Job summary
Due to service expansion, we are currently looking for several employment advisors for our Talking Therapies Team. If you have experience in mental health and/or vocational/employment advice, come along and join us in Talking Therapies where you will make a real difference!
You will support service users with common mental health problems to gain, return to or retain employment. The role will require a basic understanding of the work of external organisations such asJob Centre Plus, trade unions, and employment agencies, to guide clients in accessing support that is suitable to their circumstances. There may be occasions when some joint working will be required.
You'll need to use your skills and experience in holding a caseload to support and empower our clients to achieve their goals and aspirations, focusing on their employment journey. You will be working in a motivated, supportive environment, helping people experiencing low mood and/or anxiety with practical employment matters.
We have full-time or part-time opportunities to be based either in Wokingham or Bracknell* Although we currently conduct most of our work virtually from home, you will be required to come to your base occasionally for team meetings, training or for other service-related reasons as necessary.You may also need to see some clients face to face so you will need flexibility to travel on occasion.
(*Please indicate your preferred base in your supporting statement of your application).
Main duties of the job
- Hold a caseload of clients
- Support clients to find work, stay in work, or return to work after sick leave
- Offer support via telephone, video calls (Teams), emails, and face-to-face as needed
The "must haves" for you to be considered for this role:
- Experience in mental health and/or vocational/employment advice
- Effective written and oral communication skills
- Able to prioritise and plan own caseload
- An empathetic and compassionate approach when working with people with low mood and/or anxiety
About us
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust isa specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire.
The trust employs almost 5,000 people over more than 100 sites and community settings across Windsor & Maidenhead, Slough, Bracknell Forest, Wokingham, Reading and West Berkshire.
Benefits of working for us include:
- Flexible working options to support work-life balance.
- 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell leave
- Generous NHS pension scheme - 20.68% employer contribution
- Excellent learning and career development opportunities
- Advanced IT enablement
- 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme
- Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
- Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants via the Blue Light Card
- Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities and more to support equality
- Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave and access to our three staff nurseries
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for you to be considered for this role:
- Experience in mental health and/or vocational/employment advice
- Effective written and oral communication skills
- Able to prioritise and plan own caseload
- An empathetic and compassionate approach when working with people with low mood and/or anxiety
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for you to be considered for this role:
- Experience in mental health and/or vocational/employment advice
- Effective written and oral communication skills
- Able to prioritise and plan own caseload
- An empathetic and compassionate approach when working with people with low mood and/or anxiety
Person Specification
Other Requirements
Essential
- Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships
- Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality
- Flexibility and willingness to travel independently to other locations throughout the organisation as and when required
- Flexibility and willingness to travel representing Talking Therapies Service at promotional events engaging with members of the public and partner organisations
- Ability to use virtual technology to provide a service to clients and attend meetings
Qualification
Essential
- Evidence of further study in vocational training, careers advice, job retention and presenteeism
- or Equivalent experience gained through work in the field
Desirable
- Customer service NVQ level 2 minimum or equivalent
- Or Evidence of a good customer service background
Experience
Essential
- Experience of providing vocational/employment support
Desirable
- Experience of supporting people with MH conditions 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 recovery and vocational skills
- Experience of working within a multi - disciplinary team
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Effective written and oral communication skills
- Organisational skills
- Ability to prioritise and plan own caseload
- Basic counselling skills
- 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
- Ability to collect and report data to support service performance and evaluation
- Knowledge of employment and disability related benefits
- Vocational assessment and profiling
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
- 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
Training
Essential
- Willing and able to undertake the relevant training associated with the role which includes some formal study
- Able to integrate training into practice
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Evidence of further study in vocational training, careers advice, job retention and presenteeism or
- Equivalent experience gained through work in the field.
Desirable
- Customer service NVQ level 2 minimum or equivalent or
- Evidence of a good customer service background
Person Specification
Other Requirements
Essential
- Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships
- Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality
- Flexibility and willingness to travel independently to other locations throughout the organisation as and when required
- Flexibility and willingness to travel representing Talking Therapies Service at promotional events engaging with members of the public and partner organisations
- Ability to use virtual technology to provide a service to clients and attend meetings
Qualification
Essential
- Evidence of further study in vocational training, careers advice, job retention and presenteeism
- or Equivalent experience gained through work in the field
Desirable
- Customer service NVQ level 2 minimum or equivalent
- Or Evidence of a good customer service background
Experience
Essential
- Experience of providing vocational/employment support
Desirable
- Experience of supporting people with MH conditions 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 recovery and vocational skills
- Experience of working within a multi - disciplinary team
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Effective written and oral communication skills
- Organisational skills
- Ability to prioritise and plan own caseload
- Basic counselling skills
- 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
- Ability to collect and report data to support service performance and evaluation
- Knowledge of employment and disability related benefits
- Vocational assessment and profiling
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
- 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
Training
Essential
- Willing and able to undertake the relevant training associated with the role which includes some formal study
- Able to integrate training into practice
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Evidence of further study in vocational training, careers advice, job retention and presenteeism or
- Equivalent experience gained through work in the field.
Desirable
- Customer service NVQ level 2 minimum or equivalent or
- Evidence of a good customer service background
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).
