Job Coach

Job Re-Advertised

Full Time or Job Share

Salary: £19,574 - £23,386/pro rata for Job Share

Closing: 24/09/2018

Interviews: 28/09/2018

Journey Enterprise’s Job Coaching & Life-Skills teams work together to support young adults/adults with additional needs to live and work independently. Through skills development and work experience placements we aim to enable clients to achieve real work outcomes, better health and active participation in their local communities.

This role is funded initially until 31st March 2020 by Durham County Council and covers the County of Durham only. This role forms part of a full-time post which is being offered as full time or job share.

The Job Coach will ensure clients with a learning disability and complex needs develop the skills and confidence to travel, volunteer and achieve employment, reducing their need for day care and assisted transport provision.

Job coaching is provided on a 1:1 basis. It is tailored to the skills, interests and aspirations of the client. Job Coaches work with local employers, training providers, voluntary sector partners and with Job Centre’s, to ensure clients secure appropriate volunteering placements and employment.

The Job Coaching Team is also able to support clients who may wish to explore enterprise initiatives.

Location and Operating Hours

The Job Coach will be based out of our Coundon site and will travel across County Durham to meet Clients, professionals and employers. Occasional travel to our other sites is required to attend training and/or meetings. These sites are in Acomb, Hexham and Wallsend, North Tyneside.

The Job Coach must have access to suitable transportation for the role.

The Charity operates between 08.30 – 16.30 from Monday – Thursdays and 08.30 – 16.00 on Fridays. Unsocial hours are occasionally required.

For Job Share applicants, working days will be agreed with the successful candidates.

Contract Requirements: Durham County Council

Working within a person-centred approach the Job Coach will work collaboratively with his/her colleague on this service contract and:

• Liaise with the Local Authority’s Transitions & Learning Disability teams to identify clients attending day services who would like to receive Job Coaching;
• Work collaboratively with Job Centre Plus, the National Careers Services, Schools/Colleges and training providers and with local employers to access suitable work-experience and employment opportunities;
• Work collaboratively with Voluntary Sector, Local Authority and NHS partners to secure transition from day-care to volunteering & work placements;
• Advise on training, work placements and employment opportunities;
• Work with clients to develop skills, confidence and self-esteem;
• Prepare clients through job search, application and interview stages;
• Provide mentoring & support for clients who are volunteering;
• Provide in-work support for clients who have progressed to employment;
• Provide information and guidance on DWP’s in-work benefits and services to support clients and hosting employers (e.g. Universal Credit, Access to Work, Disability Confident);
• Provide pre-employment & retention support for hosting employers;

Key Responsibilities

Working with Local Employers:

• Within a social model of disability, to champion to employers in County Durham the business benefits of employing people with learning disabilities.
• Working creatively with local employers in County Durham, to identify and develop suitable work opportunities for people with disabilities.
• To provide specialist support to the employer prior to, and following, recruitment of people with learning disability.
• To undertake job analysis and risk assessments in the work place as required.
• To link the employer to external Organizations’ providing support, funding and assistance for employees with learning disability.

Working with Professionals

• To build effective partnerships with a range of professionals supporting individuals with learning disability and complex needs: these will include Social Care, Transitions, and Learning Disability teams. All partnerships will be based in County Durham.
• To deliver presentations and attend meetings and events to promote Journey’s employability service to referring professionals and to families. All events will be based in County Durham.
• To build professional referral paths In to service of people with learning disabilities and complex needs who are seeking work placements/ volunteering & employment opportunities.

Working with Clients and Families

• Working with the individual, to develop a Person-Centred Profile and Individual Employment Plan, identifying and evidencing their route into employment.
• To work with the whole circle of support (family, professionals and colleagues) to raise aspirations and maximize the chances of success of any work placement or paid employment.
• To prepare candidates for interview, placements and employment by addressing individual barriers to work readiness. This may include travel training, confidence building etc.
• To ensure Clients and Families (unpaid carers) are signposted to appropriate additional support services to meet their needs.

Responsibilities of all Staff at Journey

• To ensure Client Safeguarding in line with Journey’s Safeguarding Policy and the Care Act 2014;
• To work within Health and Safety guidelines and follow safe working practices;
• To be an ambassador for Journey, promoting, embodying and upholding our values with all stakeholders;
• To work as part of the Journey team, attending and contributing to team and whole-staff meetings as required;

To undertake training as required by the Organization.

The Trustees at Journey are committed to Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults. The successful candidate will be required to undergo an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check for deployment in regulated activity.

Journey is an Equal Opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community.

To find out more and apply on-line, visit www.journeyenterprises.co.uk

We are unable to accept or review CVs.

The Charity is a Disability Committed employer and positively welcomes applicants with lived experience of disability or unpaid caring roles.