Technical Instructor - Workshop

Do you have a trade qualification OR relevant experience in related trade skills (DIY, carpentry, painting and decorating, plumbing for example)?

Would you like to use your skills and experience to work in a therapeutic workshop environment to assist service users to gain employment skills?

If so, we have an exciting and rewarding opportunity within Therapy Services to work as part of the Secure Care Service in the post of Occupational Therapy Technical Instructor (Workshop) Band 3. 

Description of Job and Essential Requirements

We are looking to recruit a workshop based Technical Instructor to work within a secure hospital environment. A large proportion of our inpatient population is of working age; many have experienced disrupted education, been unable to gain or sustain employment due to enduring mental health problems. In addition being in hospital and experiencing mental health problems can impact on the confidence to go back into the community and seek employment.

The recovery programmes we offer aim to facilitate adult learning, employment skills development and vocational training and/or experiences.  It also aims to link service users to mainstream or supported further education and work training projects or establishments within the community in preparation for discharge.

The woodwork shop provides a real work environment and opportunity to experience tutoring and coaching in carpentry with the aim to develop essential skills in preparation for future education/vocational pathways. Skills like, developing concentration & knowledge, learning how to handle and manage tools, self-confidence and a positive attitude, personal skills  and good social functioning.

The role is to assist in delivering individually planned programmes primarily carpentry and painting and decorating projects for individuals and groups within the workshop. This role includes engaging service users in project work and accessing community resources when appropriate. The post holder will assist in demonstrating progress and clear achievements jointly identified by the Work and Education Lead (Workshop) and the Occupational Therapist. The post holder will be professionally supported and managed within Occupational Therapy Services.

The post will be primarily based At Reaside Clinic in Rubery, however flexibility to work across all sites to will be required, to support the workshops i.e. Erdington and Bordesley Green.

The service users we care for often have very complex mental health needs, and at times may display very challenging behaviour. Therefore, staff will be required to demonstrate a range of skills including effective communication, empathy, self-awareness, and critical self-reflection skills. The individual would need to have the ability to manage their own reactions

and responses to challenging behaviours effectively. You will be qualified and/or experienced in appropriate workshop skills e.g. basic carpentry or painting and decorating, with excellent communication skills to engage and motivate people including those with challenging behaviour.

It would be an advantage to have experience of working within a health care setting and with a multi-disciplinary team.

Although the successful candidate will be expected to work in a challenging and dynamic environment, they will receive a comprehensive induction, on-going training, an annual appraisal and regular support and supervision to fulfil their role successfully. 

Job share and part-time working will be considered. 

Please see additional information for further details regarding the variety of services within Secure Care:

The Secure Care Service has a total of 221 beds consisting of the following:-
• 92 bedded men’s medium secure unit for those experiencing mental health problems (Reaside Clinic).
• 14 bedded men’s low secure unit for those experiencing mental health problems (Hillis Lodge).
• 30 bedded women’s medium secure unit for those experiencing mental health problems (Ardenleigh Hospital).
• 89 bedded men’s medium secure hospital for those experiencing mental health problems (Tamarind Centre). A specialist service of 12 beds for people with personality disorder.
• In addition the secure service provides a range of Forensic Mental Health Services based in the community.

The Trust is actively seeking to recruit people who are underrepresented in the workforce. This includes people from minority groups and people who have experience of Mental Health or experience through caring.
 

 For further details / informal visits contact:

INFORMAL VISIT is highly recommended - please contact Richard Walker on 0121 301 3083 or Julie Taylor 0121 301 3079/3082