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Employment Advisor/Volunteer Coordinator - East Wales/Wrexham - Apply with application form only

JOB TITLE: Employment Advisor/Volunteer Coordinator
DEPARTMENT: JobSense Team
LOCATION: North East Wales. Based in Wrexham covering Flintshire, Wrexham and North Powys
SALARY: £23,000
RESPONSIBLE TO: Team Leader
DURATION: 3yr Project (Feb 2019 – Jan 2022)

APPLY WITH APPLICATION FORM ONLY. CV'S WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

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Application form PDF

About us

As a charity Centre of Sign-Sight-Sound (COS) has the organisational purpose of: promoting, developing and causing to be provided appropriate facilities, services and resources to improve the quality of life and equality of opportunities for D/deaf people and people living with sensory loss.

COS’s mission is to promote a world where sensory loss does not limit, preclude or stigmatise people from achieving their full potential. We do this by campaigning and lobbying, raising awareness of sensory loss, promoting health, learning and communication support, and providing services which enable the achievement of our mission. The services we provide are aimed at ensuring D/deaf people and people living with sensory loss have equal access to statutory, voluntary and private sector service provision enabling them to remain living independently in their own homes for the longest time possible.

JobSense Project

It’s an exciting time for the Centre of Sign-Sight-Sound (COS) as we begin a new three-year employment project working with key partners Action on Hearing Loss and Elite Specialist Employment Agency, to deliver the JobSense project over the next 3 years, which aims to support people with sensory loss (those who are deaf, have hearing loss, blind, have sight loss or are DeafBlind) into work.

Answering to the team leader, this post will be responsible for working closely with the Employment Engagement Coordinator for East Wales, other Employment Advisors and a Support Worker to enable people with a vision loss or sight impairment to access, obtain and maintain paid employment through training and support in the workplace or undertake volunteering opportunities.

The role requires someone who is experienced at giving advice, support and/or mentoring and has previously worked or volunteered with people who are blind or have sight loss.

You’ll also be used to working independently under your own initiative, with the ability to plan and prioritise your workload effectively. You will play a key role in the successful running of this European Social Fund project.

You will also be passionate about making a difference to the lives of people who have sensory loss.

This scheme has been supported by the European Social Fund through the Welsh Government www.gov.wales/eu-funding

Key Activities

  • To work flexible hours in various locations to meet individual requirements of the participant and work placement, work trial or job.
  • Manage your own time and prioritise work to ensure deadlines are met and targets achieved.
  • Provide cover across the team as appropriate and when required.
  • Recognise and work within the organisation’s quality system and standards, that encompass those of our funders
  • To be aware of and adhere to the Safety at Work Act, Equality Legislation, GDPR and Safeguarding
  • Contribute to COS marketing activities to promote positive examples e.g. case studies.
  • To work as a member of the team, taking part in regular supervisions, meetings and appropriate training.
  • To conduct any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post as required and in line with the needs of the business. 
  • Contribute to leading the provision of high quality, cost effective services to people with disabilities/disadvantage specifically with a focus on those with sight loss.
  • To work closely with the Team Leader and North East Wales Employment Engagement Coordinator. To work with a small team of Vision Loss Advisor and a Support Worker for people who are blind or partially sighted to deliver supported Employment services to meet COS contractual obligations within the JobSense Project. 
  • Effectively coordinating and delivering activities and resources to deliver the JobSense objectives.
  • Implement policies, procedures and strategies appropriately.
  • Manage your own time and prioritise work to ensure deadlines are met and targets achieved.
  • Ensure that reasonable care is taken at all times for the health, safety and welfare of you and other persons, and to comply with the policies and procedures relating to health and safety.
  • Carry out any other duties which fall within the broad spirit, scope and purpose of this job description and which are commensurate with the grade of the post.
  • To ensure participant confidentiality is adhered to at all times and to work in line with the principles of the GDPR.
  • Must be willing to undertake journeys throughout Wales for work purposes, including occasional overnight stays and travel where necessary.
  • Such other duties as may be required to fulfil the objectives of the role
Statement

This Job Description and Person Specification reflect the duties of the post as they exist at this time and may be subject to changed based on the needs of the organisation. The post-holder may be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the salary and competence requirements of this post from time to time as required.

*Personal Specification 

Applicants must demonstrate in their application form and supporting statement that they currently use the skills outlined below or have used them previously in employment, education, training, volunteering etc.

Essential Criteria                                                                                                                                

Education/Knowledge

  • Strong command of English and Maths  
   
Essential Experience 
                                                                                     
  • Experience of coordinating groups of adults

  • Experience of working with volunteers

  • Experience of publicity and promotion activities

  • Level 3 qualification and/or relevant experience

Essential Skills / Ability

  • An understanding of the motivations of volunteers

  • Ability to demonstrate the COS values and behaviours (see below)

  • Excellent communication skills, both oral and written

  • Ability and willingness to work on own initiative and as part of a team

  • Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively and a willingness to challenge constructively

  • Sensitive to the needs of others especially people who have sensory loss

  • The ability to enthuse others

  • An open and approachable manner

  • Supportive and self-motivated

  • Ability to monitor and maintain own standards

  • Has excellent problem solving skills and is solution focused

  • Willingness to travel as required within Wales

Desirable Criteria

  • Experience of working within the third sector

  • Volunteer Management qualification

Desirable Skills / Ability

  • Ability to communicate in British Sign Language to level 1

  • Ability to speak Welsh to conversational level

  • An understanding of the issues affecting people who have sensory loss, particularly when looking for work.

Circumstances

Ability to undertake travel and overnight stays on occasion as and when required

Leadership and Management Behaviour’s

Act as a role model for the COS's Leadership and Management behaviour’s:
  • Driven to deliver
  • Leading and engaging
  • Strategic thinking

Competencies

Listed below are key competencies, which describe how the job must be carried out in order to achieve the objectives set.

Business initiative

An understanding of the markets COS operates in and ability identify and capitalise on opportunities

Planning and Organising

Ability to plan, lead and manage proposals that win new business, in line with business processes.

Problem solving and time management

Ability to identify and successfully plan dependencies in complex projects, prioritising critical tasks and allocating time and resources to the crucial areas that will underpin project success.

Concern for accuracy

Acting to minimise errors and inaccuracies, maintaining high standards of accuracy and correctness in dealing with information and data. Adopting an orderly and precise approach to work paying careful attention to following standard procedures and ways of working.

Team Working

Build and maintain good working relationships with colleagues within COS to cultivate a positive team spirit, commitment to the team and achievement of shared goals.

Application Process

Please email: Stephanie.woodcock@signsignsound.org.uk if you require any information on how to apply for this post.

Closing date: The current closing date is scheduled for 14th June 2019

Interview schedule: Week commencing 24th June 2019

*Statement: This Job Description and Person Specification reflect the duties of the post as they exist at this time and may be subject to changed based on the needs of the organisation.  The post-holder may be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the salary and competence requirements of this post from time to time as required.

Application form PDF
Key Responsibilities

  • To take on referrals for work and assess their preferences, skills and support needs utilising a range of methods.

  • To support, counsel and advise the participant in relation to their pursuance of employment or in relation to employment issues.

  • To co-ordinate and deliver Job Club activities that includes the provision of a range of pre-employment interventions to support participants with their quest for employment/moving closer to the job market.

  • To teach both accredited and non-accredited training/courses for a range of employability programmes/workshops including provision to internal staff and external partners.

  • To liaise with employers and negotiate paid employment opportunities, work trial placements, or volunteering opportunities for an allocated caseload to meet the needs of the individual and project targets. 

  • To lead presentations to employers, partners and other groups to raise the profile of our services.

  • To be aware of welfare benefits issues and provide financial advice and guidance in relation to better off in work calculations.

  • To co-ordinate all identified project activities in line with the needs of the funders of specified projects for example In Work Support, Access to Work and Supported Permitted Work applications. 

  • To negotiate customer spend up to an agreed amount by Line Manager/Team Leader should this help move sustain or advance a customer within employment. 

  • To monitor the progress and performance of the participant and keep appropriate records in line with the needs of our Funders with the aim to achieve sustainability in order to meet Project outcomes and compliance.

  • To maintain regular contact with the employer to ensure and assist the new worker to meet expectations, with the aim to achieve job sustainability in order to meet Project outcomes.

  • Maintain consistent performance at a level above average demonstrating quality and targets.

  • To carry out other long term specified agreed alternative duties within your existing role in line with the needs of the business and staff personal development. See examples below (this list is not exclusive or exhaustive).

  • To lead and implement strategic activities in conjunction with the Employer Engagement Team to contribute to multiple successful job outcomes and contract performance on a continuous basis.

  • To lead on the development, design, delivery and evaluation of a range of pre-employment training packages.

  • To act as SPOC for an identified activity (either internal or external) on a long-term basis for example; ATW, Welfare Benefits, Named Database Super Users/Champion, Health and Safety Compliance, initial engagement/marketing of a service.

  • To lead in the role of Internal Verification for an identified awarding body and related units of learning /qualifications.

  • To lead on the recruitment of volunteers to defined roles within JobSense, in line with the operation’s delivery plan.

  • To deliver, and facilitate delivery of appropriate specialist training to enable volunteers to provide support to people with sensory loss who are engaging with JobSense in their journey towards independence.

  • To be responsible for supporting JobSense volunteers, adhering to Centre of Sign-Sight-Sound’s volunteering policies and volunteer management best practice.

  • Working with COS Team Leader, Vision Loss Advisors and Hearing Loss Advisors, to lead on generating an effective induction and training plan for volunteers to enable their full and effective delivery of their defined role descriptions as part of JobSense.

  • To work closely with the COS Team Leader to support the careful monitoring and evaluation of all training outputs and outcomes, to assess the effectiveness of different recruitment and training methods, and to produce related reports as needed.

  • Working with the COS Team Leader, Vision Loss Advisors and Hearing Loss Advisors identify and support the enhanced training of ‘expert’ volunteers, towards an aim of post-project sustainability.

  • Carry out duties and responsibilities of the post at all times in compliance with all of the host organisation’s policies, but especially Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety, Safeguarding Lone Working.
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