adult mental health services. This will involve developing opportunities with local employers and supporting them as well as the client, to ensure the right person is in the right job.
You will support clients with job searching, completing CV's and application forms and interview preparation. Working with our clients, you will liaise and signpost to a range of employment and training programmes within the local area, to include Job Centre Plus.
Developing your knowledge and networks of employment related support services and inclusive employers within the local area is essential to this role. Employment opportunities would include those within TEWV itself.
The successful applicants will establish ongoing monitoring and support systems for clients once employment is secured. This will include review of employment gained to ensure that this is meeting both clients and employers needs. This will include offering support to employers and clients with any problems that may arise and promoting disability awareness among employers to ensure a positive integration of our clients into the workforce.
The successful candidate will be dynamic and highly motivated, with excellent communication skills to enable you to work/engage effectively with a wide range of agencies and employers, clients and sometimes their families. Innovation, determination and ability to influence assertively are key to the success of this role.
You will apply consistently high standards, have knowledge of relevant legislation and be willing to attend training as required. The successful candidate needs to demonstrate a strong commitment to employment and social inclusion.
IPS supervision and clinical support from community mental health team members will be offered on a regular basis with ongoing training and development opportunities relevant to the post.
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.
Additional informal enquiries: Additional contact details:Mark Fryett, Trust wide IPS lead 07880 460509 - mark.fryett@nhs.net
Job description
Job responsibilities
The IPS worker will be working with people who have a mental illness and support them into competitive employment and then enabling them to retain that employment. As an IPS worker you will be looking for paid employment opportunities for clients who are currently involved with secondary care adult mental health services. This will involve developing opportunities with local employers and supporting them as well as the client, to ensure the right person is in the right job.
You will support clients with job searching, completing CV's and application forms and interview preparation. Working with our clients, you will liaise and signpost to a range of employment and training programmes within the local area, to include Job Centre Plus.
Developing your knowledge and networks of employment related support services and inclusive employers within the local area is essential to this role. Employment opportunities would include those within TEWV itself.
The successful applicants will establish ongoing monitoring and support systems for clients once employment is secured. This will include review of employment gained to ensure that this is meeting both clients and employers needs. This will include offering support to employers and clients with any problems that may arise and promoting disability awareness among employers to ensure a positive integration of our clients into the workforce.
The successful candidate will be dynamic and highly motivated, with excellent communication skills to enable you to work/engage effectively with a wide range of agencies and employers, clients and sometimes their families. Innovation, determination and ability to influence assertively are key to the success of this role.
You will apply consistently high standards, have knowledge of relevant legislation and be willing to attend training as required. The successful candidate needs to demonstrate a strong commitment to employment and social inclusion.
IPS supervision and clinical support from community mental health team members will be offered on a regular basis with ongoing training and development opportunities relevant to the post.
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.
Additional informal enquiries: Additional contact details:Mark Fryett, Trust wide IPS lead 07880 460509 - mark.fryett@nhs.net
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A degree in a relevant area or Equivalent experience in employment advice or mental health
Desirable
- To demonstrate knowledge and or experience to degree level or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience of providing vocational/employment support
Desirable
- Experience of supporting people into vocational/employment activities.
- Understanding of the employment needs barriers and difficulties faced by people with MH conditions
- Experience of working in a service where agreed targets are in place, demonstrating specific outcomes
- Experience of assessing, planning and facilitating activities that focus on vocational skills
- Experience of working within a multi - disciplinary team
- Experience of IPS delivery
- Experience and knowledge of the benefits agency and all disability/employment related benefits
- Indirect or direct experience of mental health issues/learning disability
Knowledge
Essential
- An understanding of the principles and practice of the Individual Placement and Support Model
- A working knowledge of a broad range of jobs/occupations
- A good understanding of return to work planning.
- Awareness of the secondary effects on the individual that could be caused by their mental health experience
- Awareness that many individuals with mental health conditions may also have primary or secondary health conditions and disabilities.
- The knowledge to understand the work implications of these conditions, confidence, fear of failure etc
- Knowledge of employment and disability related benefits.
Desirable
- The EA must be aware of and guided by the Job Centre Plus Employment, Health Condition and Disability guide notes
- Awareness of the needs of people with MH conditions. The issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on MH.
- Working knowledge of community resources
- Knowledge of employment law and the Equality Act 2010.
- Knowledge of evidence based interventions to support people with common MH problems remain in, return to & gain work
Skills
Essential
- Effective written and oral communication skills.
- Marketing skills
- Good negotiation skills and a persuasive style
- Organisational and time management skills.
- Ability to prioritise and plan own caseload.
- Ability to provide vocational assessments and profiling, or willingness to gain this ability in a specific timeframe.
- Ability to assess individual strengths in relation to employment
- Ability to adapt activities to be appropriate for the needs of an individual client.
- Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets
- Excellent interpersonal skills- including the ability to develop relationships with clients, carers, staff, employers and other agencies being astute in relation to the needs of all
- Ability to collect and report data to support service performance and evaluation
Desirable
- Ability to negotiate with employers on behalf of service users
- Ability to be flexible, open and creative in problem solving
- Ability to work as part of a multi - disciplinary team
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A degree in a relevant area or Equivalent experience in employment advice or mental health
Desirable
- To demonstrate knowledge and or experience to degree level or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience of providing vocational/employment support
Desirable
- Experience of supporting people into vocational/employment activities.
- Understanding of the employment needs barriers and difficulties faced by people with MH conditions
- Experience of working in a service where agreed targets are in place, demonstrating specific outcomes
- Experience of assessing, planning and facilitating activities that focus on vocational skills
- Experience of working within a multi - disciplinary team
- Experience of IPS delivery
- Experience and knowledge of the benefits agency and all disability/employment related benefits
- Indirect or direct experience of mental health issues/learning disability
Knowledge
Essential
- An understanding of the principles and practice of the Individual Placement and Support Model
- A working knowledge of a broad range of jobs/occupations
- A good understanding of return to work planning.
- Awareness of the secondary effects on the individual that could be caused by their mental health experience
- Awareness that many individuals with mental health conditions may also have primary or secondary health conditions and disabilities.
- The knowledge to understand the work implications of these conditions, confidence, fear of failure etc
- Knowledge of employment and disability related benefits.
Desirable
- The EA must be aware of and guided by the Job Centre Plus Employment, Health Condition and Disability guide notes
- Awareness of the needs of people with MH conditions. The issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on MH.
- Working knowledge of community resources
- Knowledge of employment law and the Equality Act 2010.
- Knowledge of evidence based interventions to support people with common MH problems remain in, return to & gain work
Skills
Essential
- Effective written and oral communication skills.
- Marketing skills
- Good negotiation skills and a persuasive style
- Organisational and time management skills.
- Ability to prioritise and plan own caseload.
- Ability to provide vocational assessments and profiling, or willingness to gain this ability in a specific timeframe.
- Ability to assess individual strengths in relation to employment
- Ability to adapt activities to be appropriate for the needs of an individual client.
- Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets
- Excellent interpersonal skills- including the ability to develop relationships with clients, carers, staff, employers and other agencies being astute in relation to the needs of all
- Ability to collect and report data to support service performance and evaluation
Desirable
- Ability to negotiate with employers on behalf of service users
- Ability to be flexible, open and creative in problem solving
- Ability to work as part of a multi - disciplinary team
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).
