Job summary
We are recruiting a Band 4 Educational and Vocational Advisor to join our team based at the Allington Unit in Dartford.
You will work with the individuals residing there to develop their educational and vocational skills, be able to recognise that this client population faces a number of barriers to educational and vocational pursuits and will work flexibly and adaptably to help them develop in these areas.
The role will focus on setting up opportunities for formal qualifications, job taster/work experience programmes and pre-vocational skills development and work with the individual to identify their personal goals in collaboration with the multidisciplinary clinical teams to identify the best way to reach those goals.
You will work with the individual on those goals, keeping in mind any restrictions or risk-based issues that may be relevant, work to enhance the relationships in place between the Unit and community educational or vocational support organisations and evidence their outcomes and practice and share learning with colleagues in the service and beyond.
Main duties of the job
Implement and drive the offer of City and Guilds qualifications.
Provision of individual and small group work relating to education and vocational skills.
Development of vocational roles / vocational skill development opportunities available to patients within the service.
Building relationships with vocational and educational support organisations in the community.
Building relationships with the local Recovery College and developing the role for forensic inpatients within this.
Create skill development opportunities for patients who are going to be participating in engagement work e.g. interviewing skills, how to chair a meeting, completing applications and carrying out audits.
Set up a Job Taster Programme for service users within the Allington Unit.
Evaluate the outcomes of education and vocational input for the service users at the Allington Unit.
About us
Come and work with us in the Garden of England where we combine exceptional professional development opportunities with a tremendous quality of life.
We are Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT), providing mental health, learning disability and specialist services, serving 1.8 million people in Kent and Medway, as well as specialist services for adults in Sussex and Surrey. We are rated Good overall by the CQC.
Each year we care for over 2,000 people in our hospitals and 54,000 people in the community.
We are proud to employ over 3,800 people from 66 nationalities, and to serve an increasingly diverse range of communities across rural and urban areas.
You will be joining friendly, passionate colleagues, rich in their diversity, who are committed to providing excellent care to our service users and their loved ones.
The nature of our work attracts kindness and compassion as standard and everyone from our cleaners and porters to the chief executive and chairman are recognised as playing a vital role in providing an exemplary service.
Our strategy
Our mission is what we set out to do every dayWe deliver brilliant care through brilliant people
Our vision is where we want to be in the futureTo provide outstanding care and to work in partnership to deliver this in the right place, for every service user, every time.
Check out our recruitment videos Recruitment - YouTube
Job description
Job responsibilities
It is widely recognised that individuals within forensic mental health services face a number of barriers in relation to their ability to engage in education or vocation. Individuals who have been subject to long periods of detention may not have had the opportunity to consolidate their educational or vocational skills prior to admission, or may have become de-skilled during their hospital stay. They may never have had the opportunity to engage in vocation or education, may be unable to return to previous educational or vocational pursuits or may feel uncertain about whether education or vocation might be available to them in light of their forensic history.
The purpose of this role is to enable the service to increase their focus on the educational and vocational needs of patients, and to do so from an earlier point in their treatment journey. This would then be expected to lead to more positive outcomes in relation to patient reported well-being, mental health recovery, roles, autonomy and social inclusion. These improved outcomes may then help patients progress through their inpatient journey with greater feelings of hope and motivation for their future post-discharge. It may also mean that at the point of discharge, patients would be ready to step straight into community based educational, vocational, or voluntary roles, which could be really important in terms of sustaining their discharge and keeping them in the community.
The post holder would be expected to work in close partnership with the occupational therapy team and the individual service user in overcoming the barriers experienced when seeking, returning to and maintaining employment.
This will involve working closely with service users, offering individualised vocational advice and guidance as well as supporting with practical skill development, and may include developing links with training, education and/or additional employment resources.
Please see the attached job description for full details of the main duties and responsibilities of the role.
What is High Cost Area Allowance?
The High-Cost Area (HCA) allowance, also referred to as London Weighting is a payment made to employees who work in London and the surrounding areas.
As this post is based in Dartford, Gravesham or Swanley, the successful applicant will receive an additional payment each month.
5% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £1,303 per year and a maximum payment of £2,198 per year (the agreed annual amount will be divided into 12 equal amounts and paid monthly) (2025 figures)
Job description
Job responsibilities
It is widely recognised that individuals within forensic mental health services face a number of barriers in relation to their ability to engage in education or vocation. Individuals who have been subject to long periods of detention may not have had the opportunity to consolidate their educational or vocational skills prior to admission, or may have become de-skilled during their hospital stay. They may never have had the opportunity to engage in vocation or education, may be unable to return to previous educational or vocational pursuits or may feel uncertain about whether education or vocation might be available to them in light of their forensic history.
The purpose of this role is to enable the service to increase their focus on the educational and vocational needs of patients, and to do so from an earlier point in their treatment journey. This would then be expected to lead to more positive outcomes in relation to patient reported well-being, mental health recovery, roles, autonomy and social inclusion. These improved outcomes may then help patients progress through their inpatient journey with greater feelings of hope and motivation for their future post-discharge. It may also mean that at the point of discharge, patients would be ready to step straight into community based educational, vocational, or voluntary roles, which could be really important in terms of sustaining their discharge and keeping them in the community.
The post holder would be expected to work in close partnership with the occupational therapy team and the individual service user in overcoming the barriers experienced when seeking, returning to and maintaining employment.
This will involve working closely with service users, offering individualised vocational advice and guidance as well as supporting with practical skill development, and may include developing links with training, education and/or additional employment resources.
Please see the attached job description for full details of the main duties and responsibilities of the role.
What is High Cost Area Allowance?
The High-Cost Area (HCA) allowance, also referred to as London Weighting is a payment made to employees who work in London and the surrounding areas.
As this post is based in Dartford, Gravesham or Swanley, the successful applicant will receive an additional payment each month.
5% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £1,303 per year and a maximum payment of £2,198 per year (the agreed annual amount will be divided into 12 equal amounts and paid monthly) (2025 figures)
Person Specification
Training and Qualification
Essential
- NVQ 3 Level Qualification or equivalent
Desirable
- Further training relevant to the role
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with people with mental health conditions
- Knowledge and understanding of the impact that mental ill health can have on functioning
Desirable
- Experience of working in Vocational Rehabilitation
- Experience of supporting individuals to develop their education and vocational skills
- Experience of working in forensic services
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Understanding of the Equality Act (2010) and its correlation with supporting people with mental and/or physical health problems to remain in or return to work
- Ability to form rapport with individuals and groups
- Ability to identify training and development needs for service users.
- Awareness of issues around disability discrimination and social inclusion
Desirable
- Training and presentation/facilitation skills
- Some knowledge of other relevant employment legislation and types of discrimination in the work place
- Aware of supporting agencies in connection with employment legislation and advice
- Ability to apply and promote equal opportunities particularly the core belief in each individual's employability
Other
Essential
- Good knowledge and practice of IT skills
Desirable
- Experience in collecting outcome measures or data related to a service
- Experience putting together reports to evidence service or intervention outcome
Person Specification
Training and Qualification
Essential
- NVQ 3 Level Qualification or equivalent
Desirable
- Further training relevant to the role
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with people with mental health conditions
- Knowledge and understanding of the impact that mental ill health can have on functioning
Desirable
- Experience of working in Vocational Rehabilitation
- Experience of supporting individuals to develop their education and vocational skills
- Experience of working in forensic services
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Understanding of the Equality Act (2010) and its correlation with supporting people with mental and/or physical health problems to remain in or return to work
- Ability to form rapport with individuals and groups
- Ability to identify training and development needs for service users.
- Awareness of issues around disability discrimination and social inclusion
Desirable
- Training and presentation/facilitation skills
- Some knowledge of other relevant employment legislation and types of discrimination in the work place
- Aware of supporting agencies in connection with employment legislation and advice
- Ability to apply and promote equal opportunities particularly the core belief in each individual's employability
Other
Essential
- Good knowledge and practice of IT skills
Desirable
- Experience in collecting outcome measures or data related to a service
- Experience putting together reports to evidence service or intervention outcome
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.
Employer details
Employer name
Kent & Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust
Address
Allington Centre, Archery House, Dartford
Bow Arrow Lane
Dartford
DA2 6PB
Employer's website
https://www.kmpt.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)
