Solihull Action Through Advocacy

SOLIHULL ACTION THROUGH ADVOCACY

ACE Outreach Advocate

Job Description

Responsible to: CEO

Overall Purpose: To contribute to the delivery of our Big Lottery funded Aspirations, Choice and Empowerment (ACE) project by supporting people with learning disabilities in their aspiration to live fulfilled lives; addressing the core social inequalities of poverty, poor health and housing, unemployment, isolation and discrimination through one to one advocacy and direct outreach advocacy.

Salary Grade: NJC Point 28 (this is a supervisory grade)

Hours of work: 37 hours

Contract Period: As stated in contract

Annual Leave: starting at 22 days plus 8 statutory day’s pro-rata, increasing to 25

Concessionary leave: 3 days to be taken as directed over Christmas period

Pension: Non-contributory pension of 5% of salary paid into a personal pension scheme

Place of work: Bank House, 157 Warwick Road, Solihull B92 7AR

Responsibilities

·  To promote the views and abilities of people with learning disabilities through the development of various activities in the community, including film making, drama and skills workshops.

·  To facilitate a regular drama group and deliver drama workshops to explore experiences of bullying and discrimination faced by people with learning disabilities.

·  To support drama group members to deliver presentations to schools, youth groups and community organisations to raise awareness of bullying and discrimination.

·  To oversee production of short information films for people with learning disabilities on health, housing and finance

·  To develop and facilitate skills development workshops for people with learning disabilities to support their opportunities for employment, training and volunteering

·  To develop relationships with local employers, training providers and volunteer agencies and facilitate a skills fair to promote the abilities of people with learning disabilities.

·  To attend community forums to represent the views of people with learning disabilities

·  To recruit and support community advocacy partnerships to combat isolation and promote community engagement.

·  To support people with learning disabilities to set up common interest groups within the community.

·  To provide one to one advocacy for adults with learning disabilities, living in the borough of Solihull, using a person centred approach.

·  To assess whether advocacy is the appropriate course of action and if a referral meets the criteria for SAtA involvement; referring to other agencies if necessary.

·  To encourage opportunities for employment, volunteering and training by supporting clients to complete skills portfolios.

·  To develop and facilitate service user groups when appropriate or in line with funding requirements.

·  To maintain accurate records in relation to all aspects of project work to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation.

·  To be responsible with the rest of the team for the development and promotion of the advocacy service, including producing publicity materials and accessible information.

·  To participate fully as a member of the staff team, attending and contributing to staff meetings and attending Management Committee meetings when required.

·  To supervise students/volunteers as required

·  To undertake other duties agreed or negotiated with Advocacy Manager.

·  To keep abreast with all health and social care policy and legislation at a local and national level and any developments or changes in Advocacy provision locally and nationally

ACE Advocacy Outreach Coordinator

Person Specification

A = Application Form I = Interview T = Test at Interview Stage

Personal Attributes (Values and Behaviours)
Essential Criteria
·  Demonstrates anti-discriminatory and non-judgmental behaviour (A,I)
·  Commitment to the principles of independent advocacy and social inclusion (A,I)
·  Well organised and self-motivated (A)
·  Able to work on own initiative and prioritise workload to meet deadlines (A)
·  Flexible approach to working evening and weekends (A)
·  Willing to contribute and share views and experiences (A)
·  Flexible attitude to supporting other members of the team (A)
·  Willing to learn and open to new ideas (A)
·  Works proactively to solve problems (A,I)
Desirable Criteria
·  Good sense of humour (A)
·  Positive outlook (A)
Experience
Essential
·  Experience of advocating for others in a paid or unpaid capacity (A,I)
·  Experience of working with people with learning disabilities (A,I)
·  Experience of working inclusively with service users e.g. to develop groups, activities and events (A,I,T)
·  Experience of facilitating drama groups and workshops with service users (A,I)
·  Experience of planning, developing and managing events (A,I)
·  Experience of working as part of a team to achieve specific shared outcomes (A,I)
·  Experience of supervising others (A,I)
Desirable
·  Experience of promoting events and activities using social media (A)
·  Experience of working with people with complex communication and/or behaviour (A)
·  Experience of supporting people with learning disabilities in a work environment (A,I)
·  Experience of developing and producing short information films for public viewing (A,I)
Skills
Essential
·  Ability to make complex information easily understood both verbally and in written formats (A,I,T)
·  Excellent IT skills, including use of databases, report writing and presentation of information (A)
·  Excellent networking and community engagement skills (A,I)
·  Group facilitation
·  Able to develop monitoring tools for outcome focussed activities (A)
·  Full driving licence and own transport (A)
Desirable
·  Drama Workshop facilitation (A,I)
·  Use of project management tools and processes (A)
·  Training in person centred tools and approaches (A)
·  Use of film making equipment (A,I)
·  Use of specialist software to produce easy read documents and literature (A)
Knowledge
Essential
·  Demonstrable understanding of person centred approaches (A,I)
·  Knowledge of social inequalities facing people with learning disabilities(A,I)
·  Awareness of safeguarding procedures for vulnerable people (A,I)
·  Understanding of confidentiality in practice and potential conflicts (A,I)
·  Knowledge of issues facing people with learning disabilities in the community (A,I)
·  Demonstrable knowledge and experience of inclusive practice (A,I)
·  Understanding of group dynamics (A,I)
Desirable
·  Knowledge of major legislation underpinning disability issues (A,I)
·  Knowledge of community issues in and around Solihull (A,I)
·  Knowledge of welfare and social benefits (A,I)
·  Knowledge of equal rights and disability discrimination (A,I)

ACE Outreach Advocate Page 1

10th March 2014