Attic Project Caseworker. Attic Project. Job Pack

Transcription

1 Attic Project Caseworker Attic Project Job Pack

2 Attic Project Caseworker Attic Project 23,511-24,748 Cardiff based Applications are invited for this new post, which will initially be on a 3 year fixed term basis, funded from the Big Lottery, People and Places Grant. The Attic project is a 3 year pilot project that will be led by Care & Repair Cymru and delivered in partnership with Voluntary Community Services Cymru, Care & Repair Cardiff & Vale and Newport Care & Repair. The combined expertise of the four partner organisations will enable us to provide a practical service to older people to help them to organise and downsize personal possessions. Alongside this service we will also provide an innovative befriending and reminiscence program that aims to support older people with one of the most difficult transitions we all will face, the last move of our lifetime. How to apply The completed application form and equal opportunities form must be returned:- Louise Parry Care & Repair Cymru 2 Ocean Way Cardiff CF24 5TG Or ed marked in the subject tab as Private and Confidential Attic Project Caseworker to louise.parry@careandrepair.org.uk by noon 26 th June Please note CVs will not be accepted. Interviews will be held Friday 14 th July at Care & Repair s offices in Cardiff. We look forward to receiving your completed submission in due course. For further information, or to discuss this post, please contact Vera Brinkworth or Chris Jones on

3 Dear Applicant, Thank you for your interest in working for our exciting new service The Attic Project. I am delighted to issue this Job Pack to you and hope you will find it both useful and informative. This Job Pack is intended to give you a chance to find out more about the role and provides a background of the other 3 partner organisations involved in delivering the project. As an employer, we make every effort to provide opportunities to each and every worker, so that they can reach their full potential and build a career with us. We believe our investment in the workforce begins at this stage, the application. We want people to join us because they believe in what we do and believe they have something to give that will improve the organisation. The Attic project will target older people (50+) living in Cardiff, the Vale and Newport. By working closely with existing partners in health, social care, the voluntary sector and housing the Care and Repair agencies will receive and assess referrals. Once the client has decided on which items to remove the practical task of moving, recycling or disposing will be arranged by the Specialist Caseworker and Care & Repair handyperson service. The primary aims of the Attic project are A partnership of our 4 organisations. to support older people to organise their storage so that essential improvements and adaptations can be carried out to their homes, to dispose of or recycle unwanted items, and to enable the process of letting go of treasured items through reminiscence work. This will bring about a safer home environment, an opportunity to recycle re-usable possessions, as well as contributing to the social and cultural capital of the local community by sharing memories and life stories. This Job Pack includes an Application Form, Job Description Personal Specification. Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, Background information on partner organisations. It is really important that you read the requirements of the Person Specification and that the information you provide in your application describes how you meet those requirements the shortlisting process will use the Person Specification criteria to determine who will be asked for interview.

4 Wherever possible use examples to evidence the experience and skills you have and make sure you tell us how your personal attributes will make you someone we ll want on our team. If you would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact us on and ask to speak to Vera Brinkworth or Chris Jones. Yours sincerely, Heather Dungey Corporate Services Manager Care & Repair Cymru

5 Background to partner organisations Care & Repair Cymru Care & Repair Cymru is the national body that actively works to ensure that all older people have homes that are safe, secure and appropriate to their needs. This is achieved by listening to the needs and desires of older people and articulating this information to policy makers at the National Assembly for Wales. Care & Repair Cymru is able to access the needs of older people through the all Wales coverage of local Care & Repair Agencies. Care & Repair Cymru ensures support to Care & Repair Agencies through a good practice and policy framework that focuses on the housing, health and social care needs of older people. Our Vision: A Wales where all older people can live independently in warm, safe and accessible homes Our Mission: We provide leadership, expertise, innovation, advocacy, resources and evidence to support investment that ensures all older people in Wales can live independently in warm, safe, accessible homes. VCS Cymru Established in 1964, we work to help people and their communities thrive through heritage, media and supported volunteering. We exist to enable the most disadvantaged to engage with their communities, facilitating the positive health and well-being of individuals and the places they call home, through community heritage, media and supported volunteering opportunities. VCS Cymru was the first local volunteering service to be established in Wales and only the second in the UK (after the CSV London Task Force was set-up some six months before). We have always changed and adapted to meet the needs of our communities. From typewriters to Podcasts and social media, we have been at the heart of the thriving communities in Cardiff for generations, working to encourage, enable and inspire individuals and community spirit. Care & Repair Cardiff & Vale Care & Repair Cardiff and the Vale is a registered charity ( ). The charity was set up in July 2015 due to a merger between Care & Repair in the Vale and Care & Repair Cardiff.

6 Our mission is to support older people to repair, adapt and maintain their homes. We do this so that all older people are able to live in safe, secure, warm and comfortable homes which suits them and their lives and maximises their independence. We provide a number of services that support and help older people complete repairs, improvements and adaptations to their homes, through the provision of expert advice, support and practical assistance. Newport Care & Repair Newport Care & Repair is a service available to homeowners or privately renting tenants, aged over 60, and who live in Newport. We provide a range of advice and practical solutions to help you carry out home improvements, repairs, or adaptations to your home that allow you to live independently. Our aim is to ensure your home is a safe, warm and comfortable place to live in. Newport Care & Repair is a Welsh Government backed Home Improvement Agency. Launched in 2000 in partnership with Newport Council and the Local Health Board following discussions with Care & Repair Cymru, the national umbrella organisation for agencies in Wales. From April 2014, the Newport Care & Repair Agency was aligned with Derwen, the new older persons housing service within the Pobl Group.

7 JOB DESCRIPTION JOB TITLE: Attic Project Caseworker SALARY: 23,511-24,748 HOURS OF WORK: DURATION LOCATION: REPORTS TO: 35 hrs p/w 3 years fixed term Care & Repair Cardiff and the Vale 3 days Newport Care & Repair 2 days Operational Manager, Care & Repair Cardiff and the Vale Project development Officer (in relation to project delivery and outcomes) Based at Care & Repair Cardiff and the Vale, who will be the employer, the post is responsible for providing a dedicated and specialist casework service for the new Attic Project Service. The project will be led by Care & Repair Cymru and delivered in partnership with Care & Repair Cardiff & the Vale, Newport Care & Repair and VCS Cymru and funded through a Big Lottery People and Places Grant. JOB PURPOSE: To provide a comprehensive advisory and support service to older people across Cardiff, The Vale of Glamorgan and Newport in line with the service aims and objectives of The Attic Project. The service will advise and support clients to dispose of, recycle or move unwanted items in their home to enable them to adapt to changing needs while living in safe, warm, suitably adapted homes. As appropriate, clients will also be supported to engage in a befriending and reminiscence programme as part of the Project. Main Duties: To work as a team with the Attic Project Development Officer and Reminiscence Project Co-ordinator. To visit older people in their homes to discuss their housing needs and their need to move, recycle or dispose of items no longer needed and taking up space. Where practical help is needed to move items, to prepare a referral to the Care & Repair handyperson service. To identify, during the home visit, other needs clients may have and provide advice and support to assist them to address these needs. To establish and maintain effective professional relationship with representatives of statutory bodies, voluntary organisations and local groups, representing the Agency and the Project at meetings where required.

8 To assist in the marketing of the service through attendance at information days, group meetings etc. A commitment to working outside of normal office hours will occasionally be necessary. Assist in the development, implementation, monitoring and review of Policies and Procedures relating to The Attic Project. Ensure that accurate records are kept at all times. Make referrals to the reminiscence project workers where appropriate. Keep up to date with developments in the relevant field of work through attendance at network meetings, courses, seminars and conferences. Ensure Care & Repair s commitment to best practise is maintained and users receive a quality service. It is inevitable that duties will change to reflect the development of the project. The Operational Manager and Project Development Officer, in conjunction with the post holder, will develop and evolve the detailed tasks required for the position as part of the role s appraisal process.

9 PERSON SPECIFICATION Listed below are the requirements needed to undertake this job. These will form a key part of the selection process and your ability to meet these criteria should be demonstrated in the relevant sections of the application form. Requirements QUALIFICATIONS SKILLS KNOWLEDGE Good standard of education, with 5 GSE or O level equivalent, and 2 A level or equivalent E Qualification relating to project management, housing, or other relevant qualification. D Ability to manage multiple tasks flexibly E Ability to learn quickly, embrace new ideas, apply in a variety of scenarios and self-resource where necessary E Ability to present complex information clearly E Ability to organise work well, prioritise and deliver to deadlines E Ability to communicate in a structured way, effectively at all levels, written and verbal E A good listener with an intuition for context E Ability to negotiate effectively on behalf and with older clients, advocating on behalf of clients as appropriate E The ability to collect quality data in a systematic way E Ability to think creatively and involve clients in the planning of their services E Good ICT skills including Microsoft applications, Word, Database and Excel E Ability to speak and/or write in Welsh D Providing advice, guidance & instruction to vulnerable people and carers D Specialist knowledge of communication with people with sensory loss D Knowledge of the housing needs of older people and the range of services that provide housing support E Knowledge and understanding of the links between housing, community care and health E A basic knowledge of sight & hearing loss issues and conditions that impact on personal independence E A basic awareness of digital & financial inclusion E Understanding of the importance of the Welsh Language and of bilingual communications. D In depth knowledge of a wide range of eye and hearing conditions, their treatments and the sources of support available D Knowledge of techniques that improve communication with people with sensory loss D

10 EXPERIENCE PERSONAL QUALITIES OTHER Working cooperatively in a busy team environment (minimum of 2 years experience) E Working with older people and/or vulnerable people E Recent experience of working in a support role or in community based social/health care services E Experience of providing information, advice and emotional and/or practical support E Anticipation of the consequences of situations and planning appropriate action to best manage eventualities E Project management/task planning E Experience of developing strong cross sector partnerships E Experience of tailoring a personalised service E Of home visiting service delivery D Supporting the rights of clients to statutory services D Supporting vulnerable clients to improve access to statutory services D Exercises strong sense of dignity & respect E Able to apply empathy with and provide support for clients whilst remaining objective and non-judgmental E A commitment to customer care & providing high quality services E Patient and effective communicator E Ability to embrace change with new service methods, procedures and technologies to benefit older people E Highly motivated self starter with can-do attitude E Strong sense of emotional intelligence E Commitment to the diversity agenda E Reliable, organised and professional E Able to take initiative and work within a team E Able to maintain work/life balance E Ability to work within set procedures E Full driving licence E Able/willing to work occasional evenings/weekends if required E Good working knowledge of issues related to Equalities & Diversity (across all the equality strands ) D

11 Terms and Conditions Location Based in Cardiff, but covering the Newport, Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan area. Pay 23,511 24,748 Hours Holidays Probation and Supervision Notice Period Flexi Time Cash Health Plan Pension Learning and Development Offices 35 hours per week but will occasionally be required to work out of office hours. 25 days per annum, rising by one day for each completed year of service, to a maximum of 30 days. Plus all public holidays. Six months probation with regular supervision. After 6 month probation, 1 month. Flexible system in operation. Work between 7am 7pm with no core hours. After 6 month probation period, staff are eligible to join the Simply Health scheme. Up to 6% contributory pension scheme. Relevant training and development is provided. Modern offices with onsite car parking.